Beaujolais Nouveau

Carly Diaz November 14, 2016

On Thursday, November 17, wine lovers around the world will open bottles and sip the first wine of the harvest. The tradition originated in the Beaujolais region of France and is now celebrated around the world on the third Thursday of November. Made from Gamay grapes, the young, red wine is a tribute to the conclusion of the year’s fruitful harvest. Refreshing, fruit-forward and ready to appease revelers, Nouveau wine is easy to drink and the growing collection of winemakers in Portland makes people eager for a taste of the first vintage. Portland has fully embraced the day to herald Beaujolais Nouveau with a variety of celebrations around the city.

For the past several years, I've enjoyed celebrating with Southeast Wine Collective and am always eager to taste their Nouveau Nouveau Gamay Noir. Read more about the Collective's celebration, as well as other celebrations in my article for 1859 Magazine.

Photographing Vía Raíz

Carly Diaz November 11, 2016

In these strange post-election days, I couldn't be more excited to share information about a new concept coming to Portland that celebrates so many of values that are now central to the protests taking place on the streets here and across the nation. Vía Raíz opens today in downtown Portland with a line of products that showcases Mexican craftsmanship and is founded by the incredible female entrepreneur and first-generation Mexican Jennifer Bolanos.

We work with highly skilled makers and innovative designers who are reinterpreting traditional Mexican craft - bridging the divide between ancestral craft and contemporary design.

I had the opportunity to work with Jennifer on a series of photoshoots capturing the products in a lifestyle setting. It was the ideal collaboration with a keen vision and gorgeous products. In order to emphasize the intersection of traditional and contemporary, Pacific Northwest and Mexico, we settled on shooting at a barn on Sauvie Island, a favorite rural stomping ground of Portlanders that is just 15 minutes outside of the city.

Vía Raíz features a carefully curated collection of textiles, linens and jewelry, as well as items for the home and kitchen. Gorgeous planters, beaded skulls, and ceramics. Vía Raíz is opening today at the holiday PDX Pop-up Shop at 606 SW 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205, Tuesday - Saturday 11am-7pm and Sunday 12pm-5pm.

Photographing Dame

Carly Diaz October 29, 2016

Dame Restaurant opened in NE Portland in mid-September with a menu of seasonal foods and natural wines. I had the pleasure of working with owners Dana Frank and Jane Smith leading up to the opening to capture the food of Chef Eli Dahlin, the gorgeous space, and the wine curated by Dana, a nationally-recognized sommelier. The restaurant has already caught attention near and far, with good reason. It's comfortable, yet sophisticated and feels simultaneously like a neighborhood bar and a destination restaurant on the food tourist's map.

I thoroughly enjoyed the process of working alongside Dana, Jane, and Eli as the restaurant neared the opening and the menu items and restaurant interior came to life. Plating and presentation were adjusted under the close inspection of my camera lens, while finishing design touches were made to the space itself. The details and amount of care put into everything made it such a pleasure to photograph, from the handmade ceramics from Jono Pandolfi to the linens sewn by Jane's mother.

Dame Restaurant 2930 NE Killingsworth St, Portland, OR, 97217

Citrus Yogurt Bowl

Carly Diaz October 17, 2016

Citrus Yogurt Bowl

Ingredients:
1 grapefruit
1 Cara Cara orange
1 navel orange
2 mandarin oranges
2-3 Tbsp honey
2 cups goat milk yogurt or plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp flax seeds, ground

Preparation:
Trim off the top and bottom of each fruit, cut off all the skin and remove the pith. Then use a sharp knife to slice citrus into ½-inch thick pieces.

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt and honey until well combined. Layer the citrus slices in the bowl and top with the pistachios, flax seeds, and an additional drizzle of honey.

This post was created in partnership with The Wonderful Company.

Salem Dining Scene for 1859 Magazine

Carly Diaz August 31, 2016

Earlier in August, I had the opportunity to visit Salem, Oregon's capital city, for a story about the vibrant food scene for 1859 Magazine. While Portland is often seen as Oregon’s food capital, Salem has a growing energy and enthusiasm for restaurants that showcase the best of the region, while playing to the creativity of the city. Dedicated to the local, organic and seasonal food movement, a growing number of restaurants are quietly and quickly shaping the city into an alluring food destination. Read more and see additional photos of the restaurants featured below and other spots not to be missed in the article.

