Documentary Photography

Regarding Haystacks

Nature

My Internet friend, Jerry Saltz, art historian and art critic, recently wrote on Instagram:

“…musing on Judd and Minimalism…from Marfa…Think of the boxes as Monet’s haystacks…”

Here the former art critic for The Village Voice and recipient of the Pulitzer Price for Criticism in 2028, is referring to Donald Judd‘s “boxes” at Marfa.

This reminded me of this note I received years ago from a gallery owner in Denver, Colorado:

”I am impressed with your sensitive and imaginative eye. Because of your photos, the viewer sees the landscape with all of its subtle nuances and myriad of compositional relationships. Many of your portraits capture the inner nature of the individuals without being posed or contrived….I have a gallery in Denver and also have an art consulting firm. We have been in business for 30 years……I’ve been intrigued with your photos for a long time…just waiting for the right client to show them to and I believe, that we have found one……….I am interested in doing a series of images of the mill pond that you so effectively depicted in B/W and color and at different times of the day and primarily during the Fall. It reminds me of Monet’s compositional and light variations of his series on Chartre, lily pond, haystacks etc. The images are accessible but thought provoking in their characterization of the nuances of change in a given environment…. they help the viewer understand that there is an ongoing transformation and evolution in a given landscape. Sometimes the change is slight; sometimes birds inhabit the scene, sometimes the grasses become the emphasis rather than the water, sometimes the log protrusions become geometric constructions in an otherwise organic surround…….” (–Sandy Carson)

For your viewing pleasure and inspiration, a few of those images (There are hundreds) (Click on image to enlarge):

One-Pan Paprika Chicken with Lentils, Squash and Daga

Recipes

For one week, maybe two, Susan kept asking me to make this recipe. At first, I thought it might be a bit labor-intensive. How wrong I was. It was, in fact, fairly easy to make and so delicious!

Writing for The New York Times, Yotam Ottolenghi:

“This oven bake requires minimal effort and is very much a meal in itself. Daqa is a vinegar-based condiment, most commonly used when making the much-loved Egyptian koshari, a hearty dish of rice, pasta and lentils. Daqa is a nifty way to brighten stews, braises and anything that needs an acidic lift. Feel free to swap out the kabocha squash for root vegetables, such as sweet potato or celery root, and serve the whole thing with nothing more than a leafy green salad.”

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 6 servings

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2¼ pounds)
  • ¾ pound skin-on kabocha squash, seeds removed, cut into about 6 (1-inch-thick) wedges (I used butternut squash)
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground sweet paprika
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Fine sea salt
  • 2 small yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted
  • 8 ounces/1 heaping cup (uncooked) French green lentils, rinsed
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup finely chopped chives
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus 1 tablespoon picked leaves for serving
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar

PREPARATION

  1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, squash, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt; set aside.
  3. Place the onions, 2 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 2 teaspoons paprika in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and mix to combine. Roast for 10 minutes, stirring halfway, until the onions are lightly colored. Stir in the lentils, chicken stock and 1 cup of water. Arrange the squash wedges and the chicken, skin-side up, on top and roast for another 20 minutes, until the chicken skin is deeply golden. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and cook for another 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is nicely softened.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, chives and dill; set aside.
  5. To make the daqa, mix the remaining garlic and cumin with the vinegar, sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of water.
  6. When ready, remove the bake from the oven and top with spoonfuls of the sour cream mixture. Pour over the daqa and sprinkle with the extra dill. Serve hot, straight out of the baking dish.

Featured in: Yotam Ottolenghi’s Secret to Great Sheet-Pan Chicken

I am

Poetry, yoga 
I am the only man
                            today
                                    in yoga class.
Fifteen women and me.
I am here
               with my wife
                                    Susan.
Next to her a woman
                                 on her left.
                                 I am
                                 on her right.
I recognize the woman.
I say
        "You look familiar."
She says
         "I am a cashier
           at Big Y Supermarket."
"Ah,"
         I say.
"I thought you might have recognized me."
"I see
         so many people,"
         she says.
I am
       here
              with my yoga family.
My body is
                  relaxed.
My mind is
                  calm.
Teacher speaks
and says
              "Shanti
               Shanti
               Shanti
               Shanti
               Peace
               Shanti
               Peace
               Shanti 
               Peace."
My eyes closed.
I move
           from
                  unreality
                  to reality
                  from darkness
                  to light.
I am
       with my yoga family
I am.

