Eat Boutique Local Market: Meet and Greet, Wine and Dine

I guess you could say that my love for all-things-related-to-food has always existed. Growing up, food was pretty much one of my major hobbies; obviously eating it everyday during multiple meals and snacking periods, from listing it down as my interest on Facebook to actually developing the passion to something beyond the surface. A blog post and a photo of a coffee mug later, I made it clear to myself that venturing out to local cafes and small boutiques was something I enjoy on a leisurely basis. Then I discovered the SoWa Open Market, a gathering of farmers, artisans, vendors, and boutique owners all there to sell their vast array of goods, creating what I think is the ideal world for a shopper's experience. I loved it. And it was then that the possibility of perhaps other gastronomic events being held somewhere in the city could hold true. And long and behold, it did.

From a simple tweet I found out about Eat Boutique, an online food magazine focusing on "authentic food, independent vision and old-fashioned hospitality", and that is what i find extremely heartening. And after surfing their site, I found out that they were holding their first Boston Local Market event at Twelve Chairs. I couldn't miss this; so I immediately responded to reserve a ticket. So finally, on September 24th at 1PM, I attended my first ever food event and let me just put this out there, I was so so SO SO nervous.
The minute people walked in, they were greeted with an Eat Boutique volunteer/representative offering sweet (gourmet) marshmallow squares in little plastic cups: what better way to set the tone? And as soon as you walked up those steps you enter a sizable room, adorned with furniture already placed, tables all ordered with several boutiques showcasing their delicious goodies all reflecting the talent and care for food. And the best sight of all, crowds of people from all different backgrounds: foodies, gastronomers, food bloggers, food photographers, all under the umbrella of being food lovers. I was just nervous: a newbie and youngin' like me amongst such sociable, hip, knowledgeable, experienced people. I'm not going to lie, I was just plain awkward. But I tried my best to explore and take pictures and talk to at least ONE person. I was happy to have a small conversation with the founder of Eat Boutique, Maggie Battista. It was so great to be able to speak to her and gain insight on how and where she started with food blogging etc. She was absolutely adorable and she did an amazing job putting together a fantastic event. You might be wondering which vendors were present. Well, this is most, if not all, of them: Fat Toad Farm known for their goat dairy, Didi Davis Artisan Food and their condiment blends, sophisticatedly sweet Elaine Hsieh Chocolatier , Chococoa's whoopie pies, Yummy Mummy Brownies, Lark Fine Foods and their "cookies for grown-ups", the care for cupcakes from The Cupcakory, the best nuts for snacking from Q's Nuts, The Stand's concoctions, The Wine Bottega, and The Equal Exchange Free Range coffee truck. And how could I forget the  Poor Girl Gourmet cook book by Amy McCoy and a signing with Flour Bakery's owner Joanne Chang. Long story short, there were a ton of things to see, taste, smell, enjoy, appreciate, and to savor the memories, BUY!

Originally, I wasn't going to blog about this event because I felt that my photos weren't up to my potential and that I didn't interact as much as I would have liked. But I realized that it was probably one of the greatest experiences for me as far as my food blogging goes. It was a first for me so I guess I have give myself some relief. To me, that's something worth talking about! And fortunately, very recently, Eat Boutique has officially announced the date, time, and place for their Eat Boutique Holiday Local Market event. The more and more I eat, the more I hear about and attend such amazing food events such as these, and the more I blog about how much I enjoy everything about it, I feel that I am slowly becoming more reassured that this is truly a passion for me. I am most definitely going to the Holiday Local Market without a doubt. And this time, things will be different. With a more open mind, a new camera, and a stronger desire to taste food handled by great craftsmanship, I simply cannot wait for this event to come!

