My brother Dustin Turned 30 this year. I guess that makes him old. Well, at least that is what I thought when I was ten. Thirty is definitely old. For his birthday, his girlfriend Stacy organized an amazing dinner. Since I have been deemed the baker in the family, she had a special request for Dustin's birthday cake.
Ice Cream Cone Cake, photography by Sara Atkins Photography.
Yes it looks like a first grader made it. And yes, it looks like it is for a first grade girl. But that was the point. The ice cream cones are filled with cake, the toppings are made of candy. The Cake is almond-ish and the frosting is spiked with brandy.
Bzzz, photography by Sara Atkins Photography.
Busy Kitchen, photography by Sara Atkins Photography.
It is amazing, a busy kitchen in our house and no Dustin in sight, blasphemy!
Blue, photography by Sara Atkins Photography.
Our little helper, Blue.
Ravi's Ribs, photography by Sara Atkins Photography.
These are Ravi's Ribs. They put the A in amazing. When she makes them the meat falls off the bone and the sauce is to die for. If am the baker then she is definitely the rib maker. Incidentally, our family has been in the process of making a family cook book. It is all online through a company called Tastebook. You can put all of your recipes in online, add your favorite images and they will print and bind it for you. It has grown to be so huge that I think it will have to be two books. I have been trying to get pictures of a lot of the food that will be in the book so I was excited to get another one.
Chicken Delicious, photography by Sara Atkins Photography.
And finally, Stacy's chicken sandwiches. Apparently the recipe is from a place in the East Bay, but I doubt that the original is as good as Stacy makes them. They were perfectly scrumptious. The chicken was crispy on the outside and super moist on the inside. The coleslaw gave it that extra bit of goodness. It was fantastic.
Needless to say, I didn't have to eat for a week after this meal.
Summer time, originally uploaded by Sara Atkins.
On my way to Megan's last maternity session in beautiful St. Helena I noticed that the blackberry bushes were fully of juicy berries. I couldn't help myself. This is the result of my inspiration.
I used a recipe from Allrecipes.com with a few alterations. I added a few extra handfuls of berries and squeezed a lemon over the top. Scrumptious.
Shooting with Julie (Julie Chesire Photography) in St Helena, California a on August 1st was amazing, and exhausting. We had so much fun with this huge event (350 people!) and worked our fingers to the bone. I loved every minute of it. The wedding took place at St. Helena Catholic Church and the reception was at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Both Venues were both beautiful and challenging to shoot. So much fun!
This was a HUGE Italian family and they were awesome. The bridal party was great, 10 guys and 10 gals in all, and they were enjoying every moment of the day. Eleonora and Al are a beautiful couple. It is no wonder they have so many friends!!
I had the pleasure of spending quite a bit of time with the guys and enjoyed their antics. They may look pretty tough here, but they really a bunch of teddy bears. The excitement of the days events was definitely in the air, and they reveled in it. Nothing like a round of Bocce Ball before your wedding to calm your nerves...
After the wedding we stopped at Charles Krug Winery where we got some great pictures with a view of CIA in the background. It was a nice moment for them to be alone and enjoy their first married moments together.
The reception venue and CIA was stunning. The aroma of the fresh flowers was in the air and the candle light made for an ambiance full of romance.
Their cake was beautiful, It is amazing what some people can do with a bit of frosting. I love to bake, which you should know if you keep up with my blog. But not once has a cake ever turned out like this for me.
That is right, this event took place at the CIA, which meant that the food was top notch.
Congratulations Eleonora and Al!
Happy Paws, Photography by Sara Atkins Photography.
I love my cats. I do, but I am not neurotic. Really. Ok, so maybe they get the occasional bath and maybe they get home-made cat food. Stop laughing.
Here is the deal. Little Frankie (the one on the right) has a bit of a tummy issue. The trouble is, he is a kibble addict. This wouldn't be such a problem if his taste buds and his digestive system were on the same page. But alas, they are not. Let me just say, when Frankie has been eating kibble he can clear out the flat in no time. Even Linus (the kid on the left) gives him dirty looks as he exits the kitty box.
So, I have been driven to make their food myself. Since I have been doing this, Frankie has been doing a million times better. No more tummy problems and no more stinky cat box. I have been getting quite a few questions about how I go about making their food, so here it is:
Ingredients:
- 6 lb meat (I use chicken thighs and giblets, or turkey)
- 1 lb chicken liver
- 2 lb chicken heart
- 2 cup water
- 4 eggs
- 800IU vitamin E
- 200 mg Vitamin B
- 4000 mg Taurine
- 1 1/2 tsp lite salt (with iodine)
- 4000mg Salmon oil
- 8 Tb bone meal
Mix everything up in a big bowl and divide into containers. If using thigh meat I do cut it up, I use kitchen shears for this. I feed two containers per day and that is enough for both of the cats. I always keep two containers in the refrigerator thawing the rest is in the freezer. Occasionally they get a whole quail to share as a meal and they are learning to tackle that pretty well. My husband is convinced that they aren't really eating the quail, but hiding is somewhere. As of yet there have been no foul smells to prove his theory. My little carnivores are doing just fine.
disclaimer: I am not suggesting that you should try this without consulting your veterinarian (though it can't be worse than the crap that is in commercial cat food).
If you are interested in learning more and perhaps converting to a home-made cat food follow this link: www.sfraw.com
Cakebread Cellars, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
While out shooting with Tara Arrowood I ended up at Cakebread cellars. This is a beautiful piece of property in the Napa Valley and well worth the visit. Cakebread is not just about the wine (which is wonderful), their food is amazing. They offer wine tasting, food and wine pairing, cooking classes, and on and on.
Napa Flowers, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
The property is full of beautiful flowers and even has it's own garden which produces some of the vegetables used to make their wonderful food.
Cakebread cooking, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
If only I had taste-o-vision to show you how amazing the food tasted. This was some of the best asparagus that has ever found it's way into my mouth. The bread stuffing left me begging for more. I don't even particularly like stuffing and I found myself looking for seconds.
Make me drool, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
The pizza was cooked in an outdoor pizza oven. The crisp crust, fresh veg, caramelized onions and just the right amount of cheese = heaven. More please.
Busy Kitchen, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
While the guests enjoy the wine the kitchen is bustling with activity in preparation for the meal. I was lucky enough to watch them in action. It is always tricky to get in there and get great shots without getting in the way. Luckily, the staff at Cakebread is warm and inviting. They were pretty good sports and didn't even groan at me when I asked them to pause so I could get a shot here and there. So, if you are in the Napa area (Rutherford to be exact) and you are looking for a complete culinary experience head to Cakebread. You will not be disappointed.
Ha ha! My brother turned 30 last year, too! It was definitely a shock to me when it finally hit me...only to realize that it means I'm looking at 28 soon!... Where did the time go, Sara? *sigh*
(01.10.10)Crazy right? Time goes so quickly. I can't even remember the last time I say your bright smile. I believe it was at Davis...
(01.14.10)