Saffron fish stew with potatoes and green beans

Recipes

This is simply delicious! And simple to make. I made a few changes which are noted below.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon ground fennel
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • ½ teaspoon grated fresh orange rind
  • ¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 ½ cups clam juice
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound flounder fillet, cut into (2-inch) pieces (I used Cod.)
  • 1 (14-ounce) can great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (I used small and diced potatoes from The Little Potato Company and Chopped Green Beans; about 1 cup+.)

DIrections

  • Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, fennel, coriander, garlic, and thyme sprig; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in rind and saffron; add water, clam juice, tomatoes, potatoes and green beans. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in salt, fish; cook 5 minutes.

Found the recipe at Cooking Light and The Mediterranean Refresh.

Potato curry

Inspiration, Recipes

For days Susan pleaded with me to make this recipe–Potato Curry, also called Aloo Masala. I made a few changes to the recipe from Nosheen Babar and they are noted below. It is delicious!

I also made curried turkey meatballs and sauté bok choy in olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes.

At first I was thinking the meatballs would be a side dish to the curry.

But Susan said why not add the meatballs and bok choy to the potato curry? And I did.

Ingredients

  • 6 potatoes
  • 4 tomatoes (I used a can of diced tomatoes.)
  • ¼ cup cooking oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp carom seeds (I substituted thyme.)
  • 1 tsp ginger paste (I ginger powder.)
  • 1 tsp garlic paste (I used garlic powder.)
  • 2 whole red dried chilies (I Used red pepper flakes.)
  • 2 tsp amchur powder (I used lemon juice.)
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 10 curry leaves (I used lemon zest.)
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Boil the potatoes till they are cooked through (Knife slides in easily).
  • Cool them enough to peel them and then loosely break them into clumps with your hands.
  • Quarter the tomatoes and cook them with a little water till they are soft, then mash them to get a thick puree and set them aside for later.
  • Heat the oil and add the ginger and garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
  • Add the cumin and carom seeds and saute them for about 30 seconds.
  • Add the potatoes and saute them for 1 minute.
  • Add the tomato puree, the salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder along with 1 cup of water and mix well together. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.
  • Uncover, mash the potatoes a bit (you want some whole pieces of potato and some mashed)
  • Add the curry leaves, the whole dried red chilies and the amchur powder, cover and simmer for another 5-10 minutes (depending on your stove and how much water you have left.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Note: I didn’t follow the instructions word for word as I substituted many ingredients. I simply added most of the ingredients to the diced tomatoes.

Here are the turkey meatballs cooking. I added the same spice to them that I added to the potato curry.

Magic Carpet Ride

Bible Verses, Inspiration, Poetry, yoga, Yoga Indra 
Amen, Amen, I say to you
This is the day the Lord has made
Rejoice and be glad
Join us onboard
The Intention Express
Consider this
Yoga Indra 
A magic carpet ride
Come, Come
Shanti, Shanti
Faith and Doubt
Will be your companions
The source will be
Your guide, this is
A sacred mystery
An ancient form
Of meditation
A spiritual guide
To become
More fully
What you are
Created to be
Don't fall
To sleep

poem

Inspiration, Poetry

On Saturday I wore an old flannel shirt
Bought years ago
Black and Red
Bought probably at WalMart
I didn’t know
Better, underneath
I wore a Red T-shirt
Life is Good
A camera
Mountain range
On the shirt
Two favorite things
These are a few
Of my favorite things
A gift
From Susan
I made her a peach
And raspberry cake
And a bacon, mushroom
Spinach quiche
Life is good
She made bread

The Four Days Of Christmas

Inspiration

Here it is Monday, January 2, 2023, another holiday and I have not yet shared with you our Four Days of Christmas.

First things first.

Because the usual federal holiday of New Year’s Day fell on a Sunday, some Americans get the following day, 2 January, as holiday. It wouldn’t make sense to give government workers a day off on a Sunday when few would be working anyway. Generally, institutions like schools, banks, businesses and the US stock market are closed for federal holidays.