Cupcakes Galore

Being deprived of sweets is probably the worst thing that could happen to me. I know, I am well aware there are much worse situations out there, but in a simple sense, if I don't have sweets, then I won't be sweet. Hmph! (At least not as sweet as I could be!) Being at school, it's a given that we are spoiled with the occasional brownies, cookies, parfaits, and soft-serve frozen yogurt. I'll admit I haven't been totally out of sight from desserts, but I don't know how long it has been since I've devoured good-quality, delicious, luscious desserts made with culinary prowess. So I had some free time: it was an absolutely beautiful day after a stormy, rainy day before; the sun was out, there was a gentle breeze, and everything that was happening only meant that autumn was around the corner. What else could make you this cheery? It was finally a perfect day to indulge and go to Sweet Cupcakes.

It wasn't my first time here; for a cupcake shop that's just around the corner from where I reside, there's no way I haven't already checked it out. But I just never gave it a good observation. It's hard to miss: if you see a giant window with the lower border adorned with white, vinyl cupcake stands, you hit the spot! Sweet Cupcakes was extremely aesthetically appealing. Walk in, and be invited to a pretty pink world with the wall-design being exactly the same as their website background; pink and black laces intertwined. Your attention is immediately drawn to the counter: various boxes for packaging, cupcake pillars of various heights, and two creatively set cupcake stands: your stereotypical pyramid stand and a ferris wheel with the cupcakes substituting the booths. "Cute" would definitely be the best word to describe everything. It appeared they had their Fall-themed desserts put out: orange, brown, yellow colors, from pumpkin to apple flavors, even warm spices like spicy ginger. And for those who prefer to stick to the classics, vanilla, chocolate, and red velvet. And if you're looking for something light, you could always order their miniature cupcakes. And all their cupcakes were simple in design: the cake, cloud-like frosting on top, and a small garnish to hint a flavor. So any regular person would probably order one cupcake just for a small treat. Instead, I bought four: eat two, save two. I always prefer to go outside my comfort zone and try new fusions of flavors, so I got their least conventional cupcakes: Chocolate Orange, Red Velvet, Caramel Apple, Molasses Ginger. I think sweets taste better with something hot so I also got a small cup of black coffee. You can also get tea but, I was feeling some caffeine. And if you're in the mood to just lounge and eat, you most certainly can on their pastel-pink booth and square white tables.

Out of the four that I bought, I decided to first dive into the Chocolate Orange; a chocolate cupcake with citrusy orange-infused frosting, with a candied orange peel on top half-dipped in chocolate ganache. The hint of orange really blended well with the chocolate: I've actually never had a chocolate-dipped orange/orange peel before and this "twist" on candy was quite pleasing. The second cupcake I ate was the Caramel Apple; it was a vanilla cupcake but when you bite into it, you feel the bite of apple preserves hidden inside, all sweetened up with caramelly frosting and drizzle. And to emulate an actual caramel apple, they put a popsicle stick poking out from the center. The apples were a fun surprise; natural sweetness combined with gooey caramel. Unfortunately, I would love to talk about the other two cupcakes, but all things in moderation. Those I shall save for tomorrow. I'm super excited to take a bite into the Molasses Ginger cupcake though. And red velvet: classic, who doesnt' love it?

Sweet Cupcakes is really such an enjoyable place. It was nice taking pictures while lip-syncing the oldies playing from the speakers and looking up at the TV and seeing an old classic film. It was like a modern twist on a classic treat. And even if you don't live close to one of their locations (Mass. Ave, Newbury Street, Harvard Square and Downtown), you could always order for an event, party, and even for self-indulging. Sweet Cupcakes usually has you on your toes waiting for the next round of cupcakes to come because every time I've been there, they always have a different theme going on. So I'm eyeing the other two cupcakes right now and I find myself typing faster and faster with intentions of getting my hands on them. With me, you just never know: put a treat in front of me look away for a second and it's magically gone. It's a guilty pleasure!

So we all love desserts: what's your favorite dessert? And if you're a huge fan of cupcakes like I am, what are some of your favorite cupcake shops?

