briciole

calendule in cucina / calendula in the kitchen

Calendula flowers from my garden

Flowers of Calendula officinalis will brighten your day, no matter how gray. These come from a small patch growing next to my garlic. You will soon see a photo showing their bright orange color. I like how taking the brilliant hue off higlights the delicate texture of the petals.

a study in textures

In my "stained glass" maltagliati, I press nasturtium petals together with the dough. Above, I am about to knead calendula petals into the dough. What's the result? Stay tuned.

---

The photos are my contribution to edition #88 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Sreevalli of Ammaji Recipes.

The photos were shot in color and then converted to black and white (Lightroom prese B&W Look 1) the top one and to sepia (Lightroom preset Sepia Tone) the bottom one.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

serpente di pasta / snake of pasta dough

rolling dough into a long snake

A new week, a new pasta shape. To make this one, whose name shall remain secret for now, dough is first rolled into a long, thin snake.

The casual arrangement of the folds and the contrast with the texture of the wooden kneading board made for an interesting image.

This is my contribution to edition #87 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Jasmina of Jazzy Kitchen.

The photo was shot in color and then converted to sepia (Lightroom preset Sepia).

This post contains the gallery of photo contributed to the event.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

Related articles

pezze rigate / handmade pezze rigate

Hearthstone

the forest is my home because that's where my heart is

Tomorrow, June 1, is National Trails Day and this is my invitation to go hit a trail, tomorrow and any day you can. I will probably go on one of my favorite trails in the East Bay, the Seaview Trail. In the meantime, today, I share an image from Humboldt Redwoods State Park, one of my favorite places in California (and the whole world). The beautiful landmark in the photo has an illustrious history:

The California Federation of Women's Clubs Grove, located on the Avenue of the Giants 3 miles north of the Visitor Center, offers many day use activities as well as a glimpse into history. This day use area has picnic tables, barbeque grills, restrooms, river access with a swimming hole, and a hiking trail. In addition, the Hearthstone or four fireplaces structure, is located in this grove. The Hearthstone was designed by architect Julia Morgan as a tribute to the women who worked so hard to preserve the redwoods in this grove and the surrounding area. [source]

Early in the 20th century, women’s civic groups around California organized a statewide campaign to protect the redwoods in Humboldt County. In response, the California Federation of Women’s Clubs purchased a grove of giant redwoods next to the South Fork of the Eel River. In 1931, renowned San Francisco architect Julia Morgan, designer of the Hearst Castle, fashioned a monument to celebrate saving the grove from the loggers’ saw. Morgan’s monument stands today in the Federation’s grove, a peculiar four-sided hearth that features fireplaces facing each direction. Officially called the California Federation of Women’s Clubs Hearthstone, it was built of native stone and redwood timber. Morgan’s biographer wrote that the Hearthstone is a symbol for “the untouched nature of the forest and the Federation’s scrupulous protection of this heritage.” [source]

In 1933 the General Federation of Women’s Clubs hired Julia Morgan to design a memorial to symbolize their victorious effort and champion their motto, “Strength United is Stronger”. The hearthstone was designed with four stone fireplaces united with a common chimmey. Oversized rocks collected from the Eel River are on the face of the structure. Cut tree trunks support wood roofs that cover the open hearths. Stone bench inglenooks provide a resting place. [source]

Now, let's get a bit closer to read the inscription over the front fireplace:

women know best

For lo,
in the forest there
comes contentment
peace and the sweet
companionship of
nature

This is my contribution to edition #86 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Deepali Jain of Confusion Cook.

The photo was shot in color and then converted to black and white (Lightroom preset BW Look 1).

This post contains the gallery of images contributed to the event.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

 

Black and White Wednesday: la galleria di foto / the photo gallery

Many thanks to all who illuminated my week by contributing their images to edition #84 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event. And a big thank you to Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook who created the event and to Cinzia of Cindystar who is now organizing it.

Enjoy this week's show!

Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums: Port And Cheese Straws Make Jack A Happy Man

Sandra of ...indovina che viene a cena?: Fried Flowers

Claire of Chez Cayenne: Tomatoes and Garlic

Meena of Encourage Spice: Empty Bowl

Haalo of Cooking Almost Anything: Merinda Pomodori

Cinzia of Cindystar: New Old Props

Julie of Stregatto cuciniero: Tarte au Fromage Frais et aux Pruneaux

Rekha Vengalil of Food0licious Pictured: Princess Cake

Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook: Time to Entertain

Usha of Sizzling Indian Recipes: Fresh coconut, Hemp Hearts & Chia Seed Ladoos

Simona of briciole:

sign at the farmers' market

handmade pezze rigate

I hope you like the page divider I have used in the post. I downloaded it from this page.

