Guest Post : The Food and Photography of Chef Simon Sperling

I have to admit now that it was a wonderful blessing the day that I saw this on my dash “aperture24 started following you”, this was back in July of last year. All I saw was an icon of a man with a camera that covered his face. And so I visited his blog and immediately I was inspired! I saw proper photographs of plated dishes (fantastic food photography), street, landscape and travel photography… really a cornucopia of awesome visual images all neatly cataloged in one blog.

Then I started to investigate who is the photographer behind all that tasteful food shots (although I already have an inkling that it must be someone very well connected with the food biz).

I stumbled upon this link on his blog About Me and my guess was right on the money!

The man behind the blog aperture24 is Simon Sperling a “well-seasoned” Chef with a very impressive resume, holding the Executive Chef position throughout his culinary career in the kitchens of luxury cruise ships and top hotels all over the world.

Elements Magazine: Exclusive Interview with Simon Sperling

Simon Sperling is a chef cum photographer who loves traveling and has a brilliant portfolio of food photography! He has very kindly agreed to an interview with us and believe it when we say that he is talented! Not only that, he has travelled the globe and he was also based in Malaysia for a couple of years and has showcased wonderful food.

- I was born and grew up in the south of Germany . I didn’t really enjoy school, but life sort of started during my chef’s apprenticeship. Food, people, creativity, ideas and lot’s of activities, I loved it.

After apprenticeship I went to work for a year in Geneva , a city I love and remember until today. A few years on, back in Germany , I finalized my master chef title and was looking for new experiences.

I ended up working on a cruise ship for Celebrity Cruise Lines, based in Miami , as Executive Chef. Here I met my love, we stopped cruising and got married in Las Vegas!

We went to Asia and I worked in the Philippines , China and Malaysia for a few years. Best time of my life, also as my son was born in the Philippines . Next stop was the Mediterranean, Africa and the Middle East region, where I am until today. I had the pleasure to work at the fabulous Anassa resort in Cyprus , followed by a classic, the Oberoi’s Mena House near the pyramids. Just imagine looking out of the window and seeing the pyramids everyday.

Then we experienced a completely different environment on the beautiful island of Mauritius . Didn’t stay long though and moved on to Saudi Arabia, where I worked a few years in Jeddah, where I was opening chef for the Waldorf Astoria Collection hotel, the Qasr Al Sharq, or Palace of the Orient.

Recently I worked again in Egypt and am now in Kuwait . Let’s see for how long…I want to see more of the world and take photos of it.

I try to keep my life simple, live healthy, love my family and help others where I can.

Read more of this interview here

(Source: www.elements-magazine.com - May 19, 2011)

I said that it was a wonderful blessing to have met Chef Simon here because since following each other he has been sort of a Chef mentor to me. And almost everyday, I get my dose of original food photographs to promote and share on #food.

He was the one who also made me discovered (without him being aware) the wonderful and most supportive community of photographers here who in return discovered me and my blog and all made an exception to follow a food blog girl… most photographers are now my friends here.

To visit and browse through Chef’s Archives or click his Tags tab, one can instantly travel to all the places he has ever been… a good way to exercise after seeing all those pictures of fine food he constantly stock his blog.

Chef is also a constant Top Contributor on #Landscape page because of his stunning photography of Kuwait and other Middle Eastern cities landscapes.

And finally, I couldn’t let this awesome opportunity end without including this wonderful recipe so graciously shared by Chef Sperling himself. 

Moroccan Lamb Loin Tagine (recipe here)

The Food and Photography of Chef Simon Sperling… Brilliant and filling to our sense of sight.

