Ok blog world friends, I need some advice about lighting.  In this first year of posting and snapping pictures I’ve realized the dramatic impact of lighting in photographs.  To me, my blog is a place to document all of the things I have learned to cook, and the pictures are a visual reminder that I can sift through when doing future meal prep.  I am in NO way trying to take professional pictures, but I do want them to reflect the yummy dishes I am making – particularly in the winter when there is less natural light to work with.

In terms of my process, I am generally cooking meals at night for dinner, then use my iPad to capture images throughout the cooking process and before we eat.   We are typically fairly hungry and so I try to take the pictures efficiently (though some nights I get more carried away than others).  I place the plate somewhere that highlights the dish, snap snap snap, then we get to enjoy the food.

In my last apartment I had a back porch that I could easily step out onto, and when I took pictures outside I was getting images with such sharp colors like in this broccoli salad.  Swoon! In my new house, however, my best current options seem to be in my kitchen (pictured above on the left) which has a good light but casts some shadows, or the dining room table (pictured above on the right) which has more of a yellow tone that drives me bananas. As I save up money to eventually build a deck and get some outdoor space, what tips and tricks and words of wisdom can you share? I’m not looking to buy fancy equipment, but do want to learn and grow.

Thank you!  Oh, and these wontons are such a yummy snack, appetizer, or dinner treat. They came out of some experimenting and are still somewhat ‘under construction’ – but that didn’t stop me from eating a whole batch last night.  I’d love your tips on your favorite things to make with WonTon wrappers to fuel future experiments! 

Ingredients:

• Wonton papers (about 3 oz)
• 12 oz tofu – extra firm
• 1/4 cup tahina
• 2 Tablespoons hoisin
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 squirt of sriracha

Steps and Notes:

1. Dry the tofu by placing it on a plate with a paper towel on top. Add a plate or something with medium weight on top of the tofu and let rest/dry for about 10-15 minutes.
   • Note: I usually keep the tofu in the large block format during this stage
2. Make the sauce by combining the tahini, hoisin, soy sauce and sriracha in a bowl and mixing well.
3. Then, cut the tofu into flat strips. Coat it with the sauce, and saute in a pan for about 3 minutes per side.
   • Note: the goal here is to sear it a bit, but be careful not to burn it
4. Then, place a wonton wrapper on a flat surface.
5. Cut a small piece of tofu from the marinated and seared block and place it onto the wrapper.
6. Dip your finger into some water and gently wet two edges of the wrapper (pictured above)
7. Then, fold your wonton, press the sides well together, and you are ready to cook!
   • Note: I typically prepare the wontons first and then cook them so I am only doing one task at a time. But, you also could press, fry, and then cool them in batches.
8. In a hot fry pan sear the wontons in a tiny bit of oil for about 2 minutes per side. Again, watching them closely so they don’t burn.
9. Serve warm with the same sauce for dipping and enjoy!

Thoughts for Next Time:

• I am in search of ideas for what to do with wonton wrappers. Please share your favorites!