As of today, Priya of The Humpty Dumpty Kitchen is accepting submissions for edition #85 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event. You can send her your contribution to pickwickcorner AT gmail DOT com.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the event. And if you are interested in hosting a gallery, contact Cinzia at casacortella AT tin DOT it.

I do hope I have not left anybody out of the roundup. If you find that, notwithstanding my best intentions, I actually have omitted a photo , please send me a note.

Arrivederci a presto!

cartello al mercato / sign at the farmers' market

"I am a serious fellow"

From my most recent visit to the Temescal Farmers' Market. If you are curious about the name Tomatero, you can read about it on this page. No tomatoes yet from Tomatero farm, but I bought strawberries. We ate some fresh and I roasted the rest to make frittata with roasted strawberries and strawberry lassi.

---

This week, I have the honor of hosting Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event. created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook and now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar. Send your contribution at simosite AT mac DOT com, namely

• your name
• your blog's name
• the image(s) (max 500 px wide, either orientation, max 150 kb file size)

You have until Tuesday, May 21 at midnight Pacific time to do so. If you are unfamiliar with the event or need a reminder of the rules, you will find the details in this post (and in Italian here). Feel free to use the logo below. If you have a photo, but no blog, send it to me and I will include it in the roundup, which will be published on Wednesday, May 22.

Since messages can get lost, please, contact me again if you don't get an answer to your email or a comment on your blog within a couple of days of emailing me.

This is my contribution to edition #84 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Simona of briciole.

The photo was shot in color and then converted to black and white (Lightroom preset Split Tone 1).

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

scatola di pasta / pasta tin

from pasta to plant container

Another class at the Loka Yoga studio and another chance to take some photos of the plant containers hanging on one side of the building. After the cookie tin from Macau, a pasta tin from Italy — which gives me the chance to remind you that this month I am hosting Pasta Please.

This is my contribution to edition #83 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Shruthi of Food & Clicks.

The photo was shot in color and then converted to black and white (Lightroom preset Split Tone 4).

This post contains the gallery of images submitted to the event.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

Related articles

scatola di biscotti / cookie tin

annuncio / announcement: Pasta Please

superfici / surfaces

flatbread in progress

It was a nice evening. I had just shaped some dough into a tight ball for its final rise before baking, when my photographic eye caught the nice contrast between the two materials in my field of view.

(Don't worry, I cleaned my hands before grabbing the camera.)

For details regarding the flatbread, you will need to exercise a bit of patience the wait is over.

This is my contribution to edition #82 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Alex of Food 4 Thought.

The photo was shot in color and then converted to sepia (Lightroom preset Sepia Tone).

This post contains the gallery of images contributed to the event.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

Related articles

spianatoia / kneading board

mana'eesh

scatola di biscotti / cookie tin

contained Phoenix Egg Rolls made in Macau

There are events that bring life to an abrupt halt. The bombing in Boston is one of those. I thought that sporting events were hallowed territory, but obviously they are not so any more.

I took this photo outside the Loka Yoga studio on Sunday morning. It was almost 1 pm and intensely bright, so not an ideal time to take outdoor photos, but I noticed that the cookies came from Macau, where the book we are currently reading for our Cook the Books Club is set, one more reason to take the photo.

I think that the image somehow fits the sorrowful time after Monday's events. Plants thrive and bloom in the most unexpected places and I hope that out of this tragedy somehow something positive will grow.

This is my contribution to edition #79 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Shruthi of Food & Clicks.

The photo was shot in color and then converted to sepia (Lightroom preset Sepia Tone).

This post contains the gallery of images contributed to the event.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

iris bianchi e cavolo nero / white irises and Tuscan kale

neighbors at the market

Friendly neighbors at the market, fascinating each on its own and striking in their juxtaposition, white irises and Tuscan kale arrested my eyes and made my hands reach for the camera. Darkness and light, ruggedness and smoothness, opposites embrace each other at the farmers' market.

This is my contribution to edition #78 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen.

The photo was shot in color and then converted to black and white (Lightroom preset B&W Look 2).

This post contains the gallery of images contributed to the event.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

spianatoia / kneading board

working on my kneading board

While working on a pasta project, I picked up my camera to record the look of my working space. The two pieces of dough are of a different color, because they are made with a different combination of ingredients.

This is my contribution to edition #77 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once.

The photo was shot in color and then converted to black and white (Lightroom preset B&W Split Tone 2).

This post contains the gallery of images contributed to the event.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.