Supermarkets and grocery stores are, however, open–as many were on New Year’s Day. Department stores and malls are open–stores filled with merchandise from China and half-empty malls filled with closed stores, massage chairs and eyebrow threading kiosks.

Back to The Four Days of Christmas.

Friday, December 23. The First Day of Christmas. A Christmas family celebration at my ex-wife’s house. She and her husband have been hosting a family get-together for a number of years. In attendance: Betsy and her husband, John; Besty’s sister, Jane; our daughter, Danielle and her husband, Mike and their children, Emily and Matthew; our son, Daryl and his girlfriend, Julia, now his fiancé, home from Colorado for one week; Julia’s parents, Kim and Joe; and me and Susan. Betsy made a Pork Roast. Susan made Blue Cheese and Walnut Crackers, and a Blue Cheese Spread. I made a Pasta and Roasted Pepper dish.

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Here are a few photos (Clicking on the photos makes them larger.) from this First Day of Christmas (Yes, it snowed.):

Pictured above left to right: Danielle holding a Christmas gift from Susan and I (a soccer mom car ornament); Danielle and Mike; Daryl and Julia; Daryl, Julia, Emily; Emily and Julia; Kim, Susan, Mike; Matthew holding a Christmas gift from Susan and me (a baseball glove ornament); Matthew; my Christmas pasta; star of wonder.

Saturday, December 24, Christmas Eve. The Second Day of Christmas. A Christmas family tradition from Susan’s family. For years it was hosted at her mom’s home but as she aged Susan took it over years ago and people came to our home. For years we had a few dozen people over; aunts and uncles and the children but as people have passed on, children getting older, covid, less people have come over. Infact, we were not going to have the celebration this year but Daryl pleaded with us to continue the celebration. And we did.

I made two appetizers: Bang Bang Shrimp and Beef Tenderloin and Blue Cheese Crostini (Susan made the bread); a gift from Daryl, a Billy Cobham album; my famous fruitcake; Julie and Daryl looking at a gift from Susan and me, a picture book of their trip to Italy, where they got engaged; a gift from Daryl, Kacey Musgraves new album; our manger; Susan, me and Freddy; our wine; a Christmas Cake Susan made.

Sunday, December 25. Christmas. The Third Day of Christmas. This celebration was held at Danielle and Mike’s house. Many were in attendance: Mike and Danielle and Emily and Matthew, of course; Mike’s parents, Jim and Robbin, and his sister, Kim; Robbin’s mom, Nancy; Betsy and John; my brother Dennis and his wife, Debbie; Daryl and Julia. It was a wonderful day–great food and company. The pictures say much (I think my favorite is Dennis tuning Emily’s guitar.)

A ballet shoes ornament, a gift Susan and I gave to Emily; Susan made sourdough bread; Danielle’s soccer mom ornament; a beautiful table set and Christmas tree; Debbie and Dennis looking at Daryl and Julia’s Italy picture book; Dennis tuning Emily’s guitar; a doctor’s ornament, a gift from Susan and me; Emily playing the guitar; Matthew’s baseball glove ornament; Susan and Danielle.

Tuesday, December 27. The Fourth Day of Christmas. Daryl and Julia before they head home to Colorado have always come back over to our house from a special dinner. I made Chicken Piccata and Susan made a Cherry Christmas Cake. A few photographs of our time together and our home:

Chicken Piccata; a Christmas tree in the corner of our kitchen; Daryl and Julia; Christmas ornaments and a book of photos from the past year which I gave to Susan; Freddy; cookbooks with Christmas decorations; Daryl and Julia and Freddy; Julia and Freddy; Christmas village; gifts from Susan–two great books (The Sermon on The Mount by Emmet Fox, essays and Pray a Word a Day–so happy to receive these!); Christmas cards; Susan, Julia, Freddy, Daryl; Christmas decorations; a small Christmas tree in our sitting room; wine; Christmas Cherry Cake.

Peace. Love. Light. And Laughter be with You!

Thanksgiving and Overnight Pumpkin Spice French Toast

Documentary Photography, Food Photography, Inspiration

A family Thanksgiving tradition: we host our daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren for breakfast, gift-giving, watching the Macy’s Parade and the dog show.

