While home for a visit last weekend, my daughter observed the mess on our dining room table and expressed the opinion that perhaps I may have developed a bit of a hoarding problem. “Don’t you think you’ve acumulated enough food photography props mom?” she asked.
Clearly she doesn’t understand. Those are all spring/summer props. Now I need to start acquiring appropriate fall/winter props. While some parents turn their kid’s vacated bedrooms into gift wrapping quarters or perhaps an extra closet to store off season clothing, it is entirely possible that her bedroom may be converted into my props closet, if I continue collecting at my current rate.
Of course it doesn’t help when my sister sends me these charming bowls. They were intended as nut bowls, but they are just perfect as mise en place bowls for a photo shoot! I let out a squealed with joy when I opened my gift. I have an extreme fondness for bowls! The colour combination of these little vessels is just gorgeous. 
She found them in Toronto at The Cookery Store. I have since discovered you can also get them online at Fishs Eddy.
I had a glut of winter squash after a recent photo shoot, and I needed to use them up before they went bad. My go-to ingredient for roasting vegetables is smoked paprika. It just makes everything taste better. The inspiration for this roasted squash hails from Melissa Clark’s book, Cook This Now. She mixed smoked paprika with olive oil and honey and smeared it all over squash before roasting. I swapped out the honey for some maple syrup, because that’s just the way we Canadians roll!
Melissa suggests finishing the roasted squash with a sprinkling of homemade sage salt. So simple to make; just bake some fresh sage leaves for about 10 minutes, until crispy. Then crumble them between your fingers with some coarse sea salt. Earthy, and slightly bitter, sage makes a perfect partener for sweet squash. A final sprinkling of toasted pumpkin seeds adds a welcome crunch.
Click here to print recipe for Roasted Squash with Maple Syrup, Smoked Paprika and Sage Salt.
squeee!
Exactly!
Nice — love the colours! Now I can finally see a purpose for the flavoured salts given out as favours to guests at a young couple’s wedding recently! Did you make the “smoked” paprika — or buy it as such?
Thanks Vivian. Yes, the amount of flavoured salts that ends up in my cupboard from gifts is mind boggling! The sage salt is really great on chicken and turkey, as a rub before cooking and on scrambled eggs too! The smoked paprika is from the supermarket. It is found in the spice aisle. Trader Joes makes a great one.
Someday you and I should have an exhibit of food photography and food paintings. My recent was guacamole (see michellemarcotte.com). If you are ever going to have a garage sale of props lets your loyal followers know because I want to be there!
Now I’m craving guacamole Michelle! That painting is so lovely. We need to start a food prop exchange with likeminded bloggers!
I read a blog post somewhere about a group that does a monthly prop exchange, but who wants to part with their props?!
Beautiful photos. I think you’ve convince me to try squash. (especially since you love bowls so much – I though I was the only one.) – Deborah @lightchasersca
Thanks Deborah! Very high praise coming from you. Just checked out your blog and your photos are gorgeous. You have a great eye. I really loved the post about your mom. Always nice to meet a fellow bowl freak. My love of bowls is almost as intense as my love for shoes!
smoked paprika and maple syrup sound great!
This year for Thanksgiving I made a squash dish (http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-quinoa-stuffed-acorn-squash-rings/) for my veggie/gluten free daughter that doubled as a side dish for the carnivores. If you haven’t seen it, I think you will be intrigued. Though I know you aren’t a fan of quinoa, everyone here loved it. I added paprika, like you suggest here, to the maple syrup and butter glaze on the squash. Basically, its this roasted squash stuffed. 🙂