Some of the most dramatic photography I’ve ever seen has been black and white. There really is nothing like it. There’s something special about this type of photography; perhaps it has something to do with the fact that black and white photos remove the distractions that color can add and allow the viewer to focus on the important aspects, such as the subject, textures, shapes and patterns, and the composition itself. Black and white photography is naturally emotive. When you strip the color from an image, the result is timeless and nostalgic. Black and white images force a “story.” In this post, I offer some tips that may help with shooting the best photos of this type possible. Click through to find out what they are. Continue reading…
Why I Love Square Photographs
Obviously photos come in all shapes and sizes, but have you ever wondered why a good majority of them are either long or wide? I have. I’ve been analyzing all types of photos for years and I think I’ve settled on one specific shape as a favorite – square. While I don’t use this shape every time I edit and share an image, it does serve very distinct purposes and does its job extremely well. In this post, I display three different types of photography and offer reasons for square being a better format for each. If you’re interested in photography and photos, please click through and let me know which style is your favorite. Continue reading…
Eggs Florentine Recipe by Mary Berry
Eggs Florentine comes in many varieties. You’ll likely find a bed of spinach on an English muffin with a poached egg on top, but you’ll also find the same spinach and egg without the muffin. It’s up to you. As long as the bed of spinach is there and the poached egg is there, you can consider your dish “Florentine.” It’s a style of egg dish that’s linked to Florence, Italy. This is a popular French dish that got it’s name from Catherine de Medici (Queen of France from 1547 to 1559), who came from Florence. She enjoyed eating a poached egg on a bed of greens with a sauce on top for breakfast. Toast is commonly served on the side as well. Of course, folks have become creative with this dish through the years, but the essence has remained true to its origins. In this post, I try my hand at preparing this historic dish. Please click through for the recipe as well as my photos. Enjoy! Continue reading…
Pearl Couscous Salad with Tomatoes, Spinach, Olives, & Feta
There are many different variations of salads you can prepare using toasted pearl couscous. This is just one of them. For this dish, I took advantage of some delicious cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and spinach, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and walnuts. It’s an outstanding salad that guests would love. I prepare this dish and others like it a few times per year. I’ve got a Mediterranean cookbook that’s chock full of these types of recipes and from now on, as I make a salad, I’ll share the recipe and photos on my blog. Please click through to take a look at this one. It’s very good. Continue reading…
Savory Soufflé Omelette by Mary Berry
The idea of a soufflé omelette is an interesting one. It takes a regular omelette and transforms it into a fluffy, airy one, giving it a fun and inviting texture. For this recipe, you can cook your omelette using two methods; you can cook the bottom portion of the eggs on the stovetop and then finish the top in the oven or you can skip the oven part altogether. The first method offers a result that’s all the way cooked through. The second keeps the interior of the omelette much more moist, which is very nice. I decided to go with the cooked through method because there’s no cheese included in this recipe. If there were cheese, I think I would have kept the top portion (the interior of the omelette) slightly uncooked. Either way, this is a delicious recipe that you may want to take a look at. Click through to see it along with some photos. Continue reading…
How to Write a Proper Book Review
A simple book review isn’t terribly difficult to write. A proper book review, however, can be a work of art. It requires intellect and effort. Mostly effort. Luckily there’s enough information available out there to assist in this effort. I wrote this post because I’d like to begin writing proper reviews, something that’s eluded me up to this point. I’ve always wanted to do this and for some reason, I feel now is the time. In this post, I discuss what it takes to write a good book review – one that’s worth reading. I talk about about three things; what a book review is and what its primary purpose is, how to assess a book that’s to be reviewed, and what a book review contains; it’s parts and pieces. I hope I’ve done a thorough job with what I’ve shared, but as with every other post I write, if you’ve got something to add, I’d certainly welcome it. Continue reading…
Spaghetti Con Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino Recipe
What a simple dish to prepare. If you can boil water and warm olive oil, you can put this one together in just a few minutes. While the pasta is cooking, all you need to do is combine some olive oil, garlic, and chili pepper in a saucepan. Then add in some parsley, combine, plate, and serve. What you’ll end up with will be a delightful, yet, somewhat hot (depending on how much pepper you added) bowl of pasta. In my version, I tossed on some additional parsley and some Parmesan cheese after the pasta was plated. It really depends on which recipe you follow for this dish; there are no hard and fast rules. Click through and enjoy. Continue reading…
Secrets of Writing by Maeve Binchy
Maeve Binchy is a wonder to the literary world. She’s a gift. Maeve was born in May of 1939 in Dalkey, Dublin, Ireland. She’s written 16 books, short stories, plays, and a novella. She passed away in 2012. While she was alive, she talked a lot, so she wrote a lot. That’s what she said. This author isn’t one I’ve heard of up until a few weeks ago. As I mention in this post, I’ve never been attracted to reading the stories of Irish folks set in Dublin in the 70s and 80s. It just hasn’t been my thing. I suppose that’s because I never gave these types of writers/characters a chance. In early January, I began reading a book of Maeve’s called Quentins. It’s a good book – a great one actually. One that’s inspired me to discover who Maeve Binchy was. In this post, I discuss this author and what brought me to her. I also share a few of her nuggets of wisdom as they pertain to successful writing. Click through to take a look. Continue reading…
Penne all’Arrabbiata Recipe
Penne all’Arrabbiata is an incredibly tasty dish because of its incredibly tasty sauce. If this is any indication, arrabbiata translates as angry in Italian. It’s not really an angry sauce though, but it is spicy. So if you’re not into spicy food, this isn’t the recipe for you. Although, you can simply omit the chilis and you’ll have a great pasta dish. Arrabbiata sauce originated in the Lazio region of Italy; more specifically, the city of Rome. It’s an old recipe that’s had an influence locally in Rome and more recently, around the world. This dish has my endorsement, so I encourage you to give it a try. And if you do, please let me know your thoughts. Click through for the recipe. Continue reading…
Spanish Omelette Recipe by Mary Berry
The best way I can describe this omelette is to say it hits the spot. It fills you up. The Spanish omelette is a mainstay of a Spanish dining experience. It’s a traditional omelette, consisting of eggs and potatoes and sometimes onion, that’s been around pretty much forever. The ingredient list is short and the cooking method is easy, so if you’re an egg lover, there’s really no reason not to give this dish a try. I found it fun to eat and as tasty as it needed to be. And again, with those potatoes, it hit just the right spot so I was able to start my day with a full belly. Click through for the recipe and some delightful photos. Continue reading…