-jeannie :)

All Photographs are owned and copyrighted by Simon Sperling (aperture24 + Follow)

Source: goddessofscrumptiousness

GUEST POST RECIPE: Moroccan Lamb Loin Tagine by Chef Simon Sperling (aperture24 +FOLLOW) I have visited Morocco only once, a long time ago, for a short vacation on the beach in Agadir. I don’t really remember too much of it honestly, except that the weather was mostly bad. In more recent years though I have worked with many Moroccan chefs here in the Middle East and through them I have learned to appreciate the flavours of the Moroccan cuisine. This vegetable tagine here oozes with the flavours of lemon, coriander, cumin and saffron and is served with a modern twist, along a pan seared lamb loin. Ingredients: For the Lamb Loin 0.800 kilograms (1.76 lb) lamb loin, cleaned of all fat and skin 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander For the Tagine 1 small onion, finely diced 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 cm ginger, finely chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon green chili, finely diced 1 large carrot, diced 1 cup chick peas, cooked 1 large zucchini, diced 1 small red bell pepper, diced 1 small green bell pepper, diced 6 pieces dates, pitted and coarsely diced 3 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon brown sugar salt to taste few threads of saffron 2 cups peeled tomatoes, chopped 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 10 pieces lemon slices, grilled fresh coriander sprigs (to garnish) Preparation: Lamb Loin:  Season and marinate the lamb loin for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 2 hours. Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil and sear the lamb for 2 minutes for each side. Transfer to an oven at 140 C and roast the loin for another 5 minutes. Timing really depends on your oven. Remove from the oven, cover it and let it rest for a few minutes before carving. Tagine: Heat the olive oil in a shallow pot and sauté onion, garlic until a soft, but not brown. Add ginger, chilli and other ingredients and simmer all until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has slightly thickened. Check seasoning. Arrange the lamb slices on top of the vegetable tagine and garnish with some toasted sesame seeds, fresh coriander and the lemon slices. Serves 4 All contents (photograph and recipe) of this post are courtesy of Chef Simon Sperling
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GUEST POST RECIPE:

Moroccan Lamb Loin Tagine

by Chef Simon Sperling (aperture24 +FOLLOW)

I have visited Morocco only once, a long time ago, for a short vacation on the beach in Agadir. I don’t really remember too much of it honestly, except that the weather was mostly bad.

In more recent years though I have worked with many Moroccan chefs here in the Middle East and through them I have learned to appreciate the flavours of the Moroccan cuisine.

This vegetable tagine here oozes with the flavours of lemon, coriander, cumin and saffron and is served with a modern twist, along a pan seared lamb loin.

Ingredients:

For the Lamb Loin

0.800 kilograms (1.76 lb) lamb loin, cleaned of all fat and skin

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

For the Tagine

1 small onion, finely diced

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cm ginger, finely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon green chili, finely diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 cup chick peas, cooked

1 large zucchini, diced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 small green bell pepper, diced

6 pieces dates, pitted and coarsely diced

3 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon brown sugar

salt to taste

few threads of saffron

2 cups peeled tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

10 pieces lemon slices, grilled

fresh coriander sprigs (to garnish)

Preparation:

Lamb Loin: 

Season and marinate the lamb loin for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.

Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil and sear the lamb for 2 minutes for each side.

Transfer to an oven at 140 C and roast the loin for another 5 minutes. Timing really depends on your oven. Remove from the oven, cover it and let it rest for a few minutes before carving.

Tagine:

Heat the olive oil in a shallow pot and sauté onion, garlic until a soft, but not brown.

Add ginger, chilli and other ingredients and simmer all until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has slightly thickened. Check seasoning.

Arrange the lamb slices on top of the vegetable tagine and garnish with some toasted sesame seeds, fresh coriander and the lemon slices.

Serves 4

All contents (photograph and recipe) of this post are courtesy of Chef Simon Sperling

Source: aperture24

GUEST POST FRIDAY: LET US ALL TAKE A TOUR OF SPAIN

For my second GUEST POST FRIDAY, I invited Laura B. Fernández (lalitab- tumblr blog) to take us around Spain and share some of her photos of Spanish food (chorizos, cheeses, empanadas and pastries) she snaps at artisan markets in Madrid and Palencia, and pictures of the places she walks and visits as a traveling Senora.