Paradiso at The Grand Theatre, 195 High Street NE

Minto Island Growers food cart, 3394 Brown Island Rd S

Wild Pear, 372 State St.

Rafns, 479 Court St.

Strawberry pistachio cream tart

Carly Diaz August 8, 2016

This weekend I went to the Portland Farmers Market at PSU, one of my favorite things to do in the city. I don't manage to go as often as I'd like, but always love the atmosphere and variety of fresh produce. This time, I was on the hunt for Oregon-esque gifts to take with me on my upcoming trip to Amsterdam, as well as a few items for the weekend.

It's kind of crazy that I'll be back in the Netherlands, my home for 7 years, in just a couple of days. I'm so excited, but also a bit nervous. A good nervous because there is so much I want to do, see, and experience during the trip, including a trip to Amsterdam's outdoor market Noordermarkt. A similar vibe to the Portland Farmers Market, but nestled between a church and canal with a view of the row house. It's a fantastic scene and, like Portland's market, quite the tourist destination.

As I headed home from the Portland Farmers Market, my basket was full with tri-color corn, butterling potatoes, huckleberries, tomatoes, chocolate-covered hazelnuts, marionberry jam, hazelnut pancake mix, and more. I was also surprised to find strawberries in abundance. If you manage to get some of the last farm-fresh berries of the season, it's a great opportunity to make this recipe, which puts strawberries front and center.

Strawberry Pistachio Cream Tart

Ingredients:
1 cup unbleached flour
½ tspn salt
⅓ cup shortening
2-4 Tbsp ice water

5 large egg yolks, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 ½ cups scalded whole milk
½ tspn vanilla extract
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp heavy cream
½ tspn orange zest
¼ tspn lemon zest
⅛ tspn fine salt

4 cups strawberries, sliced
½ cup unsalted pistachios, shelled
honey

Preparation:
In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Using a fork, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with ice water, one tablespoon at a time, while gently mixing with fork. Continue to add water until dough is just moist enough to form a ball when lightly pressed together.

Shape dough into a long rectangle, ½-inch thick. On a lightly-floured work surface, roll dough lightly from center to edge with a floured rolling pin. Place in tart pan and gently press in bottom and up sides of pan without stretching. Trim pastry edges if necessary.

Prick bottom and side of pastry with fork. Bake at 450°F for 9-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

With an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high for 4 minutes or until very thick. Reduce to low speed and add the cornstarch. With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture.

Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes. When the cream begins to boil, whisk vigorously for 2 minutes switch to a whisk and beat vigorously. Stir in the vanilla, butter, heavy cream, zest, and salt. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until chilled.

Spread cream across tart shell and layer with strawberry slices. Drizzle with honey and top with pistachios. Serve with extra cream on the side.

This post was created in partnership with The Wonderful Company.

photography at Le Pigeon

Carly Diaz August 1, 2016

Le Pigeon is one of those tried and true gems of Portland, which I've had the pleasure of photographing for almost two years now. It is considered by many to be one of the best restaurants in the city and Chef Gabriel Rucker is constantly experimenting with new flavors and ingredients. When the menu undergoes a significant refresh, I'm called in to capture the new dishes and atmosphere of the restaurant.

Each shoot begins right before dinner service starts, when the kitchen is prepped and ready to start cooking. This gives me the best of both worlds. Beautiful food, thoughtfully plated before the rush begins, but also the active atmosphere of an open restaurant. Gabriel and I have a brief rundown of the evening's plan before we're off and running. Each shoot consists of 5-10 new dishes, which are a variety of starters, mains, desserts, and special items from the tasting menu.

Probably because they are one of my favorite things to eat, it's no surprise that I adore photographing desserts. Pastry chef Helen Jo recently stepped in from Little Bird, Le Pigeon's sister restaurant. Helen's desserts are whimsical and complex, deftly integrating a variety of textures and the best flavors of the season. And simply gorgeous!

After I finish setting up in the back for the food photos, I start photographing the action on the line. The chef's counter overlooks the open kitchen situated at the heart of the restaurant and allows me to capture a variety of visuals: the food, team, and guests in the background. Once the first dish is ready for photographs, I whisk it to the back and take a few moments to observe the plate and how best to capture the food. Once I have the 'it' shot, I head back to photograph the kitchen or dining room until the next plate is ready.

