food styling

Limeade cooler

It’s a bit cooler here in Nashville, but while it was so bloody hot I managed to get lots of indoor stuff done..homey chores…office work. I cleaned up my desk….I found this little tag I had attached to a pitcher of “Basil-Limeade Wine Spritzer” that I had taken to a potluck gathering last summer and remembered how refreshing it was…maybe it’s time to make another batch.

There are no real measurements, just gather the ingredients in the tag and mix and taste until you like it. Serve over an ice packed glass. Sip and cool down.

I also finally got to finish up my new website design and get it live…see images below and hop over for a visit when you have a second…www.teresablackburnfoodstyling.com. I really love working on things like this…noodling…especially on a hot days.

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August is now a lot of memories and September is before us. There is lots of turmoil as well as goodness in the world. We are soon having an election for a new President here in the United States. I support Hillary Clinton for President and I hope you will ponder this and vote for her as well. Do the most good for the most people as often as you can. Read between the lines…ask questions…think peace. Do right.

Happy Labor Day Y’all.

Basil-Limeade Wine Spritzer-Cooler

Servings: 8-10
Time: 10mins
Difficulty: easy
Print

Limeade cooler

Directions:

Chill a bottle of Pinot Grigio white wine or a Rose.
Slice 2 limes into wheels & cut these in half. Squeeze the juice from 4 more limes and add to a pitcher.
Add some sugar…about 1/4 cup at the most… to the pitcher along with some fresh basil leaves and stir until sugar has dissolved.
Pour chilled wine into the pitcher & stir well. Add lime slices.
Right before serving add seltzer water to the pitcher. Pour mixture over glasses filled with ice. Garnish with basil leaves. Ahhhhhh….aren’t you cooler already?

“Plums in Bowl” (magazine paper & paint markers)

I don’t talk much about my work, but I am a food stylist and September is the start of the busy season after a more languid summer of work. September is the time to rev up the cookbook projects, magazine articles, restaurant menus…get back into the swing of things…and it pretty much doesn’t slow down until the Spring thaw…so I have been away from my kitchen more than I like, not so much time to experiment and play. Not so much time to ponder food and drink…Along with food styling assignments I have found a bit of time here and there to make some of my quick & easy mini art pieces that always seem to have food as the subject..and I recently made the quickest plum tart in the world for a photo shoot. So this is my “End of September Still Life Using Plums & Paper”.

“A Recipe for the Most Simple Plum Tart in the World”

Ingredients: 3 or 4 ripe plums or plucots, Turbinado Style Vanilla Sugar or any Vanilla Sugar, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 pie crust (use your favorite recipe or a store-bought crust), 3 tbsp butter cut into chunks, powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash & pat dry plums. Cut in half & remove pits. Slice & place in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle 2 tbsp sugar & the cornstarch over the fruit and toss together well. The plums will release a bit of juice which is just perfect. Set aside.

2. Roll pasty out into a large circle about 12 to 15 inches in diameter and place pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Spread Plum mixture over the center of the pastry leaving a few inches all around uncovered. Dot with butter. Sprinkle a bit more vanilla sugar over all.

4. Fold excess dough up and over the fruit, overlapping & crimping together a bit. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar. Very easy, very quick…