A Day of Ugly Eats
Presentation counts. A glistening puddle of sauce, a drizzle, a flourish, a sprig of rosemary precisely arranged on a plate — these are the things that make our food look appetizing. Chefs turned artist take food presentation to the next level and photogs employ tricks of the trade to create that “perfect” shot.
At FBE we like to keep it real. I dutifully try to get the best light or the right angle when I snap a photo and sometimes I get lucky with a pretty good shot, but on a day-to-day basis, my eats probably look much like yours.
No time for fancy, straight from the container or standing over the kitchen sink — guilty as charged.
Here is a typical day of eats, down and dirty. What you see is what you get.
Breakfast
Queen of the leftovers, I save tiny bits of foods. Today’s breakfast selection is a scant quarter cup of chocolate granola mixed with leftover Irish oats. It’s a hodgepodge for sure and looks none to appetizing, but it tastes really, really good. A little crunchy, a little creamy — I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Mid-Morning Snack
Protein on the fly: cottage cheese leavings in all their milky glory — didn’t even bother with a bowl.
Lunch
My attempt at recreating Chef Marco Canora’s Shaved Asparagus, Avocado, and Quinoa Salad may have looked like a disaster, but it was downright delicious. The fat from the avocado and the protein from the quinoa made for a satisfying vegetarian entrée.
Trust me; the chefs looked much better.
Late Afternoon Snack
Another protein shake. No pic. Why bother? Been there done that.
Dinner
Definitely not an award-winning photo, grainy with bad light; not that it matters; my crab cakes made for a mighty fine meal with a salad of mixed greens, feta and balsamic vinaigrette.
When time allows, I definitely do it up right, but for the most part, my meals need to satisfy the hunger. If they look like they should be hanging in the Louvre, that’s all the better.
How often do you go the extra mile? My meals may not always look the best, but we always set the table with placemats and use cloth napkins at dinner. —Karen