Things move fast in restaurants and I have to be on my toes to transition quickly between shooting food, servers moving swiftly around the room, and the kitchen team preparing dishes. While I love the excitement of discovering a new place with my camera, I also appreciate working in a familiar setting. I know the small nooks that I can back into for a few extra inches in the frame and the angles that work best from every corner of the room. And while the shoot location might be the same each time, so many other factors are constantly in flux: the light, the guests, the team, and of course, the food. I always look forward to each photo shoot at Le Pigeon and appreciate the opportunity to work with such a fun, welcoming group of people that create such incredible food.

a weekend in Austin, Texas

Carly Diaz July 11, 2016

In early May I took a trip to Austin to visit my amazing friend Sarah. It was my first time in Texas (outside of airports) and ended up being one of the best weekends I've had in a really long time. Sarah and I go way back to my days in Amsterdam. We met in 2007 at the student center of the University of Amsterdam. I had an extra bicycle and she was in need of one. Done.

Throughout our residencies between Europe and the States, we've stayed in touch and have bonded further over the last year as we negotiate the ins and outs of running full-time photography businesses. The weekend was an opportunity to have an in-person pow wow and eat all the tacos and bbq.

It's pretty widely known that Austin is a great city and I was not disappointed. After arriving in the afternoon and dropping my stuff off at Sarah's super cute house, we headed to Licha's Cantina for tacos and margaritas. Because, you know, Austin. Uber had just stopped service in the city a few days before (what?! so crazy) so we took off on foot, which is one of my favorite ways to explore.

After dinner we wandered around Sixth Street, stopped for drinks at Small Victory and then ice cream at Gelateria Gemelli. I thought we were done for the night, when Sarah decided we should pop into a place a few blocks away from her house. We entered The White Horse (self-described as East Side Honky Tonky) and it fulfilled every dream I've ever had of Texas.

There was a country band playing while people young and old two stepped (lined danced? I don't even know) their hearts out. We got Lone Star beer (yes) and then a man asked Sarah to dance. To my utter amazement, she said yes!

If you've been following her 12 Experiments project, I shouldn't have been surprised, but it was my first time seeing people dance like that and I had no ideas she had the skills. I was asked to dance by several men who seemed in disbelief that I wouldn't not be able to dance like that. I even turned down their offers to teach me, happy enough to watch Sarah twirl away on the dance floor.

The next morning, we went to Lady Bird Lake to take Sarah's dog Kevin for a walk. It was a bustling park, full of people running, kayaking, and watching the wildlife, including a swarm of baby turtles hanging out by some rocks. So cute!

After our walk, we grabbed drinks at Juiceland and, after a quick stop to change clothes, headed to Black's BBQ in Lockhart, Texas. Yes, we drove 45 minutes outside of the city for some amazing BBQ and I was not disappointed. Hello, most delicious ribs ever. And just look at those side dishes. Intense. Our eyes were obviously bigger than our appetite and we ended up packing up the rest for a midnight snack. I definitely couldn't eat like that on a weekly basis, but it was a fun experience and an amazing atmosphere.

We went back to Texas to relax for a bit and, after somehow working up our appetite, we headed to Contigo for dinner. A 'ranch-to-table' restaurant with fresh, seasonal Texas-driven ingredients that I had heard great things about. Loved the drinks, pictured at the top of the post. On the left the Violet Sabbatical with vodka, berries, mint, and lemon. On the right, El Pepino with tequila, cucumber, lime, and mint. The food was also exceptional, and the starters vegetable-driven, which was just what we needed after the BBQ lunch. Pictured here. Rainbow carrots, leek, brown butter, and pistachios. Beet, spring onion, mint, and pickled strawberries. And Texas okra, walnuts, tomatoes, and sherry.

I expected the weather to be sunny, warm, and humid during my trip, but we actually had a substantial does of clouds and rain. At night it cooled off so much that I wished I had brought more sweaters. I was happy to be able to enjoy the city without the heat and humidity that I've heard is to be feared. The patio at Weather Up Bar where we enjoyed more yummy cocktails. The last stop of the night was Justine's Brasserie, a late-night spot that feels like you stepped back into 1920s Paris. More drinks, more food. I don't know how we did it all. And funny enough, the website homepage says "Very late dining. When you think you've gone too far, keep going." Touché.

