Chobani Portland Dinner

Carly Diaz October 21, 2017

The weather has turned and autumn is in full swing here in Portland. The quiet ache for just a few more warm days reminded me of the Chobani dinner that I had the opportunity to photograph in August. The heat was thick in the air, laced with a humidity that we don't often get in the Northwest. Even the Chobani team from New York seemed impressed with the temperatures.

The dinner brought together a handful of women from the Portland food community for an evening celebrating all things yogurt. The six-course tasting menu showcased yogurt at each turn:

Chobani Cocktail, aquavit, plantation rum, house cassis, lemon, Chobani honey yogurt
Grilled Summer Squash & Yogurt Soup, mint, spicy niçoise olive salsa
Heirloom Tomatoes: labneh, ground cherry, gypsy pepper, basil-tomatillo vinaigrette
Little Gem Lettuces, nectarine, marcona almond, anise hyssop yogurt
Whey-Brined Pork Chop, yogurt-creamed corn, thyme, grilled fig, hazelnut pesto
Honey Yogurt Semifreddo, cornmeal-yogurt cake, peach, nectarine, whey caramel
Vanilla Frozen Yogurt Float, cherry lime soda

And that pink cocktail? Not only pretty, but so delicious. Such a wonderful evening and a blast working with the Chobani team. Now, time to get in the kitchen and try to recreate the taste of summer with these dishes.

Northwest Sangria Punch

Carly Diaz August 25, 2017

Summer is passing so quickly! We've been doing our best to squeeze the most out of the season, even though it's been unusually hectic. I actually created this post on the trip home from Amsterdam yesterday, where we spent some time after visiting Marcus' family in Berlin. In between all the things, I've been enjoying as many summer activities as possible with my little family: swimming, picking berries, roasting marshmallows, going to the county fair, and our trip to Europe. Even though it's been a whirlwind, I feel like we've made the most of the summer.

Summer is also a busy season for my photography work, and tends to bring many of my favorite projects. I was reminded of this in July as I drove out to a photo shoot at Brooks Winery. It was a warm, blue-skied day, perfect for a visit to wine country with one of my favorite clients.

Bull Run Distillery recently released a version of their American Whiskey finished in Oregon Pinot Noir Casks from Brooks Winery, which they were showcasing in two seasonal cocktails for a summer wine club party. The Northwest Sangria Punch, created by the amazing Jennifer Kadell, was rich and fresh, packed with the sweetness of ripe August cherries and garnished with fuzzy young mint from the winery's biodynamic garden.

Northwest Sangria Punch
1 oz Bull Run Distillery Pinot Noir Whiskey
1 oz Brooks Winery Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
1 oz black cherry juice
.5 oz raw honey simple syrup
1 oz seltzer
spring of young mint

Add whiskey, pinot noir, black cherry juice, and raw honey simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with seltzer and garnish with young mint. Enjoy!

peach pistachio galette with smoked caramel sauce

Carly Diaz June 29, 2017

Earlier this month, we moved to a new home in West Portland. It was a quality of life inspired move with the added bonus of central air and a much shorter commute for Marcus. We are excited for this next phase of life and what it holds for our family. But, man, moving is rough. I won't bore you with the whiny details, but this month has been intense. After all my travels, I should be accustomed to packing my things up and settling into a new place without a lot of fuss. You'd think.

Over the years I've come to realize that, as much as I loved adventure and exploration, I also need home and familiarity. I have recreated that in all the places I've lived around the world, but it always takes time. One of the signs of settling in has always been the moment I get to turn on the oven and bake. There is something about popping something delicious in the oven that christens a new house and starts the process of making it a home.

When I was invited to join the #summerlovespeaches party with my favorite peach recipe, I knew it would be a galette, one of my favorite ways to showcase seasonal fruit. And nothing says summer like peaches. Fragrant and fuzzy, with juice dripping down your arm and splattering on the ground style peaches. I always love the added crunch of nuts and pistachio are an obvious favorite. The smoked caramel sauce adds a campfire vibe that is so fitting.

Peach Pistachio Galette with Smoked Caramel Sauce
Makes 2 galettes

For the crust:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
¾ cup unsalted butter, frozen and cut into cubes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
8 - 10 Tbsp ice water

For the filling:
10 large, ripe peaches
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp lemon juice
½ cup unsalted pistachios, chopped roughly
1 egg white
smoked caramel sauce for drizzling

Mix flours, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Slowly add the butter, pulsing until it resembles small peas. Slowly add the ice water, pulsing until it the dough just begins to come together. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Form two even-sized circles without over-kneading the dough. Cover in plastic and place in the refrigerate for at least one hour.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Slice the peaches and place in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice and mix until peaches are thoroughly covered. Let sit for about 20 minutes.

When dough has cooled, remove from the refrigerator, take off the plastic and roll out on a lightly-floured surface until just under ¼ inch thick. Place the filling in the center, allowing to spread slightly. Sprinkle with pistachios then gently fold over the edges of the dough and brush with egg white. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees F until the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool then drizzle with smoked caramel sauce and extra pistachios.

Be sure to check out #summerlovespeaches on Instagram for the other great recipes!

Photographing Hot Luck in Austin

Carly Diaz June 1, 2017

In the mid-May, I had the opportunity to photograph at Hot Luck, the new food and drink festival in Austin, Texas put on by the team behind Feast Portland. To say it was epic is an understatement. It had many of the telltale signs of Feast: high caliber chefs and sponsors, impeccably organized details, and water bottles at every turn. Yet, it had its own distinct voice and felt undeniably Texan.

