Cancun, Mexico
My mom and I took a trip to Cancun, Mexico this past week. It’s been a dream of mine to visit and photograph Chichen Itza (The Mayan Pyramids in the Yucatan Peninsula). I’ve seen the pyramids so many times on documentaries and television, so being there was such a surreal experience. Chichen Itza looked exactly like it did on television. It was grand, visually striking, and very photogenic. It truly makes you wonder how something so impressive was made without use of modern technology, trucks, cranes and even wheels!
Cancun was equally amazing. It was clean, organized, beautiful and the people were very hospitable and laid-back. I would definitely love to vacation there again!
Juju’s 4th Birthday
[Photo Shoot] The One & Only
A quick photo shoot I had with Fabian the other day. Wanted to work more with colors. It’s a little different than my usual style, but I really like how it turned out. Check it out and don’t forget to add Boogie Photography on Facebook!
FACEBOOK.COM/BOOGIEPHOTOGRAPHY
Photoshoot: My Little Cupcake Bakery
I did a shoot with Mahtab from My Little Cupcake Bakery. It’s so great to meet other bakers and cooks out there who share a similar passion. It’s also really wonderful to photograph their creations and see how excited they are when they see the photos. I could spend all day shooting her little goodies! Check them out and check out her website!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT MLCBAKERY.COM & FACEBOOK.COM/MY-LITTLE-CUPCAKE-BAKERY
Tiramisu Macarons
I had some leftover mascarpone from the Tiramisu Charlotte Cake from New Year’s, and I also had a lot of egg whites leftover from the flan I made for Christmas. Naturally, I decided to make macarons with with the leftover egg whites and tiramisu filling with the leftover mascarpone! I was hesitant on adding espresso powder to the actual macaron batter since I’m not big on coffee. I also didn’t want to add anything to the macaron batter as everything is meticulously measured in grams (I wasn’t sure if adding espresso powder would add density and deflate the macarons). So I thought the next best thing would be to add the espresso powder in the filling!
These ended up quite good, but I think the mascarpone soaked into the macaron shells too much and left them pretty fragile. Broken macarons aren’t the most terrible thing in the world, because they’re just as delicious broken or not! But for photography purposes, you’d want them a little more presentable! Sprinkle some cocoa powder or cinnamon on top of the assembled macarons and you have yourself a fancy dessert!
Tiramisu Charlotte Cake
I have a confession to make. I don’t really like coffee! I know it’s strange for a foodie to not like coffee, because food and coffee go hand in hand — literally! It’s not that I don’t like the taste of coffee, it’s just that I can get a little sensitive when it comes to caffeine. I remember I ordered a decaf from Starbucks once after some friends and I went to a late movie. It turned out that the barista didn’t hear me when I said decaf, and I ended up awake and restless until 8am! So, I usually just stay away from coffee. I figure that’s another daily $8-$15 in my pocket that I can save since I’m not addicted to Starbucks! Haha!
With that said, I do like an occasional tiramisu! I love mascarpone cheese and I definitely love ladyfingers! I love how the ladyfingers become cake-like after being soaked with all that tiramisu-coffee filling! Then dusted with cocoa powder, cinnamon and chocolate shavings — what’s not to like? Authentic tiramisus have raw eggs in them, and as much as I like to stay on the authentic side I don’t like to serve raw eggs when I know my niece or my nephew will be consuming it. I was fortunate to find a tiramisu recipe that didn’t have raw eggs in it.
I made this dessert for New Year’s and to assemble the ladyfingers in this circular fencing, you need a 7″ springform pan. Well, I don’t have a 7″ springform pan and the last thing I wanted to do after the holidays is to run around town looking for one! So, I just took two thick cardboard/Bristol papers, taped them together, cut it in half and then rounded it into 7″ in diameter and then tape the inseams. Then I placed this homemade springform pan/crown on top of the cake plate and I assembled the tiramisu cake right on the plate. You’re gonna wanna assemble it on the cake plate since you don’t have the bottom part of the springform pan to allow you to transfer it. What a frugal and innovative way to start the year!
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM HAPPY HOME BAKING – TIRAMISU CHARLOTTE CAKE
Happy New Year!
Wishing you all a happy 2012! May this year bring us all joy, prosperity, contentment, enlightenment and lots of good food!
Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
This happens to my third consecutive Ina Garten recipe. Completely unintentional, but I suppose it has to do with her outstanding recipes for comfort & winter foods. Her recipe is actually for Chicken Pot Pie, but I like to use her recipe with leftover turkey after Thanksgiving. It’s a creative and efficient way to use up leftover turkey. I also didn’t use her crust recipe because I love LOOOOOOVE puff pastry! I always use the store-bought puff pastry from the freezer aisles. They work so well and takes out all the painstaking work to make puff pastry! I’ve seen Paula Deen make a lattice design on her puff pastry to top off her pot pies. It gives such an impressive presentation and the lattice puff pastry are bakes separately so it doesn’t leave you with an unpleasant, mushy crust!
Again, you can make this easily with store-bought rotisserie chicken and even add ingredients you’d like. I’ve tried them with mushrooms, corn and last Thanksgiving I rolled leftover stuffing into balls and added them to the filling!!! It was so delicious! It tasted like a Thanksgiving version of Chicken & Dumplings or Matzo Ball Soup.
Christmas 2011
Another Christmas has passed! And every year it gets quicker and quicker! Since my niece and nephew came into our lives, holidays have brought on a new meaning. Christmastime is such a stressful and busy season, but seeing the smiles and the light on my niece and nephew’s faces as they tear into their presents, it reminds me so much of how hopeful and innocent we all once were. And that all the challenges in life are worth it by seeing the looks on their excited and curious faces.
I hope everyone had a warm and blessed Christmas season, as much as I had been gifted. Although it’s been said many times, many ways… Merry Christmas to you!
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas! From my family to yours!
Whatever you may celebrate, I hope your day is filled with love, light and lots of good food!