When we woke up Sunday morning, we were determined to explore a bit more of the city. After brunch at Clark's Oyster Bar, we walked all over, visiting an art gallery, a bookstore, a few shops, including the super cute Take Heart, and eventually settled in at a cafe to get some work done. In between all the eating and drinking, Sarah and I spent a lot of time discussing our photography businesses and sharing experiences on everything from pitching to client experience, social media to pricing. We wanted to start putting some of the things we had talked about into action.

It was such an inspiring weekend, not just for the experience of exploring the incredible food and drink scene in Austin, but for what I took away from those conversations. It's been invaluable for me to be able to dialogue with someone who has similar values and keep me accountable in my business. Prompting growth and development and challenging me to fine-tune the things that work and evaluate areas that may not be working. And to be able to do that with a delicious spread on the table made for one fine weekend indeed.

In the kitchen with The Modern Proper

Carly Diaz June 30, 2016

Portland is home to an incredible community of food bloggers. Over the last few months, I've been photographing a few of my favorites, to capture their passion for creating delicious content and document their process of working. First up was Dana from Minimalist Baker and recently I had the pleasure of joining Holly Erickson and Natalie Mortimer of The Modern Proper as they prepared a blog post for a mixed berry shortcake recipe.

When Holly and Natalie first met, they were both authors of fledgling blogs. After discovering their shared interests, they decided to unite their talents to create a space that would inspire the modern homemaker with a new vision for gathering and sharing meals. As mothers running their own business, they understand that there is often a clash between desire and time when it comes to cooking.

The Modern Proper is dedicated to making delicious, wholesome food accessible through unintimidating ingredients, beautiful images, and stories about real life and real food. Through their approachable recipes that put quality at the forefront, they aim to inspire a return to the kitchen and the table that accommodates what a busy lifestyle needs most: time with the people we cherish and food that nourishes body and soul.

On this cool Monday morning, we gathered at Holly's house just outside of Portland. When I arrived, she and Natalie were laying out the ingredients for biscuits and unpacking blackberries, cherries, and white peaches from the market. They mixed together the dough first and popped the biscuits into the oven. Then they slipped over to the next room where they have their studio set up and started to take photos of the fruit.

Natalie and Holly are both proficient at the myriad skills required to run a food blog. Recipe development, writing, photography, project management, planning, and all the details of running a business, from client management to bookkeeping. Working as a team means they can share the workload, as well as challenge each other's ideas and creativity. Although they don't make and shoot every recipe together, they have a shared vision and goals that have given them a clear direction in their work.

When the oven timer went off, it was time for the biscuits to be in the spotlight for photographs. Then Natalie and Holly made the final selection of props: bowls, plates, utensils, and a platter for the final dessert. After preparing the fruit, they photographed individual dessert plates before assembling the final photo. One glorious pile of biscuits, cream, and fruit. One of those desserts that does not look too pretty to eat, but rather an abundance of summer goodness that urges you to dive in.

And dive in we did. After Natalie and Holly meticulously arranged the pile of biscuits, with a spring of mint strategically placed here and a splay of peaches tucked in there, they took the final photographs. Then it was time to eat! Natalie dished up three servings, Holly grabbed the forks, and we sat around the table to talk about the joys and challenges of running a small business, juggling work and family, and how much we all love food. Gathered together, sharing food and life. Exactly the kind of moment they hope to inspire with all their work.

Mexican corn salad with lime, pistachios, and cotija

Carly Diaz June 24, 2016

Yesterday we celebrated Elena's second birthday and are preparing for a backyard gathering with friends this weekend. The forecast says the sun will return and we are finalizing the menu, which will include an abundance of summer produce. It's hard to imagine the perfect summer BBQ without corn-on-the-cob. But, truth be told, I've had my struggles with it. Corn-on-the-cob isn't particularly elegant to eat. And don't even get me started on the need for floss afterward. It's delicious, but it's also kind of a hassle.

Corn-off-the-cob is more my jam. All the salty, buttery goodness without the mess. And also much easier to eat while standing around in a backyard or lounging on a picnic blanket.

