photography tips: how to brighten food photos with lightroom 4 and photoshop elements plus homemade curry spice

There are times when we take photos and look at them after only to realize that they appear a little too dark or underexposed. An afternoon scene could look like an impromptu eclipse occurred and everyone’s smiling faces are in shadow. We can do a reshoot but sometimes it just isn’t possible. The moment may have passed, or it might be expensive to do a retake, or the subject is not available, or we’re just too lazy to get up, drag all our camera equipment to the location and shoot again with the right exposure settings this time around. {Dark Photo} Don’t worry, post-processing to the rescue! Fixing dark photos with an image editing program might just be our next best and probably most convenient option. Keep in mind that not all dark photos can be saved and brightened up, whether you are using Photoshop or Lightroom. Sometimes, the dark... Read the Rest →

 

easy desserts & recipes: snickerdoodles

I was initially going to write a post about the etymology of the word “cookie” and the history of cookies. With the amount of information available I decided to save that for another post (or two). What I’d like to talk about is more specific and it includes the snickerdoodle cookie and an ingredient used in the cookie: cream of tartar. First, a little history about the snickerdoodle is in order. According to The Food Timeline, an excellent resource, the snickerdoodle’s history is not particularly clear as there is little physical evidence through primary sources that would prove much about the cookie’s history. “Food historians tell us the history of small cakes/cookies/biscuits with snickerdoodle-type ingredients dates back to ancient Roman times. Small cakes of this sort were quite popular in Medieval Europe. In Medieval and Renaissance England, similar cookies were called jumbles. Germans often added more spices and dried fruits,... Read the Rest →

 

easy desserts & recipes: snickerdoodles

I was initially going to write a post about the etymology of the word “cookie” and the history of cookies. With the amount of information available I decided to save that for another post (or two). What I’d like to talk about is more specific and it includes the snickerdoodle cookie and an ingredient used in the cookie: cream of tartar. First, a little history about the snickerdoodle is in order. According to The Food Timeline, an excellent resource, the snickerdoodle’s history is not particularly clear as there is little physical evidence through primary sources that would prove much about the cookie’s history. “Food historians tell us the history of small cakes/cookies/biscuits with snickerdoodle-type ingredients dates back to ancient Roman times. Small cakes of this sort were quite popular in Medieval Europe. In Medieval and Renaissance England, similar cookies were called jumbles. Germans often added more spices and dried fruits,... Read the Rest →

 

easy desserts & recipes: cherry blossom baumkuchen

{Lightroom 4 Graduated Filter Warm White Balance} If I were to describe Baumkuchen, it’s like layer upon layer of cake batter which results in a multitude of layers that adds to its unique texture and flavor. Baumkuchen, known as baumukūhen in Japan, has become so popular it’s pretty hard to ignore. The cake is ring-shaped and is cooked by layers on a spit like machine. Many Japanese couples use it as a present for their guests during weddings. Baumkuchen in German means “tree rings” because the cake resembles tree rings when sliced. It was first introduced to Hiroshima, Japan in 1919 by a German named Karl Joseph Wilhelm Juchheim. Years after WWII, Mrs. Juchheim returned to help a Japanese company open several chains of bakeries that specialize in Baumkuchen. The Japanese at the time were inclined to love anything Western and to add to the allure of the cake, it... Read the Rest →

 

easy desserts & recipes: cherry blossom baumkuchen

{Lightroom 4 Graduated Filter Warm White Balance} If I were to describe Baumkuchen, it’s like layer upon layer of cake batter which results in a multitude of layers that adds to its unique texture and flavor. Baumkuchen, known as baumukūhen in Japan, has become so popular it’s pretty hard to ignore. The cake is ring-shaped and is cooked by layers on a spit like machine. Many Japanese couples use it as a present for their guests during weddings. Baumkuchen in German means “tree rings” because the cake resembles tree rings when sliced. It was first introduced to Hiroshima, Japan in 1919 by a German named Karl Joseph Wilhelm Juchheim. Years after WWII, Mrs. Juchheim returned to help a Japanese company open several chains of bakeries that specialize in Baumkuchen. The Japanese at the time were inclined to love anything Western and to add to the allure of the cake, it... Read the Rest →

 

tastily touring: a visit to bolivia with a coconut pudding recipe

We last visited Bhutan, a landlocked country in Asia. Today we visit another landlocked country, but this time we find ourselves in central South America. The country of Bolivia, Plurinational State of Boliva, is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina to the south, Chile to the southwest and Peru to the west. Bolivia is named after Simon Bolivar, the freedom fighter who helped Bolivia gain independence from Spanish rule in 1825. Prior to the arrival of the Spanish and European colonization the Andean region of Bolivia was a part of the Inca Empire. But, when the Spanish colonized the region it was referred to as Upper Peru and was only renamed Bolivia after 16 years of fighting (from 1809-1825) when independence was won. While Bolivia is a Democratic Republic, its history is full of strife. Over 200 coups, counter-coups and economic instability define the rocky... Read the Rest →