The festival began with Hi, How Are You, a gathering at Franklin Barbecue to kick off the festival. Highlights included Roy Choi's Korean-BBQ fusion bowl, Peter Cho's Traeger-grilled blood sausages, and Sara Kramer's smoked sweet potato with Moroccan black olives, labneh, and trout roe. And the Underwood Frosé, the perfect antidote for the muggy weather. I'd heard about Franklin's famous bbq, but had never tried it before. That evening gave me my first taste, and I was even invited into the smokeroom (see the black and white photo below), which was incredible and even warmer than I could imagine. I'm surprised my camera didn't melt.

Day Two of Hot Luck brought festivities at East Austin's Fair Market, a larger event that still maintained a backyard-gathering vibe. There was more meat, not only the daintily composed bites, but also gnawing-at-the-bone portions. It was a meat fest, to be sure. My favorite spot was the Underwood and Stumptown pavilion with unicorn floaties for lounging and steel barrels with cans of wine and cold brew floating around on flamingo cupholders. It was fun and a great spot for relaxing when the evening started to wind down.

It was an awesome group of photographers at Hot Luck, 5 of us in total, including my dear friend Sarah Natsumi Moore. It was such a pleasure to photograph alongside Sarah, an incredible artist in so many respects. We met years ago in Amsterdam and have been peer mentoring each other in our businesses (and life) for a couple of years now. She is such an inspiration and I loved watching her work and seeing the way she captured the same atmosphere in her own unique style. It took the festival to a whole new level for me. More to come on Day 3 and 4 of Hot Luck!

Photographing Portland Sangria

Carly Diaz May 18, 2017

In April, I had the opportunity to work with Portland Sangria on a summer campaign for their wine spritz collection. I used the brand colors and the ingredients as the inspiration for the shoot and went for a fun, airy feel to complement the season and the fresh produce. Portland Sangria originally started with a rosé wine sangria with raspberries, loganberries, and cardamom. Since then, they've added a white wine sangria with blueberries and basil, and a white wine sangria with lemon, ginger, and rosemary. The fantastic Katie Burnett of Bull in China created several cocktails with the sangria, creating moments for action shots of pouring, bubbling, and fizzing.

Even though the weather in Portland has been persistently cold and grey for most of the month, I've been loving how Portland Sangria infuses a bit of summertime into even the darkest of days. They are dangerously sippable and, although I've heard from many that the blueberry-basil sangria is a favorite, I love the subtle gingery bite of the lemon-ginger-rosemary sangria. Here are a few of my favorite images from the photo shoot!

Mandarin Spring Salad with Pan-Seared Shrimp

Carly Diaz April 11, 2017

Salads seem like the perfect food to me. You can keep it simple or go all out, packed with protein and grains, or vegetable forward and light. I love the variety of textures - a crispy carrot here, a squishy tomato there. The crunchiness of seeds contrasting with the creaminess of cheese. And the endless possibilities of vinaigrette.

Before this begins to sound like a love song for a salad, I'll admit that I don't get past the simple greens-onion-tomato-olive oil-balsamic-salt-pepper version as often as I'd like. There are some incredible restaurants in Portland taking salads to the next level. But in my own kitchen, salads seem like an afterthought and I wish they took center stage more often.

A recent project gave me the perfect opportunity to improve my salad game, resulting in this salad that showcases the radishes and spring greens of the season, while grasping at the last days of citrus season. The tangy sweetness of mandarin is the ideal complement to the cumin-flavored shrimp. A genius call by my sister, Brenna, with whom I worked to create this recipe for a client. This is the kind of salad that only asks for a crispy piece of bread with butter and a glass of chilled white wine. My idea of a perfect meal.

Mandarin Orange Salad with Pan-Seared Shrimp
Serves 6

Salad ingredients:
1 head of butter lettuce
½ cup sliced almonds
2-3 mandarin oranges, peeled & separated
4 radishes
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

Marinated shrimp ingredients:
1 lb. of deveined shrimp, shells removed
1 tsp. cumin, ground
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ cup olive oil
2 tsp. salt

Lemon vinaigrette ingredients:
Juice from 1 lemon
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tsp. cumin, ground
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
a pinch of pepper

In a medium bowl mix, prepare ingredients for marinated shrimp. Mix the olive oil, cumin, garlic, and salt. Then add the shrimp and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Mix the ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette. Season to taste and set aside.

Tear the leaves off the butter lettuce leaving them whole. Wash them well and set aside to dry.

Slice the radishes in half then two more times to create small wedges. Set aside. Prepare the green onions and set aside. Cut the mandarin orange slices in half and set aside.

Take the butter lettuce leaves and place them in a bowl. Drizzle half of the lemon dressing over the leaves. Then sprinkle the sliced almonds over the leaves. Add the radishes, mandarin oranges, and green onions. Add the feta cheese and remaining lemon dressing. Season to taste.

Toss radishes with olive oil and salt. Using a grill pan, lightly grill radishes. Set aside.

Using the same grill pan, grill the shrimp on each side for 3-4 minutes until done. Season with salt to taste. Then add the radishes and shrimp to the prepared salad. Enjoy!

Photographing Alma Chocolate

Carly Diaz March 30, 2017

Over the last three months, I had the opportunity to work with Alma Chocolate to capture their incredible array of small-batch chocolates, bonbons, caramels, drinking chocolate, and baked goods and the team at work hand crafting each piece. It was exactly the kind of project I love, which allowed me to photograph the creative process, finished project, and the passion in the details.