Corn season is just taking off and I've been seeing photos of elote popping up everywhere. The Mexican street corn is topped with cheese, cilantro, cayenne pepper, and sauce. So delicious and it easily translates into esquites, a Mexican corn salad that integrates all the delicious toppings along with my favorite addition - pistachios! This salad has become a favorite and makes the best leftovers.

Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad):

Ingredients:
6 ears of corn
½ cup chopped cilantro
4 green onions
½ cup finely crumbled cotija
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ tspn chili powder
½ tspn smoked paprika
Juice from 1 lime
½ cup salted pistachios, chopped and roasted

Preparation:
Cut corn kernels from cobs and place and place in a frying pan. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, until just starting to char. Remove to large bowl. When corn has cooled, cut corn kernels from cobs into a large bowl. Mix in green onions, cilantro, pistachios, and cotija cheese.

In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, chili powder, paprika, and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Pour sauce over corn and stir well to combine. Top salad with additional cheese, cilantro, and pistachios.

This post was created in partnership with The Wonderful Company and Williams-Sonoma Portland. Thank you for supporting the businesses who help make my work possible.

ancho chili marinade

Carly Diaz June 7, 2016

Backyard grilling is one of my favorite things about summer. Growing up, on warm evenings my parents would put on the bossa nova, fire up the grill, and bust out the cool drinks and homemade guacamole. It was the best. Fast forward to today, where there is a certain little girl running around who thinks 'no' means an enthusiastic 'yes' and touches every single thing, which means our charcoal grill isn't getting the love of summers past. Bring in the Finex cast iron grill pan, which can be used both outside and inside, safely away from curious hands. Isn't it beautiful?

For me, the best grilling starts with a delicious marinade. The beauty of time marrying flavors that seep into the meat, enriching it with complexity and a deep seasoning. It's also a breeze to make dinner during the week with items marinated the evening before. We love this marinade, especially on chicken and fish.

Ancho Chili Marinade
Makes 1 cup

4 ancho chilis, cut into thin strips
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp fleur de sel
½ tsp pepper
3 garlic cloves

In a food processor, blend the ancho chilis, vinegar, and oil. With a mortar and pestle, combine the mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add the spice mixture to the ancho chili mixture and blend for 30 seconds. Let marinade stand for 1 hour at room temperature. Rub onto meat, poultry, or fish. Cover tightly and refrigerator.

This post was made in partnership with Finex and Williams-Sonoma. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Read more grilling tips on the WS Taste blog.

huckleberries in 1859 Magazine

Carly Diaz May 21, 2016

Last August, I spent a morning with Eva Kosmas Flores, picking huckleberries and capturing the process as she prepared huckleberry-pluot jam. The photos from the day were part of a story on huckleberries that I wrote and photographed for the May issue of 1859 Magazine. When I filed the images in late autumn, the season of huckleberries felt very far away. The warm days are now returning and the huckleberry issue is now on newsstands. So honored to have my photograph on the cover of the magazine!

Some of my favorite food memories revolve around Oregon huckleberries. I remember picking the fragile red berries, common on the southern coast, at my grandparent’s house in Coos Bay. Tender, blush-pink orbs that I would pop in my mouth, the tart-yet-sweet juice exploding across my palate. Handfuls hard earned as my sister and I picked the tiny berries one-by-one, our pails never seeming quite full enough.

The deep blue-purple berries found in the Mt. Hood National Forest are another one of the 12 huckleberry species that grow in Oregon. In contrast to the timid pink berries of the coast, the ones found in the high alpine areas of the Cascade Mountain Range are larger with a deep blue-purple hue, like the one's that grow in Eva's garden. They are perfect for baking, mixed into a milkshake, or used in a jam.

Below is Eva's recipe for huckleberry-pluot jam. Pluots are a bright, seasonal stone fruit, a plum and apricot hybrid with a variety of colors and flavors depending on the apricot-to-plum ratio. The sweet flavor of the pluots complements the tartness of the huckleberries, resulting in jam that can be savored year round.

Eva's Huckleberry-Pluot Jam
Ingredients:
(3) 8-Ounce Canning Jars, sterilized
1 lb Pluots, peeled, cut in half, and pitted
1 Pint huckleberries
1 Packet Powdered Pectin
Juice from 1 Lemon
2 and 1/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Rind
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Cloves
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg

Mix together the pectin and 1 cup of the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Combine it with the huckleberries and pluots in a medium-sized pot and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil once again, stirring every minute or so and crushing the fruits with the end of a wooden spoon.

