The Tweezer Times

Lately, as each issue of Bon Appétit arrives in my mailbox, I shake my head and wonder what the editors are thinking. October, in particular, started a conversation among colleagues. What goes into the decisions about the images a magazine creates to illustrate their articles? Clearly, if you take a long view of the evolution of American cooking magazines, efforts have been made periodically to push the envelope. Gourmet took on the challenge a few years ago, shooting with only available light and taking on the portrayal of classic, iconic foods like your Thanksgiving turkey. And they seemed to be committed to the concept, come hell or high water. Even if the images appeared cold, grey, and unappetizing. The photos departed from the conventional warm, studio-lit images of beautiful food. One memorable July cover featured a grilled steak that had as much appeal as a piece of shoe leather–the cold, bluish light on the meat deadened what should have been a shot that fairly sizzled in the waning summer evening sunlight.

So now Bon Appétit appears to have growing pains. I haven’t spoken with anyone there, but we all (me, along with colleagues both far and near) agree that their stab at shaking up their photography is both interesting enough to generate conversation and surprising enough to make us think about what we’d do if asked to shake things up for a client. So I had an e-mail from Sarah Thompson, the senior food stylist at Reader’s Digest Milwaukee (Taste of Home). She wrote “I was looking at the new October issue of Bon Appétit. I’m curious about this cover. It’s an overhead shot of a copper stock-pot  filled with Texas Beef Brisket Chili. It makes me go “hmm?!” While I do think the food itself looks appetizing -the cover, on the whole, doesn’t really “grab” me. But in a way: It does grab me because it’s a rather attention-grabbing image. It’s bold, it’s confident, unconventional. Which makes me wonder: Is this by design do you think? Putting a cover out there that isn’t very appealing - in order to get noticed, to get people talking?  I mean, I know there’s always that intention. You want people to take notice of your products. But you also want them to make the purchase. Not just look at it momentarily and return it to the rack because you’re put off by the cover.”

I do think that there’s sometimes that idea of “let’s throw it out there and see if it sticks.” Experimenting with making readers question how they personally cook or think about food. Viewing photos is so subjective, and despite many readers liking some of the earlier spring Bon Appétit covers (I personally thought the whole grain pancakes on the February 2008 cover looked kind of greasy and inedible, but the novel approach to showing a very tall stack seemed to strike a cord in people.)  So who knows what prompted the tall stockpot full of stew–I doubt that basic appetite appeal was the goal. It was probably the idea of evoking memories of long-simmered stews of our grandmothers (even if we didn’t have a grandma who cooked like that). But the light background (I’d like a moodier setting for memory retrieval) is a bit of a disconnect. Like it’s an outline shot waiting for more type to be added. Maybe there’s a desire to “play” a little right now by their editorial staff. I do have to say that I lust after that copper stockpot!

Sarah shared that their approach to magazine and cookbook covers is not overly complicated. For any particular repeat publication, they look at what has worked for them in the past - the percentage sell-through on the publication over recent years. They consider repeating a success or taking a different direction. Do they want to show several whole recipes or individual servings? Sweet or savory? Is chicken selling better than beef because of high food costs? They make sure they don’t have another cover that will overlap in the marketplace with a too-similar look/feel (including recipe type). The time of year is also an important consideration. They sometimes shoot two cover versions and put them through online testing. Recently, they brought in Karen Tack and Alan Richardson (authors of Hello, Cupcake!) to help concept/develop and style the December/January issue of Taste of Home. That issue of their flagship publication will launch a new design that they are very excited about and hope the new look will make sales soar. In the end, publications are out to sell themselves to an audience hungry for content that solves their personal cooking dilemmas but that also entertain and stimulate them to try new things. You can’t argue with that.

By Hugh Robert
Reprinted from The Republican (Thursday, August 28, 2008)

An enduring - but true - cliché is that we eat with our eyes. Since the first test of a dish’s ability to satisfy is whether or not it looks good, food presentation has long been the obsession of every restaurant chef worthy of the title.

Contemporary food presentation practices represent the culmination of contradictory ideas.

Up though the 1970s, “presentation” meant “garnishes”; it was the heyday of parsley sprigs and radish roses.

In the 1980s chefs discovered “verticality” as a presentation dimension, stacking elements of the dish into teetering towers.

“Dusting” plates came into vogue in the 1990s, with every square centimeter of the dish covered with minced, powdered and chopped elements.

Today, the fad in presentation is in the dishware itself, which now comes in strange shapes and dramatic colors designed to have visual punch.

All of these traditions co-mingle today, but the real secret of effective food presentation is simple, clean and uncluttered. Food, after all, should look like food, not be stacked, sprinkled and arranged until nearly unrecognizable.