The first two sessions took place at their shop on SE 7th. The café setting looks over the open kitchen where visitors can watch sweets being covered, molded, dusted, and more. The third session was at their shop on NE 28th, which also offers their line of chocolates, in addition to fresh baked goods, like their epic chocolate cake, cookies, and macaroons. Pretty much my idea of heaven.

weekend links

Carly Diaz March 17, 2017

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Things I'm loving this week:

This walnut and stilton soda bread, with a glass of my favorite whiskey.
The Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, I finished reading it last week and absolutely loved it.
10 Healing Turmeric Recipes, much needed as I battle yet another cold.
Chalino is now open! Johnny Leach brings inauthentic Mexican food to N Williams. I'm in.
Flink's gorgeous wool accessories has me ready to book my next holiday to Amsterdam.
Finally got my hands on Small Victories and already love the Kimchi Fried Rice, Apple and Toasted Oat Muffins, and Spring Herb soup.
The anijs latte at Prince Coffee in Kenton. So delish.
A photograph never stands alone. Beautiful.
12 meals for the winter weary, that'd be me.

Have a great weekend!

hazelnut cream pie with ginger poached pears

Carly Diaz March 1, 2017

In November, I had the opportunity to observe the incredible Thomas Story, the in-house photographer for Sunset magazine, at work on set. More to come on that later, but during the photo shoot we had the chance to indulge in a delicious treat of hazelnut goodness that I haven't been able to forget. This recipe is my attempt not to recreate, but to capture a small essence of that day.

A cream pie is just what is needed in March, one of those months that feels so transitional and the seasonal offerings are a little meager. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are slowly shrugging off the winter, and spring is offering teasing glances of its much-anticipated arrival. It was a long winter, indeed, but the end is in sight.

A little decadence then, shall we? This pie brings together some of my favorite dessert components. Cream and chocolate, hazelnuts and pears. A heavenly quartet. The reserves of the autumn pear harvest are dwindling, but I find the pears essential to balance the sweetness.

Poaching the pears in ginger creates a sharpening effect on the layers of cream and chocolate, and a generous sprinkling of hazelnuts to finish each slice adds a wonderful crunchy texture in every bite. Using a hazelnut flour crust deepens the hazelnut flavor throughout, but a traditional shortcrust pastry also would be delicious.

Hazelnut Cream Pie with Ginger-Poached Pears

Ingredients:
4 Bosc or Bartlett pears
⅓ cup sugar
1 two-inch cinnamon stick
1 two-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

3 cups hazelnut flour
¾ tsp salt
¼ cup brown sugar
2 egg whites

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup chocolate hazelnut spread
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup whipping cream, plus 2 Tbsp sugar

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cups heavy cream

Peel and core the pears with a small knife. In a medium pot, combine the pears, sugar, cinnamon stick, ginger, and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until the pears are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pears to a large bowl, reserving the liquid.

Heat the pear liquid to boiling. Cook, uncovered, until the syrup is reduced to about 3 cups, about 15 minutes.

Gently pour liquid over the pears. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours, turning the pears occasionally. When the pears are chilled, remove them from the syrup and place on a towel and gently dry. Cut into thin slices.

To make the hazelnut pie crust, heat oven to 350°F. mix the hazelnut flour, salt, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add egg whites and mix until thoroughly blended.

Butter an 8- to 10-inch pie plate. Line the edges and bottom of the pan with the crust mixture, pressing and squeezing the mix firmly into place until even. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to create an even surface. Line crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights. Blind bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, then remove foil and pie weights and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until crust is golden brown.

In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, chocolate hazelnut spread, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. In another bowl, beat the whipping cream and the sugar until stiff peaks form.
Fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until smooth and a consistent color.

In a small saucepan, warm the cream for the ganache. When cream begins to just simmer, remove from heat and add the bittersweet chocolate. Let sit for several minutes and then mix until smooth.

When the pie crust has cooled completely, create a thin layer with the pears. Next, spoon hazelnut cream mixture until it reaches about ½ inch from the top. Pour the chocolate ganache and smooth with a icing spatula. Top with pears and toasted hazelnuts and chill for at least an hour. Serve with a dollop of cream and a generous sprinkling of hazelnuts. Enjoy!

chocolate mousse with beet-poached lady apple and wild rose

Carly Diaz February 9, 2017

A few months ago, I began asking for the dessert menu along with the food menu when I dine at restaurants. It all began after several instances where, when the meal finally turned to my favorite course, I simply couldn't take another bite. Or, when the dessert of my choice simply clashed with or was too similar to the other food I'd eaten. Making selections based on an understanding of the meal as a whole makes more sense with my approach to eating.

Or maybe I just have a serious sweet tooth.

I recently learned that Americans consume approximately 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate each year and that 58 million pounds of chocolate are purchased in the week of Valentine's Day. That's incredible, even by my standards.

Mousse is one of those perfect desserts for anytime - decadent, but airy. When Kristen Murray of Måurice, the sweetest luncheonette in downtown Portland, proposed to make chocolate mousse for a project celebrating Tony's Chocolonely and slave-free chocolate, I couldn't wait to see what she came up with. Mixing dark and milk chocolate, Kristen created a mousse with a rich, creamy texture, topped with beet-poached lady apples, tempered chocolate with wild rose petals, and a generous dollop of whipped cream. Simply divine.

When I realized just how much chocolate is being consumed each year, I understood more clearly that the source of chocolate is just as important as how delicious it is. Because when someone puts as much effort into planning their eating choices and dessert selection as much as I do, there isn't much reason not to include ethical sourcing in the list of priorities.

For the month of February, I've partnered with Tony's and two of Portland's fantastic pastry chefs to bring you not only recipes, but the opportunity to taste desserts made with 100% slave-free chocolate at two restaurants in town. Don't miss the recipe with Nora's semolina chocolate chunk fritters. If you're in Portland, you can taste Kristen's chocolate mousse all month long at Måurice and at home with the recipe below. Find the full list of Not Just Dessert recipes here.