"Plate to Pixel": Photography Practice

WARNING: Lots of Apples.

About a week and a half ago I entered a giveaway sweepstakes on one of Bitter Sweet Blog's post. The blog is written by Hannah Kaminsky, who is a food photographer, recipe creator, and author of Vegan Desserts: Sumptuous Sweets for Every Season and My Sweet Vegan. Per her request, I commented with my name, email, website, and the type of camera that I use. And in a certain amount of time later, a lucky winner will be drawn to receive a free food photography and styling book. Plate to Pixel: Digital Food Photography & Styling is an insightful book written by the well-known Helene Dujarin. She is an amazing and inspiring food photographer and stylist, having been featured in numerous magazines and cookbooks.  I highly recommend going through her portfolio because they truly exhibit realistic features: "natural lighting, seasonal and fresh ingredients." She also has a rewarding winning blog called Tartelette. So this food photography book is her first she has written.

I am only two chapters in, but I can already tell that the book isn't only fit for beginners, but it's also great for bloomers and a useful reference guide, if you will, for even professionals. She slowly builds up from photography basics and camera modes up to actual food photographing and styling. For a while, I used the auto setting on my P&S camera. But my best friend Alex Tran, who is an amazing photographer himself, told me to experiment with the other settings. Helene says the same thing: when you remove yourself from auto settings, you gain "more control over your camera and open the door to greater creative freedom." And that's exactly what I did: I got right to it!

So first I tried experimenting with the Aperture Priority mode. I set the camera to ISO400 for a comfortable amount of light sensitivity. Unfortunately, the range for my camera's f/stops' minimum and maximum is very great. Because I wanted to notice a difference in the depth of fields in my pictures, I took three pictures with three different f/stops: f/3.1, f/5.6, and f/8.0 respectively. So I actually used a Target ottoman as my "table"and  draped over a white t-shirt to make it look like a table. And because I wanted to keep my picture constant, I elongated my music stand to recreate a fake tripod. So creative right? Kind of weird I know. The differences here are so subtle but it is particularly noticeable when you contrast the tree branches with the leaves outside the window. Perhaps I need to work on this a little more!

I then wanted to test clarity using shutter speed. I didn't do any movement pictures but I wanted to test out definition in a picture for fun. I also wanted to see if I could focus on making the water droplets on the apples clear. So one picture had a faster shutter speed than the other and that one is actually a lot clearer. Can you guess which one had the slower shutter speed?

 Then I finally experimented a bit with the Manual setting. I tried remembering everything that I read in the camera settings and modes chapter. I wanted the picture to have a warm tone to it, so I changed the White Balance to "Cloudy Day". Since I wasn't using any artificial light and mainly natural light coming through a window, I thought it was fitting. I then changed the setting to ISO200. I kept the shutter speed the same for both pictures, but I varied the aperture; one was f/3.1 and the other was f/8.0. So you will notice that the left picture's f/stop, or the wider opening had a slightly shallower depth of field even as close as the green apple.

                   

So what did I learn so far? Sometimes, the differences between your photos will be so subtle to the point where it is almost eye-straining to really notice them. But it's so fascinating, because these variances dintinguishes a great photo from a not-so-great one. Don't be fooled now, I took way more photos than the ones posted here. I took a ridiculous amount before deciding which series I wanted to put u[. Helene Dujarin's right: it's all about experimenting--"you can erase and start over." You just have to keep taking photographs until you find one that you really like. There are just so many settings and modes, but once you get the hang of them, you can "develop the story you want to tell."

I just want to say thank you so much to Hannah Kaminsky and Helene Dujardin. Both of you are honestly inspirations for beginners like me. I have never enjoyed doing something so much; I love blogging about food now and just learning about how to photograph any type of food better. I have so much to learn. I'll put this book up to great use! Time for Chapter 3: Natural Light Photography!

