A Table in Toronto

A collection of vintage wares make their daily appearance in Jennifer's photos. Here, showing mise en place for rye brownies from the Violet Bakery cookbook.

In downtown Toronto, where an impressive skyline keeps watch over beautiful Lake Ontario and an eclectic assortment of restaurants, posh shops and ethnic markets jostle for prime retail space, an apron-clad cook stands by her stove, stirring risotto while listening to jazz. Nearby, cats Phineas and Zelda lounge on the couch with a lazy eye turned towards the smell of food drifting from the simmering pot. The counter is strewn with all the makings of an Italian meal while an assortment of vintage plates, from her mother's pewter to her grandmother's Royal Delft fill the cupboards.  This is the world of Jennifer Emilson - cook, baker and self-proclaimed cat servant.

Panna Cotta with Fresh Strawberries

Panna Cotta with Fresh Strawberries

Strawberry season is in full swing and roadside stands and farmers' markets are offering a bounty of this glorious fruit which heralds the onset of summer. With its vibrant color and sweet taste, is there any fruit more irresistible than a strawberry? If you are lucky enough to have them growing in your own garden, you know the joy of reaching down into the green foliage to find the ripest, reddest sun-kissed one and bringing it to your mouth for a juicy bite.

Curry-in-a-Hurry

A spice paste made of red onions, cumin, ginger, garlic, turmeric and chilis. 

One of my favorite things about Instagram is the beautiful friendships I have established with other cooks. This has resulted in recipes shared from various cultures and my dinner table is now the setting for dishes from all over the world.  It has taken me out of my comfort zone in cooking and introduced me to an exciting new world of spices and curries, the likes of which would have caused my mother to raise her eyebrows in surprise and skepticism.

A Heart of Courage

Linguine with mushrooms, olives and tomatoes.

Nestled in the picturesque region of the Puget Sound, Carol Hart spends her days in the wildly beautiful Pacific Northwest "taking pictures, digging in the dirt, and making an occasional mess in the kitchen." While she has carried an interest in food preparation since the age of 10 and has become quite an accomplished cook, she only recently took up photography again, a hobby she dabbled with in college. Now, she spends most days with a camera around her neck and her 3-legged cat, Peg, in tow as she explores her love of food preparation and photography. Her website is filled with helpful video tutorials on photography, lighting, food styling and cooking and she is a frequent contributor on other blogs. One peek at her site reveals this woman clearly knows what she's doing and it's no surprise she was featured recently in an interview on The Photo Argus. 

Baking the Blues Away

Irish Soda Bread

No one warned me about postparty depression, but it's real, y'all. After months of living, breathing, planning and organizing for the wedding of my daughter, suddenly, in one glorious day it was over. The feeling didn't really sink in until yesterday. I had enough wedding euphoria to carry me through Sunday and Monday; however, by the time Tuesday rolled around, I was feeling a tad blue.  Instead of moping around the house for another day, I decided to busy myself with some baking, since there's nothing quite like getting one's hands in a little flour to brighten the mood.