Chocolate Mousse
Recipe by Kristen Murray
Serves 12

Ingredients:
1 litre heavy cream
35 g cocoa nib
375 g milk chocolate bar, chopped finely
375 g dark chocolate bar, chopped finely
9 egg yolks
250 g fine sugar, separate out 75 g and 175 g of sugar into two bowls
fine sea salt

whipped cream
toppings, such as extra toasted cocoa nibs, wild rose petals, candied kumquats, seasonal berries, or poached apple or pear

Directions:
Heat oven to 325 F. Spread cocoa nib on a baking sheet in a single layer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove, let cool slightly, then crush in a mortar and pestle.

Slowly warm cream in pot on stove. Add toasted cocoa nibs to cream and let infuse for 20 minutes. Refrigerate cream and cocoa nibs for at least 24 hours.
Next day, whip cream to medium firm. (Do you remove and discard the cocoa nibs?)

Combine dark and milk chocolate in a double boiler. Place the bowl over a small pot filled halfway with water over medium heat, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. When the chocolate begin to melt, stir until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Place the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on the low setting while slowly adding in 75g of sugar.

In a small pot, add the remaining 175g sugar and 25-35 g water. Measuring with a candy thermometer, heat sugar and water to 250 Fahrenheit. Then slowly add to the egg yolk and sugar mixture in the electric mixer. Whip till viscous with a pale yellow appearance and cool to the touch.

Fold egg and sugar mixture into the chocolate mixture in three small batches. Add a pinch of sea salt. Gently fold in whipped cocoa nib cream in three small batches.

Place in small serving cups layered with whipped cream and toppings of your choice. Grab a spoon. Enjoy!

This post was written in partnership with the wonderful team at Tony's Chocolonely, an amazing crew of people who make me seriously miss Dutch-style lunches, karnemelk and all. Thoughts and opinions are, as ever, my own.

semolina chocolate chunk fritters

Carly Diaz February 4, 2017

A few weeks ago, as I was preparing for the post-inauguration Women's March in Portland, I was uncertain which words to paint on the sign I would carry. There were so many things to say, so many issues I wanted to address, and not enough posterboard for them all. And now, in the following weeks, there is a similar sense of being intimidated by the numerous actions to take and causes to support. And this is on top of all the other issues around the globe that deserve attention.

While there is only a finite amount of time and money that I can give towards the causes that I care most about, I also have to remind myself that there are so many small actions I can take every day. And one of those actions is eating chocolate for a good cause. Easy, right? Even easier when it's chunks of Tony's Chocolonely that have been incorporated into semolina fritters created by the incredible Nora Antene, Pastry Chef at Tusk. And for the month of February, they are on the Tusk brunch menu for you to enjoy. Or to make at home with the recipe below. Find the full list of Not Just Dessert recipes here.

Tony's Chocolonely. The name brings back memories of Amsterdam. Of rusty bicycles and endless canals, of shopping at the ubiquitous grocery store Albert Heijn, and of Sinterklaas, the holiday on December 5th on which chocolate letters are gifted to children and friends. And Tony's was the chocolate of choice.

It was from Tony's Chocolonely that I first learned about a little known issue: that the cocoa industry is heavily reliant on slaves. And that many of the slaves are children. Sixty percent of all cocoa comes from Ivory Coast and Ghana where 2,300,000 children work on cocoa plantations. Dangerous working conditions and illegal trafficking of both adults and children compounds the problem. Tony's is working to change that and its 100% slave-free chocolate is not just an ethical choice, it's a delicious one as well. The chocolate is really good. And inventive too. I had the opportunity to visit the Tony's world headquarters and test kitchen on my summer trip to Amsterdam and was so impressed. Most memorable was a milk chocolate 'popcorn discodip' flavor. Like a popcorn party in your mouth.

Tony's Chocolonely opened their second office in Portland in autumn 2015 to share their delicious slave-free chocolate with the Pacific Northwest and the US at large. For the month of February, I've partnered with Tony's and two of Portland's fantastic pastry chefs to bring you not only recipes, but the opportunity to taste the creations at two restaurants in town. If you're in Portland, you can taste Nora's semolina chocolate chunk fritters all month long during Tusk's weekend brunch. Stay tuned next week for the second recipe!

Tony’s Chocolonely Semolina Chocolate Chunk Fritters
Recipe by Nora Antene
Makes about 24 bite-sized fritters

Ingredients:
3 eggs
6 g vanilla extract
75 g ricotta
150 g yogurt, whole milk
35 g honey

45 g semolina flour
150 g all-purpose flour
35 g granulated sugar
15 g baking powder
3 g salt
1 g ground cinnamon (tiny pinch)
170 g Tony’s Chocoloney 70% dark chocolate, cut into small chunks

Directions:
Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, ricotta, yogurt, and honey. Set aside. Whisk together the semolina flour, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Using a spatula, stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until the dry ingredients are about halfway incorporated into the wet ingredients. Add the chocolate and stir until all ingredients are evenly mixed. Let the batter sit for about 1 hour covered and at room temperature without stirring.**

In a small pot, heat a few inches of vegetable oil to 350 F. Carefully scoop golf ball size fritters a few at a time into the fry pot. Fry for about 2 minutes flipping the fritters halfway through. Drain on paper towels and, when cooled slightly, dust with powdered sugar. These are great on their own or served with orange curd, caramel, or chocolate sauce.

Batter can be made ahead of time. Refrigerate after leaving at room temp for an hour. Bring back to room temp before frying.