Continue to cook the jam for 8 more minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Pour the jam into the canning jars, secure the lids as tightly as you can, and fully submerge the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water bath with a pair of canning tongs and allow the jars to cool to room temperature before handling. Processed correctly, jam kept in a canning jar with an unbroken seal should be good up to a year.

James Ault and David Benedetti with their winning drink Blood on the Bayou.

Bloody Mary Bloc Party

Carly Diaz May 4, 2016

On Sunday, May 1, Kachka hosted a Bloody Mary Bloc Party in celebration of the release of its horseradish vodka, inviting Bull in China, Oso Market + Bar, Dig A Pony, Bit House Saloon, and Slow Bar to create a unique version of the classic weekend drink. The drinks were tasted by bloc party attendees, who visited each location in the Central Eastside and then voted on their favorite. As the event drew to a close, Dig a Pony's Blood on the Bayou was crowned Best Blood Mary on Grand.

Before the festivities began, I photographed the competing drinks with their respective creators. The photos were published in an article in The Oregonian along with recipes from each competitor. Kachka hopes to make the competition an annual event and is now offering their horseradish vodka at local liquor shops.

Bull in China: Sitting Duck by Lucas Plant and Daniel Osborne
Dig a Pony: Blood on the Bayou by James Ault and David Benedetti
Oso Bar + Market: Sign of the Times by Colin Howard
Bit House Saloon: Red Herring by Chauncey Roach
Slow Bar: Reign in Blood by Rob Hemmerling

Lucas Plant garnishing Bull in China's Sitting Duck.

James Ault creating the Blood on the Bayou.

Dig a Pony's Blood on the Bayou, the winning drink in the Bloody Mary Bloc Party competition.

in the kitchen with Minimalist Baker

Carly Diaz April 25, 2016

April is slowly rolling into May and we are deep in the fickle days of spring. Summer-like temperatures one week, and endless rain the next. Before winter is too far past, I wanted to share a behind-the-scenes look at some projects that have taken place over the last months. The single image shared on Instagram doesn't quite do justice to all the thought and care that goes into the work of the people I photograph. Documenting stories of food is as much about the beautiful end product as it is about the chocolate hand-chopped and melted to perfection.

Back in January, Dana Shultz of Minimalist Baker and I worked together on a fun photo shoot. She was working on several recipes for her blog, I was capturing the action, and together we were playing around with some styling techniques. We had a productive morning of food, photography, and sharing tips about our work. I love partnering with other food professionals and always walk away evaluating my way of working and inspired to try new things.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Minimalist Baker, it's a beautiful blog run by Dana and her husband John, that features an impressive library of recipes that are simple, delicious, and often gluten free and plant based. Healthy and tasty, which has been a winning combination for them. The recipe for these Coconut Caramel Dark Chocolate Bon Bons can be found in her 31 Meals eCookbook and her new cookbook is due out tomorrow.

weekend links

Carly Diaz April 23, 2016

In early April, I was invited to a lunch in Seattle hosted by Kristan Raines, Annie Reeves, Megan Flynn Peterson, and La Crema Winery. It was a lovely afternoon with an incredible group of women and course after course of delicious food. Here are some of the blog posts with recipes from the afternoon: Strawberry-rhubarb galette and roasted leek and cauliflower soup. (pictured top right)

Today is the 500th anniversary of the Rheinheitsgebot, the German beer purity law that regulates which ingredients can be used to brew German beer: barley, hops, water, and (later added to the list) yeast. Prost! is marking the occasion with a biergarten, special beers, a pig roast, and music.

Tiffany Howard of Oh Honey Bakes is hosting a Mother's Day tea and cake party at the Smith Tea tasting room on Sunday, May 8. Tiffany is creating a a Jasmine Silver Tip infused cake layered with macerated raspberries and topped with a chocolate ganache and covered with a raspberry buttercream, which will be paired with three tea selected by Head Teamaker Tony Tellin.

