Whenever I tell people I’m a food photographer they immediately have tons of questions. Do I add motor oil to the food? How did I get to where I am now?  So how did I get here and what does it look like to go behind the scenes with a food photographer?  So where did I start? I’ve always loved food but let’s be honest, I didn’t start with taking food photos. Like so many, I started photographing people. If you asked my parents they’d tell you my first real photos were of a wedding when I was around the age of 10. At least that’s when they decided I needed my own camera. As I progress ..read more

I was running late. Strikes in Paris made it difficult but I did manage to grab a tasting glass and a seat in time for the first seminar of RAW wine Paris. Natural wines have been a hit in North America but what are the challenges for natural wine in France? Why aren’t we seeing more in a country known for wine? Curious I’ve been curious about the natural wine movement, especially how it will take form in France. Of course, there are bottles available, especially if you live in a big city center but then there’s the rest of the country… As someone who is 45 minutes from Paris, I have noticed ..read more

I love a new recipe and this is one I developed in December for a Pear Spice cake. Yesterday I decided I’d make the cake so I could properly photograph it and finally post the recipe. Of course, I’d forgotten I had an appointment I’d have to run to as soon as the cake came out of the oven. I made a quick mention to my husband “yes we can have it for goûter, but please don’t touch it before I get back!” I forgot to spread that message far and wide. Oops. When I got back nearly half the cake was gone, this morning, the cake IS gone. This isn’t the first time I have tried to photograph it. It ju ..read more

My reading list keeps growing these days, especially if we’re talking about Wine. Being a regular at the wine shop is part of wine learning but I have found that the more I learn, the more I want to do a deep dive into all the related topics. I’ve been debating for ages about which wine course I’d like to take next. French Wine is my primary interest but I also want to better understand the industry as a whole. As I’ve been debating whether to apply for the French Wine Scholar program or the WSET 3, I just kept coming across more and more wine books. So here I am, with this list of wine books ..read more

France is known for baguettes. I have always loved bread, clearly moving to France was a good idea given there’s a baguette at every meal.  When I was a young adult in university, I dreamed of building my own wood fire oven. I wanted to make rustic, toasty and delicious bread of my own. I like to work with my hands, to watch something come into form. My senses perk up when yeast, flour, water and salt come together in an oven. It’s perfection. I am fortunate to have made friends with a baker. I couldn’t have imagined in university that I’d move to France and have an opportunity to make b ..read more

You’re supposed to remember big dates in life aren’t you? Well… I nearly missed this one. Okay, I missed it. I was thinking my arrival in France happened in February, 2012, in fact, that’s what I always tell people, but I guess that’s when I arrived in Provence… after my first week in Paris which started January 25th, 2012. January 25th, 2012 marks 10 years of adventures in France. I spent some time yesterday reading old entries from that first week of wandering on my own through the city. It was my first time traveling solo, eating a sit-down meal solo, and being in a language I had utterly ..read more

  It seems that year after year I find myself craving the warmth of mulled wine just before we teeter into winter. Of course, year after year I tend to make it the same way only reducing the sugar as I’ve adapted to the less syrupy French version. But this year, I guess I just wanted to change it up, I’ve considered it other years but never taken the plunge and then finally, instead of going to the same familiar flavour, I decided to try a small little change and use white wine instead of red for a bit of a perkier flavour. Do I have a real preference between the two? No, probably not… b ..read more

We knew Fontainebleau was famed for its forest as well as for its castle, which housed all the kings of France who came to hunt but while we were out on a local gastronomic tour, we discovered something we had never heard. Fontainebleau and its neighbouring town of Thomery were once known for grapes of exceptional quality, enjoyed only by those who could afford them. It appears that vineyards were planted in the region under Francois I in the 16th century but it wasn’t until the 1700’s that the Chasselas grape was introduced to the region of Thomery and Fontainebleau. If you’ve heard of it, y ..read more

It’s no secret, I love the creative energy in fall and winter when everything around slows and I can hunker down into projects. I’ve been excited about spending more time in the kitchen again since my parents visited. Food has always had an important role in my life in France but having two kids certainly slowed me down for a while and I’m just getting back into a good rhythm again and just in time for winter foods, some of my favourites! Potatoes, cheese, charcuterie and even the slow-cooked family meals just get me so excited and yet they don’t all have to be laboursome, some are simple, eas ..read more

William Morris is quoted for saying, “The true secret to happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” With this in mind, let’s take a genuine interest in that moment where we slow down for a glass of wine, whether on our own, with a loved one or in a group (if and when that’s possible.) You might be thinking you know little about describing wines and that’s okay, the nose and the palate can be trained! “The true secret to happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”     -William Morris Before you sip, spend som ..read more