** As the batter sits, the baking powder is activated and the mixture becomes airy. Avoid stirring so that the mixture keeps its lofty structure.

chocolate molten lava cakes

Carly Diaz February 1, 2017

Waking up today, I couldn't be happier to be starting the month of February. Not only because it is unofficially the month of chocolate, but because January was a wild one. Political upheaval, an epic snowstorm here in Portland, and a general sense of things being off kilter. Not the usual refreshing start to the new year.

Even the ordinary, everyday tasks come under scrutiny. What is the use of food photography at a time like this? What is the point of baking and taking photos when there is so much else to be done? These days when everything feels so contradictory, when joy is followed by guilt, when frustration is followed by hopelessness, I'm trying to accept the dualism that will be here for longer than is comfortable.

So, I will protest and then bake up a storm. I will despair over the news and then laugh with Elena. I will take action and then remember to take care of myself. At least, this is my goal.

I've been testing variations of these chocolate molten lava cakes over the last weeks, which has been the perfect distraction when I need to take a moment off from the political world. I keep coming back to the recipe I originally developed for Sunshine Dairy, with a few adjustments especially with the technique. I found it's quite important to fold the chocolate into the egg mixture in a way that doesn't lose the air generated from the whisking. Watch the cakes carefully around the 8-minute mark so they don't bake through. Getting the cake to be truly molten, with chocolate oozing out the middle, is key.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

Ingredients:
Unsweetened baking cocoa
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
¼ cup drinking chocolate
4 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
⅛ tsp salt
2 ½ Tbsp all-purpose flour
confectioners sugar

Directions:
Heat oven to 425°F. Butter and dust 4 ramekins with cocoa. Tap out the excess cocoa and let set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a simmer. Place a small bowl over the saucepan, making sure that it doesn't touch the water, and melt the chocolate and butter together with the drinking chocolate, stirring frequently until smooth. Let cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, vigorously beat the eggs together with the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until thickened and pale. Gently fold chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and then add the flour. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared ramekins and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes are set but the centers are wobbly.

Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted dessert plate. Carefully turn each one over, tapping the bottom and slowly lift up the ramekin. Serve warm with a light dusting of confectioners sugar.

honey bourbon banana bread

Carly Diaz January 19, 2017

If you've been following along on Instagram, you've likely seen that Portland was covered in nearly a foot of snow for the last week. The Oregon governor declared a state of emergency, although less for Portland and more for the central Oregon region who received around 45 inches (114 cm) of snow. Crazy! It was incredibly picturesque, especially during the sunny days that followed the snowfall.

With the temperatures remaining below freezing, however, it was icy and quite dangerous on the roads. Many small businesses, including myself, felt the disruption acutely. It was rough to fall behind, but I can't pretend I didn't love the wintery landscape and the extra time with my family - nine days! Yes, we drove each other a bit crazy at times, but we also had fun playing in the powdery snow, sledding, drinking endless cups of hot chocolate, and cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Marcus made bison jerky, dumplings, and cheesy marinara pasta. I made a chai spiced pear clafoutis, chocolate chip cookies, banana pancakes, and two loaves of honey bourbon banana bread.

I was inspired by Food 52's bourbon brown butter recipe, which is delicious, but opted to substitute honey for refined sugar and a different take on dairy. Honey seemed like the perfect complement to Bull Run Distillery's straight bourbon whiskey full of warmth and vanilla. Fluffy and moist, rich with banana flavor and a hint of honey-laced bourbon, this recipe is exactly what's needed on these cold winter days.

Bourbon Walnut Banana Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups ivory wheat flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
⅓ cup honey
⅓ cup milk
2 Tbsp sour cream
1 tspn vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Bull Run Distillery straight bourbon whiskey
⅔ cup walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

Preparation:
Heat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9-inch loaf pan and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and butter together, then slowly whisk in the honey, milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, bourbon, and mashed bananas. Slowly add the dry ingredients until well combined and fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

This post was created in partnership with the lovely crew at Bull Run Distillery whose spirits are a taste of Oregon in all its wild complexity.

weekend links

Carly Diaz January 6, 2017

The first weekend of the year is here! It's been a bitterly cold, but sunny week in Portland and we've been doing our best to stay bundled. After two weeks of holiday and a trip to play in the snow at Mt. Hood (above), I slowly eased back into work with two photo shoots and a few admin tasks to wrap up the business year. Time to enjoy the weekend ahead, have a great one!

Top food spots around Portland will be selling pink boxes of cookies in support of reproductive rights, available for pickup 1/18 or 1/19.
Incredible photographs of the starry nights and empty, wartorn streets in Idlib, Syria.
The New York Times 52 places to go in 2017. Top of my list is Tallinn, Estonia.
The eighth and final year in photos from the official White House photographer. Tear.
On New Year's Eve, I visited Kainos Coffee in NE Portland (pictured below), which had fantastic coffee and donates 21% of profits to orphanages in the Philippines.
The post-holiday urge to purge my belongings has been intensified thanks to the documentary Minimalism.
Making Cuban black beans and rice for the first time. Delicious!

Farewell 2016, Hello 2017 Part I

Carly Diaz December 30, 2016

There is nothing quite like the fresh start of a new year. I look forward to the renewed energy and perspective that January brings with increased enthusiasm each year. It's a chance like no other to reflect and refine, plan and dream. This New Year-ing has become even more important to me since I became a mother and started running my own business. And to be honest, I love this stuff.

In reality, I'm setting goals and reflecting all year, but since January tends to be a slower time for my work it's a great opportunity to deep dive into what has been working, what hasn't, and what I want the next year to look like for my business, my family, and myself. Here, in Part I, I share more about my reflections and goals in my business. In Part II, I'll take more about my personal goals and dreams for the year ahead.