In Thanksgiving days past I have made Sushi, Mushroom Spinach Quiche, and Croque Monsieur Breakfast Casserole.

This year we enjoyed Overnight Pumpkin Spice French Toast. YUM!

Reading from The New York Times:

“You only need a few everyday ingredients like milk, bread and eggs — plus a heavy dose of your favorite pumpkin spice blend — to make this warming breakfast for a crowd. The whole thing is assembled the night before, so all you need to do when you wake up is a few finishing touches before you pop it in the oven. If you don’t have a favorite pumpkin spice blend, there is one at the bottom of this recipe for you to try. Don’t forget the maple syrup — and potentially some toasted nuts or fruit — to serve.”

Ingredients

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

~3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for greasing the pan
~2 cups/480 milliliters whole milk
~4 large eggs
~¼ (packed) cup/50 grams light brown sugar
~4 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin spice blend (see Tip)
~1 teaspoon vanilla extract
~½ teaspoon fine salt
~1-pound enriched bread loaf, like challah or brioche, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices (We used Multigrain Bread from Costco.)
~Maple syrup
~Chopped toasted walnuts or pecans or fresh berries (optional)

Preparation

  1. Butter a 9-by-13-inch metal, glass or ceramic baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin spice blend, vanilla and salt.
  3. Dip each piece of bread in the milk mixture, then lay it in the prepared pan in slightly overlapping layers. Pour the remaining milk mixture over the top. Gently press the bread into the custard, then cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
  4. When you are ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees, uncover the dish, and gently flip each piece of bread, one at a time, so the side that is more saturated with custard is on the top. Rearrange the slices decoratively, as needed, so the rounded edges of the slices are exposed. Dot the top with the 3 tablespoons butter and cover with foil.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until lightly browned, slightly puffy in the center, and cooked through, 15 to 20 more minutes. Tent with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
  6. Let cool slightly before serving with maple syrup, and nuts or fruit, if desired. I put some homemade Granola on mine!

Tip

  • Make your own pumpkin spice blend by combining 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, ½ teaspoon ground allspice and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. Makes about ¼ cup.

Photos from our celebration:

Thanksgiving Cheers; Prosecco and Chambord. Danielle and Bella. Emily practicing for The Nutcracker. Emily trying on her new dress. Freddy keeping his eye on me–making sure I am not drinking from the Prosecco bottle! Susan and Freddy. Matthew. Our Thanksgiving Dinner; Shetland Salmon with White wine, Lemon, Fennel and Endive, Mashed Potatoes with Fennel and Horseradish, Green Beans and Mushrooms. Me.

My Sous Chef Sue Serves Brunch

Inspiration, Recipes

From baking to soap-making there is very little my Sous Chef Sue, my wife, cannot do.

Teacher. Reader. Giver. Lover. Designer. Gardener.

I am usually the cook in our home, busy in the kitchen making breakfast, lunch and dinner–or outside grilling salmon or steak or hamburgers, and she is the baker. (This thought reminds me of the song “Baking” by Aztec Two-Step (Their Homepage here.), who I saw perform at The Main Point (Other acts seen there listed below.) in Bryn Mawr, PA when I was a freshman at Villanova University. I was studying to be a teacher. I would have been a great teacher, or so I have been told, but I fell in love with Art History. My degree is in Art History and English from Manhattanville College. I have also been told I would have been a good minister, this after speaking frequently in church, but that story is for another time.)

My Sous Chef Sue made Chive Buttermilk Biscuits

Tarragon Chicken Salad

and Berry Cobbler

The first two from this great cookbook (Look for it and buy it; you won’t regret it.):

And the Cobbler from another great gardening and cookbook:

Here are the original recipes:

Bon Appetit!

Other artists seen at The Main Point include: Cat Stevens, Jerry Jeff Walker, David Bromberg, Livingston Taylor, and others. And larger acts at The Electric Factory–Dr. John, John Mayall, Savoy Brown, Johnny Winter and Procol Harum. I think I saw Black Sabbath–but it’s long ago and now a cloudy memory. And an even bigger venue–The Spectrum: Ten Years After, Jethro Tull, Chicago.