Colder weather means crisp nights and the cheery glow of the woodstove. But if you stay at the Nook in the Fall or Winter seasons, it’s not just for decor…it’s for comfort and heating water. That coil of metal (right) is actually the damper or flue handle, and it’s located on the left side of the stovepipe. When you load …
Wish for Fall
client Wish Magazine art director Sandy Kim food editor Andrea Stewart prop stylist Laura Branson food stylist Ruth Gangbar go online to view back issues; Wish is sadly no longer in print (but I love this shot).
Taste! a celebration of regional cuisine
This weekend is Taste! weekend in Picton, the hub of Prince Edward County….No museum fundraisers or demos for me this time. But oh the joy of just attending as a spectator! and a chance to see the launch of the Fall/Winter issue of the County Grapevine Magazine. The Spring/Summer issue’s launch cover (below) was shot by Derek Cooper, with props by …
squash
Brian Sano and I shot this some time ago, in celebration of the incredible squashes of the season…all grown in Prince Edward County by Sandy and Ed Taylor at their 100% chemical free Honey Wagon Farms. In addition to being beautiful to look at, we ate them all for lunch (roasted till soft with olive oil & fresh thyme, and finished …
rub-a-dub-dub
When I first went to look at the place I now call “the Nook” in July ’94, even the real estate agent had to ask a neighbour how to find this “Fisherman’s Delight”. A steep road led down through overgrown brush to a busted-up cabin with ants and mould, an old rusted car engine that had charged a battery for …
oodles of poodles
I get sentimental about dogs, and it makes me happy that I can share the Nook, my little rental cabin , with other humans. But it’s especially great to imagine other dogs on holiday where Cleo had loved so much to be. A private beach for swimming, so many sticks, flies to bite at…good times! But that every summer, her …
tomato!
Juicy, subtle, and oh so delicate….this years tomato crop was hit by a cold, wet start to the season, and now a heartbreaking tomato blight that threatens it all (like those hungry tomato bugs aren’t bad enough…) But Vicki’s Veggies “Annual Tomato Hurrah” held on Sept. 5 & 6 was a glowing testimony to healthy community AND to tomatoes. It’s not …
mcewan
Mark McEwan’s new food store has alot to boast about, including in-store signage that reveals its floor plan…but also what happens when a creative team gets cooking long before the store gets built. Over a year ago, Art Director Beverly Oosterdag brought Perennial Design’s branding and retail vision to photographer Rob Fiocca’s studio. There, amazing props, shooting surfaces and backgrounds were …
lunch in the garden
I recently hosted a photo shoot at my home in Milford for Honey Pie Hives and Herbals, to be used in their upcoming website re-design. Photographer Derek Cooper came out from Kingston for the day…thanks for the great job Derek, and to Laura Branson for all the props! Here’s a quick pic on Derek’s camera phone of the lunch we shared …
corn starts now
Pretty soon the farm stalls in Ontario will be overflowing with my favourite thing to bathe in butter…fresh picked corn. So when I saw a friend toting a basket of some local pickings, I HAD to immediately know where she got it from! Everdean Farms (613-476-5511) is on the way from Picton to Bloomfield and just past Hagermans Farm stall …
Gardening in the Round
Easy enough to get tractor tires around here; now to assemble the “experimental plots” and fill them with soil and start planting(….O.K , so I’m a little behind again this year). Such a wonderful treat to have had you visiting here on your holidays Gregor, and a big THANKS for all the help and materials! So my “Garden Rounds” are …
Eat your Weeds
Spring’s first wild greens can be an unexpectedly delicious tonic, but don’t wait long for a feed of Stinging Nettles; pick carefully into a colander, rinse under lots of cold running water, and drop into a hot pan sizzling with butter while still wet …but don’t touch! Wear rubber or leather gloves while you’re picking, as nasty stings from fine …