Feasting on Art

Set against the slate gray skies of winter, the kitchen calls. With my hip pressed against the counter and the trusty wooden spoon I found in the back of a drawer in my first London home, I stand and stir with wafts of steam creating a makeshift heater. In the midst of the season of soup, I have swirled pots of stock until the freezer was brimming. Slowly caramelizing onions is a satisfactory substitute to soup-making; it is a long process that continues to warm the kitchen during the last of the chilly days.

De Scott Evans, A Plate of Onions, 1889
oil on canvas, 25.4 x 30.4 cm

Read the rest of this entry »

Hello friends, it is that time of year again! I am happy to announce the opening of the 2nd annual Feasting on Art Recipe Contest to commemorate the two-year mark of this blog. Following the success of last year’s contest, I decided to feature a painting of an ingredient that is near-and-dear to my heart – cheese. From cheesecake to cheese fondue, I find a way to work a bit of dairy into the majority of my favourite recipes. Between now and March 21st, submit your best cheese recipes to win a lovely cookbook and to help me celebrate another year of food & art!

Floris Gerritsz van Schooten, A Still Life of Cheese, c.1585
oil on oak panel, 39.3 x 55.2 cm, Private collection

Read the rest of this entry »

After a distraction by a rather large mound of butter, I am happy to be posting the fourth installment of the Frida Kahlo series. Although I am a bit mad to even consider baking in this humid heat, I just couldn’t help myself – each little slice is a meal unto itself! The flavors meld perfectly: nutty semolina with the sour/spicy hit of the pickled jalapeños, tang of the sharp cheddar and sweetness of the toasted corn. Before my common sense kicked in I was pulling out my cast iron pot to make a batch of chili, the perfect accompaniment. I stopped short of turning my flat into a full fledged sauna and froze the remaining cornbread to be pulled out at the first hint of chill in the air.

I would also like to extend a thank you to Nikki of Art and Lemons and Dana of Real Food Rehab. Visit their respective sites to find out a bit more about the Sydney food scene, Feasting on Art, and my own personal art/food background.

Frida Kahlo, Fruits of the Earth, 1938-39,
oil on masonite, 40.6 x 60 cm, Coleccion Banco Nacional de Mexico

Read the rest of this entry »

Every December disappears in a blink. Between holiday dinners and various projects, my time management skills are seriously tested. That is why I love the idea of brunch – combining meals to save time! I put together this little menu featuring fruity breakfast recipes inspired by Post-Impressionist painters.

If you live in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney and you see a Wentworth Courier while out and about then check out my interview on page 30. If you are not a Sydneysider you can read it here. I also had an article published in the December 2009 issue of Ceramics Monthly. As a tangent off of my dissertation, the article explores the work of contemporary artists who incorporate methods of repair and use into the finished product. From Bethan Laura Wood’s teacups that stain as you drink them to the delicate drips of gold lacquer on the Reiko Kaneko‘s pieces the idea of use as damage is disregarded and instead embraced. You can read the article online here.

To prepare for the fast approaching beach weather here in Australia I have taken up running – even though the very idea is comical to those who know me well. I do not profess to be athletic in the slightest or even very coordinated for that matter (the first few recipes on this blog were made and photographed teetering on one foot with crutches under my arms) but I do give it my best and I feel like I can splurge here and there (milk, butter, cream). This recipe was my little reward for completing my first 10K workout – it is quick, easy, tasty and filling.

Sir William Nicholson, Mushrooms, 1940
oil on canvas board, 34.9 x 45.1 cm, The Tate Collection

Read the rest of this entry »