storm, Muskoka style

Adventure is to be expected when food photography goes on location. But add a massive Muskoka snowstorm, hydro blackouts, a large and expensive prop chandelier, very steep, slippery hiking with tons of gear….and you’ve got an episode. Day 1’s lack of running water or hydro for the electric stove was made all the worse for… Continue reading storm, Muskoka style

terrine, crostini, port jelly

More samples of images we captured for his premier cookbook project,  Mark Mcewan’s Great Food at Home…. I still haven’t seen my copy yet, but the buzz is intriguing. Launch party this weekend…. photography James Tse food styling Ruth Gangbar prop styling Laura Branson Hmmm, if the launch wasn’t happening this weekend, it might have been  Taste  a… Continue reading terrine, crostini, port jelly

McEwan burger bites

The images below are two options of the well-truffled and famed Bymark Burger ( recipe here). I got to take a bite out of said burger (yes, twas bitten ) while onset with one of my all-time favourite teams of photographer James Tse , Laura Branson prop stylist, and Executive Chef Drew Ellerby (of ONE and Fabbricca) while we… Continue reading McEwan burger bites

fruit puppets

When people think of getting into food styling as a career, would they think of this day’s task as culinary art, or as puppetry?  These (and more) fruits and their foliages are being set up as components to be digitally placed into layouts for fruit juice packages. Photographer Jim Norton does an excellent job of… Continue reading fruit puppets

Garden Party

Something’s new at Chatelaine. Thanks for having my food styling as a part of the latest, fabulous issue with a fresh new look!  This Raspberry Cream Tart is from the “Evening Garden Party” feature story in the June issue. Erika Oliviera was Consulting Art Director, Claire Tansey Food Editor, James Tse photographed the food, Michael… Continue reading Garden Party

grilling revisited

I recently worked with photographer Edward Pond , revisiting a favourite topic of “what to grill”… for the upcoming Summer issue of Cottage Life Magazine. A succulent feast (that much I’ll say), written again by the award- winning team of David Zimmer and Jane Rodmell, winners of the Gold award in the” How-To” category at… Continue reading grilling revisited

summerside up

Photography projects I’m working on these days are gradually inching towards there: Summer. It’s a perk; a literal “icebreaker” for January here in T.O (and my heartfelt preference to Xmas cookie baking and turkey recipes we’re put to task to shoot during the actual Summer). Although firmly wedged months away from grilling without parkas, we… Continue reading summerside up

translating flavour

Remarkable things can happen when the creative synergies are in the right balance, and allowed to play. You’ll hear more of the cookbook project I just was food stylist for later……but for now I am still musing about the level of professionalism Chef M.M and Chef D.E brought “to the table”. There was also the… Continue reading translating flavour

a slice of morning

A few stolen moments here at my desk before heading out for some quality leaf-raking, and to set aside mulch for the riot of weeds that will inevitably return many months from now…”Organic gardening is about growing soil”. My Tractor Tire Experimental Garden was a success; jars of  luminous purple pole bean seeds set aside,… Continue reading a slice of morning

speaking of cheese…

Upcoming in November, Slow Food Prince Edward County hosts “Fabulous Fromage” at Harvest Restaurant. A fundraiser not to be missed, with esteemed speakers, irresistable auction items, and another spectacular meal prepared by Chef Michael Potters and Sous Chef Scott Royce. At last year’s event, I donated “A Day with a Professional Food Stylist ” (which… Continue reading speaking of cheese…

I heart potato

These billboards and magazine ads are part of a campaign designed by Capital C , shot by photography duo Gibson and Smith, and with food styled by me, Ruth Gangbar. For making this image, I used the actual “Buttery Taste Becel” to mould dozens of  heart shaped pats by using a piping bag to form the… Continue reading I heart potato