 

easy desserts & recipes: {winner announced} cherry blossom extract giveaway (sakura) petit fours

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year where all the flowers start to bloom in all their glory. Usually, spring in Japan means cherry blossoms! A cherry blossom is actually the flower of several varieties of trees from the Japanese Cherry, also known as “sakura”. The most popular cherry blossom in Japan is the Somei Yoshino. Its flowers are almost all white with a tinge of pink, like blushing cheeks. The flowers are in full bloom for only about a week and many people, locals and tourists alike, flock to ogle the majestic beauty of these wonderful trees. They are truly one of nature’s grandest spectacles. Cherry blossoms are very much sought after, not just because of their beauty, but because of their edible blossoms and leaves. They are not to be mistaken for the trees that bear edible cherry fruits which belong to a completely different... Read the Rest →

 

easy desserts & recipes: {winner announced} cherry blossom extract giveaway (sakura) petit fours

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year where all the flowers start to bloom in all their glory. Usually, spring in Japan means cherry blossoms! A cherry blossom is actually the flower of several varieties of trees from the Japanese Cherry, also known as “sakura”. The most popular cherry blossom in Japan is the Somei Yoshino. Its flowers are almost all white with a tinge of pink, like blushing cheeks. The flowers are in full bloom for only about a week and many people, locals and tourists alike, flock to ogle the majestic beauty of these wonderful trees. They are truly one of nature’s grandest spectacles. Cherry blossoms are very much sought after, not just because of their beauty, but because of their edible blossoms and leaves. They are not to be mistaken for the trees that bear edible cherry fruits which belong to a completely different... Read the Rest →

 

tastily touring: visiting bhutan a ema datshi recipe (hot and spicy)

The Kingdom of Bhutan, Druk Yul,(”Land of the Thunder Dragon”), is a small, land-locked mountainous nation in Asia, located in the eastern Himalaya Mountains north of India and south of China. Its geographical uniqueness kept out foreign influence which allowed the Bhutanese people to indulge in a policy of isolationism. Bhutan was never colonized, which is a source of pride for the Bhutanese people, a self-sufficient people who had limited contact with the rest of the world. Bhutanese history may date back to 2000 B.C. Its ancient history was preserved by oral tradition threaded with mythology. In the 7th century A.D. Buddhism took hold in Bhutan. Guru Rimpoche arrived in 747 A.D. “landing” in Taktsang, Paro. (The legend says that Guru Rimpoche flew on the back of a tiger and landed in Taktsang, Paro.) The Taktsang monastery is a revered religious site to this day. Bhutan has a very deeply... Read the Rest →

 

appetizers & recipes: diamonds and pomegranate champagne jelly

Huguette Clark, the youngest daughter of former United States Montana Senator, mining and railroad industrialist William A. Clark and his second wife, Anna Eugenia La Chapelle, was born in Paris, France on June 9, 1906. Huguette had an older sister, Louse Amelia Andree Clark, who died in 1919, as well as five half siblings from her father’s first marriage. Huguette’s father died in 1925. It wasn’t long before the heiress began slipping away from the public eye. She was briefly married to William MacDonald Gower from 1928-1930. A photograph taken of her the day her divorce became final was the last image ever made public. In this last public photo Huguette Clark is wearing two magnificent bracelets, which were recently shown on the Today Show. Clark died, after leading a reclusive life, on May 24, 2011 and only recently has a bank vault been opened that hadn’t according to reports,... Read the Rest →

 

appetizers & recipes: diamonds and pomegranate champagne jelly

Huguette Clark, the youngest daughter of former United States Montana Senator, mining and railroad industrialist William A. Clark and his second wife, Anna Eugenia La Chapelle, was born in Paris, France on June 9, 1906. Huguette had an older sister, Louse Amelia Andree Clark, who died in 1919, as well as five half siblings from her father’s first marriage. Huguette’s father died in 1925. It wasn’t long before the heiress began slipping away from the public eye. She was briefly married to William MacDonald Gower from 1928-1930. A photograph taken of her the day her divorce became final was the last image ever made public. In this last public photo Huguette Clark is wearing two magnificent bracelets, which were recently shown on the Today Show. Clark died, after leading a reclusive life, on May 24, 2011 and only recently has a bank vault been opened that hadn’t according to reports,... Read the Rest →

 

tastily touring: visiting bermuda a kedgeree recipe (fish)

Bermuda is an archipelago (a large group or chain of islands) consisting of seven main islands and about 130 smaller islands. A British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Islands of the Bermuda are located approximately 1000 miles northeast of Miami Florida. The uninhabited island was discovered around the year 1505, some 500 years ago, by Spanish explorer, Juan de Bermudez, after whom the islands are named. While the discovery was made there was no attempt to land or settle the islands until 1609. In 1609 nine ships owned by the Virginia Company of London leave England with more colonists and supplies for the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia. The fleet is commanded by Sir George Somers whose ship is separated from the fleet during a storm at sea. The ship becomes lodged on one of Bermuda’s reefs. The crew and colonists are able to make it to shore.... Read the Rest →

 

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