Steps Ahead
I’m really blown away by the amazing clients I had the opportunity to work with in 2016. I photographed several new restaurants that opened in Portland, as well as established favorites. I worked with national brands and publications, as well as local producers and businesses. Overall, I worked on more than 50 projects, some one-off projects and others ongoing, and saw a substantial business revenue increase over 2015. And I took tens of thousands of photos.

I also streamlined my invoicing and accounting systems, invested in new equipment, hired contractors to support with several projects, and updated contracts, license agreements, and my project management workflow. This side of owning a business probably only excites me, but does give a much better sense of how I can increase my efficiency and deliver better service to clients. It also saves me a lot of stress when I have strong systems in place and gives me more time for the work I love most.

Aiming to give my business more visibility, I recently set up a Facebook page and Bloglovin' and updated my Instagram and Pinterest to business accounts. And, as you have probably noticed, I've invested more time in sharing on this blog.

Being self-employed can be unpredictable and fluctuating. Some periods were slower than others, while the summer was crazy busy, but I am grateful that overall 2016 held a steady flow of inquiries and work with incredible clients. I’m especially thankful to the handful of retainer clients who believe in the power of photography to tell the story of their work. It’s so rewarding to be able to work and grow together over time.

Lessons Learned
During the summer, I read the incredible book Minimalism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown, which was the perfect reminder (at the perfect time) that more for the sake of more is not a viable business (or life) strategy. Yes, when you're growing and hoping to pay yourself a steady paycheck, it's hard to turn away business, but I'm starting to learn that, in the long run, it's better to have the right clients than the wrong ones. And refining what I can offer to ensure that it is my strongest work will serve me, the clients, and the industry best over time. In the coming year, I'm hoping to continue on this path of confidently saying no when a project or client isn't a good fit in order to be able to have the time, space, and creativity to deliver my best for those that are.

The last two years have seen a significant investment in building my business: time, money, energy, and much more. I love what I do, but I also need to invest in the support system that will keep me going for years to come. Namely, myself (physically and mentally), my family, and my community.

One of the best lessons of 2016 was a positive one: peer mentors and community support is incredible. Early in 2016, Sarah Moore, a fellow photographer and good friend from Amsterdam, and I decided to start a peer mentorship. We traded tips when pitching for work, shared insight into contracts and staying inspired, talked shop about equipment and process, and held each other accountable to specific goals that we set on a monthly basis. It was so inspiring and motivated me to keep pushing to the next level. I also had the opportunity to have candid conversations with other photographers, entrepreneurs, and business owners which were insightful, and also help build trust and support between us. It was so well timed and I can't wait to see how these relationships grow over the next year.

The Future
Looking at the year ahead - which starts in less than 2 days! - my main goal is to continue the path of growth that I am currently on, but do so a little more gracefully. Less frenetic and at a pace that is sustainable. I'd love to work with one more retainer client and continue to collaborate with the local food community and national brands that believe in quality. Working on a project in Amsterdam last summer was an experience I'm planning to repeat in other countries.

In addition, I’m determined to dive into a few personal projects. The mantras of one of my favorite photographers, Penny de los Santos, is to self-assign your dream assignment. My love of food comes from my years living and traveling overseas, where food was a way to connect to and experience local cultures, as well as a connection to my home and family that I had left behind. Through personal projects, I plan to turn a documentary lens on subjects of food and culture, here and beyond. This is, of course, inspired by my years working at World Press Photo, but also motivated by Lynsey Addario's fantastic book It's What I Do: A Photographer's Life of Love and War. This year I will take a step ahead with a few personal projects that are close to my heart.

Investing more in this space is another top priority. When I relocated from the Netherlands, my blog lost a bit of its voice and I've slowly been redefining what I want this space to be. It's finally coming into its own, just like I feel I am with my business and being an Oregonian once again. The last year was a wild one and I'm excited to embrace 2017 with arms wide open. Stay tuned for Part II!

Winter solstice hot chocolate

Carly Diaz December 21, 2016

Winter solstice is here and I am welcoming the darkest day of the year with two hands wrapped around a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Unlike many people, I've never really been bothered by the dark, grey days of winter in Oregon. There is something romantic about the beauty of fog (a thick layer is outside my window as I write), the sparkling lights around the city, and the hope of snow. And, let's face it, it could be much worse.

Oregon winters are relatively mild and we receive many more hours of daylight than those who reside further north. Trust me, I lived in northern Europe for 7 years. Still, winter is a time to savor all the opportunities to be cozied up inside, no matter your location and especially after a long day outside in the cold.

The shortest day of the year calls for not one, but three cups of hot chocolate. I've created recipes for Mexican hot chocolate, whiskey hot chocolate, and my favorite hazelnut hot chocolate, inspired by Diana Yen's version in A Simple Feast.

A few ingredient tips: Holy Kakow cacao powder is delicious, organic, and local. Krista's Baking Co. has fantastic vanilla-infused sugar and Madagascar bourbon for all three recipes. For the hazelnut hot chocolate, Nutella is a classic. For a nuttier version, try Justin's chocolate hazelnut butter. And if you're lucky enough to have access to it, Marcus recommends Nudossi, the east German wonder. For the whiskey hot chocolate, Bull Run Distillery's Oregon single malt whiskey is perfection, especially when topped with the campfire caramel sauce from Hot Cakes.

Enjoy! And now, the slow ascent to spring begins.

Hazelnut Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
¼ cup vanilla-infused sugar
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅛ tsp fleur de sel
4 cups whole milk
¼ cup hazelnut spread
½ tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract

In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and fleur de sel. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it starts to steam. Add in the hazelnut spread and stir until well combined. Slowly add in the cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth. Add in the vanilla and let simmer for several minutes. Serve topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
⅓ cup vanilla-infused sugar
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅛ tsp fleur de sel
½ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp cayenne pepper
⅛ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
4 cups whole milk
1 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract
cinnamon sticks (optional)

In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, fleur de sel, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it starts to steam. Slowly add in the cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth. Add in the vanilla and let simmer for several minutes. Serve topped with whipped cream, a sprinkle of cocoa powder, and a cinnamon stick for stirring.