I discovered her blog, two months ago, I believe. I was instantly hypnotized by her photos of huge bundles and wheels of cheeses (I am a cheese fiend!) and from then on, her blog became one of my favorite blogs that combines both travel and food.

Farmhouse cheeses from the artisan market in Palencia.

From an artisan market in Palencia, Spain

Servilleta cheese, a fresh goat’s cheese made in South Valencia, Spain

Sweet and spicy chorizos, Artisan Market in Guardo, Spain

Tuna, cheese and chorizo pasties at the artisan market in Guardo, Palencia (Spain)

Paella

Aperitivo. Madrid (Spain)

Tapas in Cuenca, Spain

Made in Spain mother of three.
I´m not a musician,but I play cello.
I´m not a photographer,but I love taking photos.
I´m not a chef,but I cook and will share pics and recipes.
Love reading,and the smell of books.
I´m an eager soul.

I didn´t know how to cook until I met my future husband ten years ago. I fell in love with him and wanted to be better in what sums up to be lil´ol me. So I got my driving license at the age of 25, started playing my cello again, began cooking, and I´m planning on going to college next year if all goes well. So, basically I´m taking my second chances and not letting them go. I´m a good example of “you are never too old to keep learning”.

Photography is my hobby, cuz I´m self taught, I´m no photographer, I wish I was! It started because I love my country, and my city, and it has so much potential- so many beautiful places, people and gastronomy that you only have to push the button and you´ll have a wonderful picture.

And there´s the food. I´ve met a bunch of wonderful men and woman from East to West in Spain, people from different provinces, of whom I borrowed recipes and cooking knowledge, thanks to the great trips we (my three sisters and my parents) used to make through Spain when I was younger, and now when hubs takes us to explore the Spanish map whenever we can. - Laura

Laura graciously shared her recipe for authentic Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Omelette)

TORTILLA DE PATATAS

Click for the recipe

If you want to travel Spain and explore its rich gastronomy you can follow Laura

@ lalitab

All photographs are owned by Laura B. Fernandez.

Source: goddessofscrumptiousness

IT’S MY VERY FIRST GUEST POST FRIDAY

I decided to do a GUEST POST FRIDAY to share with you all some of the works of people I know personally or I have discovered and met here in blogosphere who are all brilliantly creative and talented.

As some of you might now noticed, I am a huge fan of great photographers. And aside for food and cooking, photography is my third passion in life. When I visit some of my friends (professional and hobby photographers) albums, I always, always go “geek ballistic” on raving about their brilliant works. Knowing myself and my limited space for self-containment of my geeky enthusiasm to let the rest of the world know the awesome things I see and discover, I decided that it is about the right time for me to do guest posts to share and showcase the beautiful things I see, delicious recipes and smart sentiments from people I find truly with a gift of awesome creativity and mind.

For my very first Guest Post Friday, I asked my dearest friend Roxane to share some of her beautiful photographs from her travels to the most remote places (obscure yet dramatically, even poetically stunning) here in the Philippines.

(In this photo: Roxane Almario)

Roxane and I met when we were in college. We were roommates for 3 years. I was a Conservatory of Music student (Yes, I was a singer in my former life… bet you didn’t see that coming! lol), while she was a Bachelor of Arts student, who then after finishing the course, pursued a Master’s Degree in Sociology… she is the epitome of gorgeousness and smartness in my book! We’ve been friends for years now. I love her to death! :)

She travels around the country doing researches on indigenous groups/tribes. She is a brilliant photographer who always tell a story through her travel photography.

I always tell her, “Please take me along with you to those obscure places you go to?!” But sadly, we haven’t seen each other for almost 5 or 6 years now. And we always say we miss each other a lot. She is always there for me, supports me, even regardless of distance. I on the other hand will always be proud of her and her sublime qualities as a person. :)

All photographs are owned and copyrighted by Roxane Almario.

You can follow her Tumblr blogs:

http://acloudslicedthemooninhalf.tumblr.com/

http://affectation.tumblr.com/

And visit her Flickr Account

Source: goddessofscrumptiousness