Fervent Foodie

Restaurant Review: Smalls Food & Spirits

January 15, 2012 2 Comments

This past week, I got the opportunity to check out Charlotte’s newest restaurant, Smalls Food & Spirits, at their pre-opening friends and family event. Smalls is situated on Elizabeth Avenue in a funky nook of the city just outside of uptown. The Elizabeth Avenue area has a ton of character and rich history, but has been underutilized in recent years.

Smalls, which offers chef-inspired food in an intimate loungey-chic environment, is a perfect fit for the avenue. From the outside, the restaurant is quite unassuming. We actually passed it twice before we noticed the red lettering on the front door. Once through the small entryway, the space opens up into an intimate dining and bar area that seats 80 people.

Restaurants

Smalls Food & Spirits – Charlotte, NC {restaurant review}

January 15, 2012 2 Comments

This past week, I got the opportunity to check out Charlotte’s newest restaurant, Smalls Food & Spirits, at their pre-opening friends and family event. Smalls is situated on Elizabeth Avenue in a funky nook of the city just outside of uptown. The Elizabeth Avenue area has a ton of character and rich history, but has been underutilized in recent years.

Smalls, which offers chef-inspired food in an intimate loungey-chic environment, is a perfect fit for the avenue. From the outside, the restaurant is quite unassuming. We actually passed it twice before we noticed the red lettering on the front door. Once through the small entryway, the space opens up into an intimate dining and bar area that seats 80 people.

Ramblings

Photography Light & DIY Diffuser on the Cheap

January 10, 2012 16 Comments

When I attended the Food Photography Overhaul last month, I learned good lighting is the KEY to good photos. Now, I consider myself a pretty darn good student. I listen carefully, I take notes diligently, and I try to implement my new knowledge as soon as nerdily possible. Yet as mentioned in my last post I experienced some extreme frustration while trying to photograph those delicious balsamic pork tenderloin medallions in low lighting. The need for light was obvious, but where the heck was it?! I tried switching locations. The stove top, the living room floor, the bathroom counter, the laundry room. Photo after horrible photo. It was absolutely infuriating!

A couple of days later (once I had a chance to cool down and drink some wine), the BF and I headed to Lowe’s to resolve this lighting issue once and for freaking all.

Here’s what we picked up:

My Favs, Ramblings

DIY Photography Light Diffuser on the Cheap

January 10, 2012 26 Comments

When I attended the Food Photography Overhaul last month, I learned good lighting is the KEY to good photos. I consider myself a pretty darn good student: I listen carefully, I take notes diligently, and I try to implement my new knowledge as soon as nerdily possible. Yet, as mentioned in my last post, I experienced some extreme frustration while trying to photograph those delicious balsamic pork tenderloin medallions in low lighting. The need for light was obvious, but where the heck was it?! I tried switching locations–the stove top, the living room floor, the bathroom counter, the laundry room–photo after horrible photo. It was absolutely infuriating!

A couple of days later (once I had a chance to mellow out over a nice cheap bottle of red wine), the BF and I headed to Lowe’s to resolve this lighting issue once and for freaking all.

Here’s what we picked up:

Recipes

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with a Shallot Balsamic Reduction

January 9, 2012 5 Comments

I learned two things while making this recipe.

#1 – Balsamic vinegar makes everything better.

#2 – It is incredibly difficult to photograph black foods in low lighting. *insert childish temper tantrum here*

Baby steps…. baby steps.

This sweet and savory supper was courtesy of a Cooking Light recipe I had filed away in my big black book. I went to the book in search of a new pork dish to make for dinner. Truth be told, I wasn’t super excited about making pork, but the thought of pork covered in a sweet thickened balsamic glaze changed those feelings pretty darn quick.