Whiskey Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
⅓ cup sugar
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅛ tsp fleur de sel
½ tsp cinnamon
4 cups whole milk
4 fl. ounces whiskey
1 tsp campfire caramel sauce

In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, fleur de sel, and cinnamon. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it starts to steam. Slowly add in the cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth. Add in the whiskey and let simmer for several minutes. Serve topped with whipped cream and drizzled with caramel.

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Dark Chocolate Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Carly Diaz December 12, 2016

The simplicity of shortbread has made me resistant in the past. Flour, butter, and sugar are really all that's needed, and voilà, you have shortbread. And salt, if you want to get wild.

I've always steered towards cookies with more going on: chocolate chip oat cookies, cranberry orange cookies, or even simple sugar cookies with extravagant frosting. Yet, there's something appealing about shortbread. Perhaps it's the Scottish heritage or the annual holiday appearance that makes it seem quite special despite its simplicity.

When the ladies of The Modern Proper invited me to join them for the #calmandbrightcookienight baking party, I couldn't resist the opportunity to take the humble shortbread to the next level. And make it a bit healthier in the process. I recently discovered the ingenuity of Bob's Red Mill organic ivory wheat flour, wholesome and yet without the usual density of standard wheat flours, making it ideal for baking. Dark chocolate adds extra sweetness, as well as antioxidants. A sprinkling of unsalted pistachios are not only pretty and delicious, but also contributes to the daily handful of nuts that researchers are now recommending.

Visit The Modern Proper or search the #calmandbrightcookienight hashtag on Instagram for dozens of other cookie recipes. And if you're looking for further inspiration for your sweet tooth, and happen to live in the Portland area, make sure to stop by Pip's on Sunday, December 18 6-9pm for a bake sale and fundraiser for the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization. There will be items on sale from bakers, chefs, and bloggers, as well as raffle items and wine.

Dark Chocolate Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups ivory wheat flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp fine salt
1 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1½ cups dark chocolate chips
½ cup unsalted Wonderful pistachios
½ tsp fleur de sel

Heat oven to 300°F. Lightly butter two 9-inch springform pans. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Slowly add in the butter and work it into the dry ingredients with your hands until it resembles coarse meal. Work dough into two balls and slowly press each into a springform pan until smooth. Bake for 45 minutes or until light golden brown.

Once the shortbread has finished baking, let cool in pan at least 30 minutes. Carefully remove from pan and flip over. With a serrated bread knife, cut each shortbread into 8 equal pieces with a sawing motion. Be careful not to put too much pressure on the round. Flip over once again.

Add the chocolate chips to a small bowl. Place the bowl over a small pot filled halfway with water over medium heat. When the chocolate chips begin to melt, stir until smooth. Let cool slightly and then dip each shortbread cookie into the chocolate until well covered. Place on a cooling rack with baking paper underneath and sprinkle with pistachios and fleur de sel. Cool completely until chocolate is set.

Alternatively, you can leave the shortbread whole, covering the entire round with chocolate for a cake-like appearance. Serve by cutting into pieces with a sharp knife.

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This post was sponsored by The Wonderful Co. Thank you for reading!

Roasted Cauliflower with Pistachio Gremolata and Raw Brussels Sprout Salad with Pistachio and Pecorino

Carly Diaz December 10, 2016

Portland has been covered in a layer of ice for two days now. After a light snowfall on Thursday, freezing rain covered the city and brought everything to a halt. I had to cancel a photoshoot and our plans to put up a Christmas tree (finally!) have been delayed again. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying the excuse to take it slow with my family at home. And the sound of dripping water outside tells me that the ice will be gone before we know it. A good thing, as next week brings another round of photoshoots and holiday events.

Over a week into December, the holiday parties and festive gatherings are well under way. I love this time of the year, when everything sparkles and there is so much joy all around. It's a great distraction from being bundled up in layers to fight off the cold and the darkness that comes too early and stays too late. During these December days, it's pretty difficult to decline to the extra cranberry cocktail, the peppermint cocoa, and holiday cookies ever in abundance.

The holidays are a time for indulgence and I fully embrace it. But with so many occasions to gather with friends and family to eat and drink, I enjoy having a variety of options beyond the traditionally heavy holiday meal. These recipes celebrate pistachios and the holidays in equal measure. A whole roasted cauliflower is a worthy alternative to the traditional meat centerpiece that is complemented with a rich, flavorful pistachio gremolata. Thinly sliced Brussels sprouts are combined with pecorino, pistachios, and pomegranate for a filling, complex salad. And to conclude the meal, wheat shortbread dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with pistachios and sea salt, which can be served as individual cookies or whole for more impact. Enjoy the recipes and stay tuned for the shortbread recipe coming Monday!

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pistachio Gremolata

Ingredients:
1 large head cauliflower
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup packed Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup roasted and salted Wonderful pistachios, shelled
zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Heat oven to 425°F. Wash and lightly dry the whole cauliflower. Place on a plate and brush with olive oil until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place the cauliflower in a warmed cast iron pan. Roast for 45 minutes or until dark golden brown.

In a food processor, pulse the mint, parsley, garlic, pistachios, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper. Slowly add in the olive oil until just combined. Add additional olive oil to adjust desired consistency. Serve over the warmed cauliflower head topped with additional pistachios.