Kachka is hosting a Bloody Mary Bloc Party on Sunday, May 1 in celebration of the release of their horseradish vodka with bartenders from Oso Market + Bar, Dig A Pony, Bit House Saloon, Slow Bar and Bull in China competing for the Best Bloody Mary on Grand. (pictured top left)

A peek into the career of food stylist Lisa Homa on Life & Thyme and creating images of food meant to seduce. (pictured bottom left)

Get your paella fix at Chesa, the new gorgeous restaurant by the geniuses behind Ataula. I'm kind of in love with everything on the menu, especially the goat's cheese savory dessert with fig bread, ceba negra jam, and pine nuts brittle, which I had the opportunity to photograph recently. (pictured bottom right)

12 Experiments is my favorite new blog, which happens to be run by my dear friend Sarah who is spending the year challenging her fears and raising questions about the way she lives. Equal parts hilarious and poignantly insightful, it will make you look at your own life with renewed curiosity and reflection.

Lots of photo editing this week meant that I had the opportunity to catch up on past episodes of Fresh Air. I especially enjoyed this interview with Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese Food. We're headed to San Francisco in May and can't wait to try it out.

Wiz Bang Bar

Carly Diaz April 15, 2016

In February, I had the opportunity to take photos for Wiz Bang Bar, the new soft serve dessert bar from the lovely people behind Salt & Straw. Hand dipped cones, chocolate tacos, sundaes, and concretes - that's a super-thick milkshake - with homemade Snickers, Oreos, and more. Items were brought in one by one and we rotated a variety of colorful backgrounds for each dessert. I aimed to take photos that highlighted the colors, ingredients, and texture of each dish. By the end of the shoot, there was a pile of tasting spoons, a few last bites melting away, and many happy faces.

Over the last five years, Salt & Straw has become a Portland institution, a place where tourists and locals alike flock to try the inventive menu and taste the monthly flavor series. Founders Kim and Tyler Malek are passionate about everything local, from the ingredients to the community. Case in point, this month's flavor series was made together with students from Portland Public Schools and all proceeds will go right back to the schools.

Wiz Bang Bar is located in the Pine Street Market, a new food hall opening in downtown Portland, and is the perfect place for the company to try something new, while being part of an exciting community gathering space. And it's just fun! On Thursday evening, I got a sneak peek inside Wiz Bang Bar. The open kitchen allows guests to observe the creative process and watch soft serve, baked goods, and candies in the making.

Being part of capturing these incredible creations was such a fun experience and I'm excited to have been a small part of this new endeavor in Portland's food scene. Wiz Bang Bar officially opens on Saturday, April 16 from 10am-11pm at 126 SW 2nd Avenue.

5 tips for better food photography

Carly Diaz March 23, 2016

There is an abundance of food photography these days, as a quick flip through many Instagram streams will show. And with good reason. We encounter food at least three times a day, and following the trail of food and drink can offer a peek at daily life. From a morning coffee at a neighborhood café, to a shared lunch break with colleagues, to a dinner gathering at home with family.

My fascination with food photography grew out of my years of traveling and living abroad. I encountered new flavors and ingredients as I explored other cultures, but I also sought to replicate the familiar smells and tastes of home in my own kitchen. Food photography is more than simply taking a photo of food. It’s telling a story about people and place, ingredients and seasons, and the passion for the creative process of cooking and making. Like food itself, food photography has the power to evoke memory and bring comfort.

I'm over on the Momentist blog sharing 5 tips for better food photography. Read more about utilizing light, setting the scene, shooting wide, shooting close, and editing. And check out their lenses, which takes mobile photography to a whole new level.

beet leaves frittata

Carly Diaz March 14, 2016

It has been raining incessantly here in Portland the last week. Actually, the whole winter has been excessively wet and grey, even for Portland, but the saving grace is that we can see spring around the corner. Flowers are popping up through the earth, the magnolia tree behind our house is in full bloom, and daylights savings time officially arrived yesterday. We're in the sweet spot where the root vegetables of winter are still vibrant and the spring greens are starting to pop up at the market.

On Saturday morning, Marcus returned from a shopping trip and was unloading bags full of vegetables when he took a munch from the beet leaves and decided that the tender, nutty leaves would be perfect in a frittata. One of our favorite weeknight meals or weekend brunch items, our frittatas usually towering, laden with potatoes, salmon, and a variety of vegetables from the fridge. This simple, thin version was perfect over a slice a buttered bread as we watched the rain fall outside.