Editor’s note: Today anything goes in the return to real food, with a more casual attitude and individual artistic expression. Future plates are sure to shrink with concerns about nutrition, the environment, and more “responsible” eating. Back to the basics?

By Rachel Sherwood

The NRA Show 2008 and the inaugural International Wine, Spirits & Beer (IWSB) Event in Chicago this past May revealed the hottest trends in restaurant and hospitality industries. The restaurant industry is one of the most diverse in the world and the NRA Show gathers all of its aspects under one roof. More than 2,200 exhibitors showcased their products in more than 890 product categories to 71,500 industry professionals from all 50 states and 115 countries. Industry leaders and culinary artists explored the newest products and services in technology, equipment, food, beverage, alcohol and environmental practices. Here are highlights of what’s fresh and exciting to support you in your food styling ventures.

Picked at Sundown, Delivered at Sunrise

A staple of food stylists everywhere, tiny greens can be difficult to find especially in cold weather. Sid Wainer & Son (New Bedford, MA) is a leader in the produce and specialty foods industry. You name it, they have it or they will grow it for you. Their latest venture into creating inner city farming operations has everyone excited. This will result in a national distribution warehouse offering customers immediate distribution directly from the farms. Sid Wainer & Son is committed to sustainable agriculture, preserving open farm land utilizing inner city space and bringing the highest quality, fresh produce, handpicked from the world’s finest farms. They lead the country in exploration of international produce, and specialty foods.

Looking for miniature? Herbs like epazote, and aromatic lemon thyme will grow to about 2 inches high before being clipped, washed, and packaged. Pea greens will be harvested at 5 to 6 inches. The tiniest African blue basil is growing, along with other doll-sized plants: chervil, popcorn shoots, carrot greens, shungiku, peppercress, golden beets, arugula, and red shisho.

Their policy of “never say never” ensures that items can be shipped overnight for last minute photo necessities. All orders are triple checked before leaving the dock. Their facility is also available for tour anytime if you happen to be in the neighborhood.

Find stunning unique produce that is available all year by contacting Sid Wainer & Son at 888-743-9246 or visiting www.sidwainer.com.
Honey, I Shrunk the Lettuce!
As a stylist, we all know that size does matter. Iceberg lettuce, once the traditional favorite, gave up ground in recent years to romaine and leaf lettuces. Let’s face it – iceberg just wasn’t cool!
Boggiatto Produce has changed all that with their latest development of Garden Hearts® Iceberg Babies®. A reinvention of the classic, these single-serving size gems are smaller than softballs making them perfect for photo shoots. Create little lettuce bowls, unique salads, lettuce wraps, bite-sized appetizers and small plate specialties.
No more searching for that prefect little green. Garden Hearts® Iceberg Babies® are available year ’round. Order through your regular produce distributor or call 831.424.4864.
Looking Great and Going Green

Looking for new ways to be eco-friendly in the kitchen? Check out the new line of clothing from Chefwear featuring organic cotton, bamboo and hemp products produced using environmentally sustainable processes. I especially found great value in the aprons made of 100% Certified Organic cotton. Organic cotton plants produce longer-stable cotton fibers, which yield stronger yarn and more durable fabrics. The aprons feature an adjustable, flapless neck loop and roomy patch pocket. They are available in black or white with monogramming in a variety of colors. For more information visit www.chefwear.com.

A Saucy Situation Cleans up, Sauce Dispensing Re-Invented
No longer do you need to wait for thick gooey sauces to make their way to the tip when trying to finish the prefect shot.

The FIFO Squeeze Bottle features a bottom dispensing, no-drip silicone valve that keeps your sauce ready to squirt. Simply squeeze the bottle to open the valve and dispense product. Let go the valve and it automatically closes. Wide mouth openings on both ends make the bottle easy to clean and refill. Fill it from the top and it sits spout down without tipping over. Great for syrup pours! Choose from a variety of caps to best suit your styling needs. Also available with a precision tip ideal for decoration and detailed applications. To view a complete catalog, visit www.fifobottle.com or call 800-457-6454.

European Essentials
One last quick note—check out Tellier, a French manufacturer of small tools for culinary professionals. Their unique cutting and garnish tools are what caught my eye at the show yet they offer much more. Take a look and find your next favorite little tool at www.tellier.fr.
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Rachel Sherwood is an independent food stylist in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary program, Rachel founded Impressions Food Styling & Catering in 2003. She has been a featured food stylist for the Taste of the NFL cookbook in 2004 and 2005. Rachel specializes in both print and film for the consumer and food service markets. Some of her clients include General Mills, Schwan’s, Lake ‘O Lakes, Dairy Queen, Deli Express, Old Country Buffet, Green Mill, Target, and Cub Foods. She is a member of Women Who Really Cook and a volunteer for Kid’s Café.

Herb photo © Stef Culberson, 2008