The Cupcakory

When you go to a university that is stretched out all long one long street, there are plenty of pros and cons that come along with it. The only thing I consider a con when it comes to Commonwealth Avenue is the distance between classes and housing. But my oh-so adventurous self is already so used to strolling around aimlessly, so a fifteen minute walk from here to there isn't so bad anymore. I think there are many pros, from having the thrill of going to a huge urban university to being able to grasp a collegiate culture. But best of all, the endless options you have for food! Now, I could either utilize my meal plan at a dining hall or go to a well-established restaurant or fast food joint. But when you are class-free (or stress-free) for the day, cheerfully strolling along to relaxing acoustic music on a beautiful, sunny afternoon, you can't help but maybe spend a couple of dollars and treat yourself! And that's exactly what I did: I treated myself to a classic, well...treat! Knowing the hustle and bustle at BU, many food trucks actually settle in from time to time around noon to 3 p.m. So I happened to pass this smaller, cute, pastel-yellow truck and I couldn't help but stop to see what it had to offer. The first word that popped up in mind was simple; simple colors, simple designs, and simple desserts. If this truck could transform into a house, I honestly would imagine it to be a peaceful suburban house where grandmother just laid a warm pie out to cool on the windowsill. Perhaps the time period would be between the 70s and 80s? I'll stop from getting ahead of myself...

I think The Cupcakory truly understands cupcakes. Their top priorities are "quality and taste": to use the best combination of organic ingredients to create original cupcakes. They're also simple when it comes to design as well; a classic cupcake with a swirl of buttercream frosting on top. No embellishments. Oddly enough, its actually more attractive to true dessert lovers! Because of the minimal colors and garnishes, it forces you to focus more on the taste and flavors of the entire cupcake rather than the physical appearance. And let me tell you, these cupcakes are so moist and the frosting is so creamy. There aren't an insane amount of choices, about 6 to 8 kinds to be exact. But they usually keep their original favorites, double-vanilla and double-chocolate, and alternate the ones made with more culinary prowess. I ordered three cupcakes in total: Nutella cupcake, Salted Caramel, and Lemon-Ginger. I figured since I've obviously had an everyday vanilla and chocolate cupcake before, I should go for something finer. The nutella cupcake was basically your twist on a chocolate cupcake, but instead of chocolate frosting you have nutella-infused cream. Like I said before, who doesn't love nutella? The salted caramel cupcake had its flavor in the buttercream. This was actually the first time I've had something salted-caramel flavored that wasn't actually caramel with a sprinkle of sea salt on top. Since the buttercream had both flavors evenly blended throughout the buttercream, it was a delicious balance between sweet and salty. And for my favorite out of the three: the lemon-ginger cupcake. Excuse me if I'm incorrect, but it seemed like the flavor was both in the cake and the buttercream. The buttercream had both lemon and ginger but the cake itself tasted more like a lemon cake. The lemon really cut the ginger flavor and I thought that was a great idea because ginger could easily become overpowering. It's kind of weird because as I'm typing up this post, I can taste bits and pieces of ginger somewhere in my mouth. It's awesome: everlasting dessert! 

So all-in-all, you could make some generalizations: the cakey-part is simple, the flavor is mostly in the buttercream, and when it comes to sweetness, it is perfectly mild. Oh and one more thing: each time you take a bite, it's impossible for the cream not to smear a bit on your upper lip. But don't worry, it's all part of the fun; just lick it off! If you happen to be having a ridiculously happy day like I was, why not treat yourself to something good. If you ever happen to past by The Cupcakory, stop on buy and get yourself a cupcake! And it's purely a moment for you to savor all of that sugar because I think we could all agree that a simple cupcake with some good buttercream on top can, more or less, fit into your mouth. I walk past quite frequently so, I wouldn't be surprised if I bought a cupcake maybe one or twice a week. That's not so bad right? So what's the best cupcake you've ever eaten? Comment below and share your stories!