July July! Went by in the blink of an eye. I suppose I should already be accustomed to the speedy moving busy months of summer, but I still can’t seem to grasp it.

For my birthday, Shawn decided that instead of going out to a nice dinner or going away somewhere, he would give me the gift of food photography. Food is one of my favorite subjects. I’ve had a passion for it long before weddings came along. Years ago, we started a food blog because, quite frankly, I was already taking photos of food while I was cooking so I figured, why not blog about it. Another reason I began food blogging was because of my food photographer + stylist crush on Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille. I instanly fell in love with her blog and photos, and she inspired me to cook and try new things, along with helping me eat gluten free. Her images were eye candy, which made me long for farm trips to Basque country and to capture fresh, bright and simple ingredients paired with adorable bowls and spoons.

So, after all these years, I finally got to meet her, and spend the day watching her work, while we foraged in a small town out of the city. My dear friend Christina joined me, which took no convincing at all. We had an expert forager show us around a state park, digging up golden chanterelles to picking fresh sorrel. My brain was overflowing with a new respect and a new perspective on foraging. Karen of Sunday Suppers prepared us a delicious picnic afterward, where we photographed all of our zesty findings and even some of Aran’s famous cookies. With handfuls of mulberries and a belly full of chorizo frittata, I was elated to have had the opportunity to spend an entire day with lovely ladies who love food as much as I do. We took the train back into the city and shared a cab with Aran to the West Village to end our savory day at the heavenly Buvette, a french inspired gastroteque. With small french plates that included an octopus salad and a bold glass of Bordeaux, I can honestly say it was one of my favorite days to date.

Cheers.