Ingredients:
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
olive oil
1 cup beet leaves, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp pink peppercorns
sea salt

Turn on oven broiler. Blend chili flakes, fennel seeds, and pepper with mortar and pestle. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together eggs, milk, and cheese. Warm olive oil in a cast iron pan over medium heat and then sauté beet leaves for 3-4 minutes until soft. When leaves are tender, add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add butter and let melt. Then turn heat to medium-low, add in egg mixture and sprinkle herb mixture and dried thyme on top. Cook for 5-6 minutes without stirring, until butter starts to bubble through on the edge of the pan.

Sprinkle with sea salt and then place pan in oven for 3-4 minutes until golden brown on top. Top with green onions and pink peppercorn. Serve warm with buttered bread.

Chefs Week PDX 2016

Carly Diaz February 21, 2016

In early February, I had the honor of photographing the Chefs Week PDX West Coast Modern dinner held at Ataula. Chefs Week PDX brings culinary minds from across the west coast together to collaborate on meals, parties, and products that put their creativity and Oregon's bounty in the spotlight. Pretty much chefs getting together to have fun and make magic. And the West Coast Modern dinner was no exception.

The event featured Ataula's Jose Chesa with Maya Erickson (Lazy Bear, San Francisco), Gregory Gourdet (Departure, Portland), Mei Lin (Top Chef 12 winner, Los Angeles), Ryan Fox and Ali Matteis (Nomad.PDX, Portland), Dana Tough (Spur, Seattle) and Justin Woodward (Castagna, Portland). Imagine: Seven chefs, a dozen sous chefs, the restaurant team, and the Chefs Week team all bustling around the kitchen.

On that evening, I went between documenting the energy of the kitchen, finished plates, and the dining room ambience. It was intense, and so much fun. Each dish was an artful take on modern cuisine with a Pacific Northwest twist and such a pleasure to photograph.

Hiramasa, hazelnut, shiso, toasted rice vinaigrette (Mei Lin)
Foie gras, winter rose (Justin Woodward)
Charred driftwood (Ryan Fox and Ali Matteis)
Oyster, smoked mussel, dashi, coconut, kelp (Gregory Gourdet)
Socarrat, quail, saffron-garlic, parsley gelee, quail xupa-xup, bomba rice (Jose Chesa)
Corned duck breast, cauliflower and apple soubise, aromatic seed crumble (Brian McCracken and Dana Tough)
Rice, koji, matcha, hucklberry (Maya Erickson)

people and food

Carly Diaz February 12, 2016

One of my favorite things about food photography is that it covers so much more territory than just food. It's about capturing the atmosphere of a restaurant, the action of a kitchen, drinks being made, hand selected products and ingredients, and the people behind it all. Of all the areas where my work has taken me, I find photographing people to be the most challenging.

I've always admired portrait photographers because trying to capture a person in a way that reflects their humanity is a tall task. I recently read a quote from one of Vincent van Gogh's letters to his brother Theo in which he explained that he wanted "to paint men and women with that something of the eternal which the halo used to symbolize". Not intimidating at all, right?

Last year, I kept challenging myself to push beyond my comfort zone, to say yes to things that scared me, and shoot as much as possible. I trailed chefs around the kitchen, shot a maternity session for friends, took a million photos of Elena, and increasing tried my hand at portraiture. Slowly, I began to learn more about what it takes to turn my lens on people. I still have a lot to learn, a long way to go, but somewhere along the way taking portraits became an exciting challenge. And the story of the food culture in Portland wouldn't be complete without the faces of a few of the people behind all those delicious dishes and drinks.

Above: Grilled pigeon breast and Gabriel Rucker, chef and owner Le Pigeon and Little Bird.
Below: Helen Jo, Little Bird pastry chef, and chocolate mousse cake.

Above: Sarah Pliner, chef and owner Aviary restaurant, and chilled beet and lemongrass soup.
Fried chicken coq au vin and Andrew Gordon, lunch chef at Little Bird.
Kaysie Condron, former bar manager Aviary restaurant, Too Many Sequins cocktail.
Exterior Little Bird, Kristen Thoennes, Little Bird general manager.
Justin Garcidiaz, bar manager Aviary restaurant, Petal cocktail.