Favorite Things: Mini Woks, Cast Iron Cookware, Fine Cooking, Crackle Medium, & Food Photography Workshop

Often, I have an accumulation of things I come across that’s just plain share-worthy. I’ll be featuring “Favorite Things” when my list totals at least three or more new favorites finds. These things may or may not be food/culinary related, could be a new movie, event, Website or blog, product, trend or something about edible gardens…anything ! The first list of favorites include:

• Individual Sized Wok Dishes, Stoneware by Le Crueset
• Cast Iron Cookware
• Fine Cooking Magazine
• Crackle Medium
• MDR Photography Classes – Studio Lighting

Individual Sized Wok Dishes, Stoneware by Le Crueset

These individual sized wok dishes by Le Crueset came in a myriad of colors. By the time I found them, some of the colors were impossible to get or discontinued. An attractive serve piece for individual portions of noodles, Asian cuisine or crisp greens.

These stoneware wok dishes have an enameled surface that’s scratch resistant, easy to clean, and won’t absorb or transfer food odors or flavors. They measures 8″ in diameter, hold 27 ounces, and are oven, freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe. These pretty gems are becoming harder to find. As of this writing, you may still be able to find an offering at Bed Bath & Beyond.

Cast Iron Cookware

Many of my favorite pans and pieces of professional cookware I bought years ago are long overdue for retirement. A relatively inexpensive investment in what is sure to last you beyond your years are cast iron cookware.

I’ve only just started adding some of these versatile (but heavy) skillets and pans to my cookware collection. Love that I can go from stove top to oven. With a little bit of loving care in seasoning your cast iron, it is the type of kitchenware you can pass down for generations.

Recent posts utilizing cast iron:

• Apple Tarte Tatin
• Cheesy Skillet Cornbread

I have a recipe I’ve been testing using one of my cast iron skillets…hopefully will be posting that one this week sometime!

Check sizes and pricing between Amazon.com and Walmart.

Fine Cooking Magazine

I have a new favorite domestic (meaning from the U.S.) cooking magazine. Besides my MS Everyday Food, Fine Cooking Magazine and some of their “Best Of” recipe collections are just simply some of the better food and recipe publications out there.

The publication contains great head notes and inspiring images with each recipe, seasonal ingredients feature, informative articles like “The Science Of/Food Science”, a Test Drive section on products and appliances, …you have to take a look at an issue to see for yourself what sets it apart.  It’s like receiving a quality bi-monthly cookbook through the mail!

See that top magazine for One-Pot Meals in the image above? It’s a fantastic collection of recipes that came out late last year/early this year with gorgeous supporting images. I’ve already made several dishes from that issue and looking forward to sharing about some of them soon.    Also, there’s a newer “Best Of” collection entitled “Cook Fresh” released for this year’s Spring and Summer months.

Crackle Medium

Do you have an obsession for food and or lifestyle photography props?

Eat your heart out and click on over to Crackle Medium.   Crackle Medium specializes in food and lifestyle photography props. Gorgeous embellishments for your photography projects including: Cutlery, Utensils, Fabrics, Bottles/jars, Glassware, Crockery, Boards and backgrounds.

Dario Milano of Food Pixels recently launched this gorgeous online prop house. {Sigh} I do wish it was closer in proximity to me and that it was something I could order online to possibly add many of it’s beautiful pieces for my own collection! If you’re a food photographer and prop-obsessed, you are sure to love this collection.

• Dario’s Blog: Food Pixels
• Crackle Medium

MDR Photography Classes – Studio Lighting
Although I already use some strobe lighting for food photography, I’ve been on the lookout for photography workshops that focus on professional studio lighting for food.   This type of class is harder to come by because many workshops are geared around shooting food in natural light.

Click over to my photography site, DigitalPhotology, for a quick read about the Studio Lighting workshop I recently attended at MDR Photography.

• MDR Photography Classes – Website
• MDR Photography Classes on Facebook