Raw Brussels Sprout Salad with Pistachios and Pecorino

Ingredients:
2 pounds Brussels sprouts
1/2 cup finely shaved pecorino romano
3/4 cup roasted and salted Wonderful pistachios, roughly chopped
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Remove the outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts and cut into thin slices with a mandolin. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil to loosen the individual strands, then add in the pecorino, pistachios, and pomegranate.

In a small mason jar, combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, sea salt, and pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake until well combined. Mix into salad just before serving and top with extra pistachios.

This post was sponsored by The Wonderful Co. Thank you for reading!

Pop of Wonderful Dinner

Carly Diaz December 6, 2016

Last week, Wonderful Pistachios hosted a dinner at Elder Hall featuring the pistachio-inspired creations of Chef Jason French. The Pop of Wonderful evening brought together a variety of creatives from around Portland and kicked off with cocktails made with Jamaican rum, pistachio syrup, and orange bitters with a sugared pistachio rim. I was able to toast the evening with some of my favorite food ladies around Portland.

The dinner was the first of two popup dinners sponsored by the brand with the second dinner taking place in New York. I was happy to welcome the Wonderful Pistachio team back to Portland, after working with them in the spring, where they were able to witness the city's expansive popup culture. It was great to see the Pop of Wonderful dinner come to life, two long tables filled with people in the center of Elder Hall. Candlelight bounced off the walls and gorgeous centerpieces with pistachio-filled vases lined the tables.

Chef French created a menu inspired by Central Asian cuisine, the area where pistachio trees originated. The menu included:
Spiced carrot soup with pistachio relish
Chilled soba noodle salad, sweet chili pistachios, cucumber and daikon radish
Cacao and chili mole, pistachio-crusted cod, spaghetti squash, queso fresco and lime crema
Coffee-crusted beef short ribs, celery root, pistachio crumble
Vanilla bean and pistachio crème caramel, brown butter sablée

One of my favorite things about pistachios is the fantastic crunch, a variation in texture that contrasted well with the whole menu. Now that The Wonderful Co. offers bags of shelled pistachios, it is so much easier to integrate pistachios into everyday cooking. To celebrate the holidays, I've partnered with Wonderful Pistachios to create a holiday dinner centered around recipes with a healthy pistachio twist. Stay tuned next week for the recipes!

Yogurt Oatcakes | Portland Holiday Brunch

Carly Diaz December 3, 2016

On a quiet Saturday morning in November, I gathered with six amazing ladies in a modern barn on Sauvie Island to celebrate good food, friendship, and the coming holiday season together with Bob's Red Mill and Tillamook. Brunch is one of my favorite meals - that perfect combination of sweet and savory items that are satisfying and delicious. Combined with a fire roaring in the stove, light streaming in through windows framed by fragrant garlands, and a table brimming with thoughtfully-made dishes from photographers, stylists, and bloggers who all adore food, and it made for one magical morning.

The Portland Holiday Brunch offered a platform to showcase some of our favorite products from these two local companies whose commitment to quality made for the perfect partnership. Nothing says brunch to me more than a piled-high stack of pancakes, which I made with ivory wheat flour, old-fashioned oats, and farmstyle Greek yogurt.

I recently finished reading Michael Pollan's Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation and was struck by his meticulous description of the process of creating white flour, which strips away all the nutrition. I've experimented with a variety of flours over the years and was excited to try the oatcakes with ivory wheat flour. The stone ground flour is made from organic whole grain hard white wheat berries, which is a new variety of identity-preserved wheat containing the bran, germ and endosperm. All the wholesome goodness of wheat flour, but lighter and ideal for healthy baking. Mixing farmstyle Greek yogurt into the batter added a fluffiness that complemented the mild density of the flour, and oats gave extra structure to the pancakes. I then topped the oatcakes with vanilla Greek yogurt and a cranberry-blueberry compote.

All the ladies who joined are sharing their recipes created for the brunch and my recipe for the Yogurt Oatcakes with Cranberry-Blueberry Compote is below!

Alison Wu's Chia seed cranberry parfaits
The Modern Proper's Sweet cardamom almond rolls
The Kitchen Paper's Garlicky kale with delicata, couscous, cranberries and pitas
Christiann Koepke's Caramelized onion, chanterelle, white cheddar quiche with buckwheat crust
Rebekah Hubbard's Orange spice cake mimosas and Carob Affogato with sweet cream gelato

Yogurt Oatcakes with Cranberry-Blueberry Compote
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 ⅔ cups Bob's Red Mill organic ivory wheat flour
⅔ cup Bob's Red Mill organic old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 cup Tillamook farmstyle plain Greek yogurt
1 cup organic whole milk
4 Tbsp Tillamook sweet cream unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
additional butter for cooking

8 ounces fresh cranberries
8 ounces frozen blueberries, thawed
½ cup apple cider
¼ cup agave syrup
⅛ tsp nutmeg
⅔ cup Tillamook farmstyle vanilla Greek yogurt

Preparation:
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the plain Greek yogurt, milk, butter, and eggs. Whisk until just blended. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a thick batter forms.

Warm a large cast-iron pan over medium heat and melt butter to coat the pan. Spoon about ⅔ cup of batter onto the pan. Cook until small bubbles begin to form on the surface of the pancake. Flip and continue to cook until golden brown. Transfer to a platter and keep warm in the oven.

Bring the apple cider and agave syrup to a simmer in a medium pot. Add the cranberries and blueberries, stirring occasionally until the cranberries begin to pop. Simmer until the berries have softened. Remove from heat, stir in the nutmeg and let cool slightly. Blend if desired.

Serve oatcakes warm with a heaping spoon of vanilla Greek yogurt and cranberry-blueberry compote on top. Enjoy!