If I haven’t updated my blog quite as often as I should have lately , it’s probably because I’ve been having too much fun with another blog. It’s true. I’ve  been seeing another blog and it’s been really sweet. Sweet with frosting, sweet with cake, sweet with all kinds of things I’d never tried before. Anyone who knows me well, knows that the real reason I love to shoot weddings is because the cake is always really great (and often more than one flavor!), so it should be no surprise that I have been spending recent months waiting by my phone like Pavlov’s dog for the call from Jenny at Vintage Sugarcube. After that first call, and subsequent eating-of-what-I-shot for Jenny, I was hooked.

Jenny launched the Vintage Sugarcube food blog to showcase her unique talent of deconstructing desserts, but it’s never been about just the dessert itself. Sometimes I think the desserts are just an excuse for Jenny to get into trouble…or ‘Shenanigan’s’ as she calls it. Jenny has more than ideas about desserts, she has a vision.  I don’t think any other food blog exists where the scene is so well set; where they dish up a story with every plate. I’m going to share some of my favorite examples here for you in this post and  you’ll see exactly what I mean. Jenny remains largely a Sugar Mistress of few words, chosing to adhere to the KISS principal in writing and in dessert preparation when possible. She has a knack for leaving you wanting more…

As of this writing, the current post features a cherry cheescake with pistachio in the crust, along with Cherry herself. I’ve always wondered how close to a landing aircraft  I have to be for the jet turbulence to blow over my light stands. Now I know. It was super loud, but mostly, it was a lot of fun.

Speaking of large metal objects…I recently learned a couple of things. One is that Airstream trailers come from Ohio, and the other is that ‘Buckeye’s are a chocolatey / peanut-buttery dessert that I can eat about four and half of at a single sitting.

Sometimes Jenny has company, as she did for her special dessert with nuts, a.k.a. Menage a’ Trois Bars.

Even when Jenny isn’t in front of the lens, it doesn’t mean she’s not in the picture. This cake tasted amazing, especially for having an identity crisis.

Sometimes I get to travel to exotic locales to practice my trade….

The ‘Dirty  Delicious‘ cupcakes, compliments of the Queen.

Or even the gym, for a Spinach + Orange bread. Really, you should try it!

It was worth sneaking these into the libray to eat them. Ice cream sandwiches made with Cornflakes and Bourbon.

In case you’d like to sail away with a Cantaloupe Martini.

One of my favorites, and my first time photographing a dessert for Vintage Sugarcube, the Petit Four. I never knew what ‘Drexting’ was until this!

Of course, a picture is only worth so much. You owe it to yourself to go over the Vintage Sugarcube and get the whole story, and even some recipes. There’s bound to be at least one dessert that will spin your beanie, and then you could even leave a comment on the blog!

As a kid, I  knew how lucky I was to enjoy home cooked lasagna and spaghetti when we used to visit my dear grandmother Mary DeFalco.  I used to look forward to holidays when I knew Grandma had bolognese sauce on the stove, usually starting at least one or two days in advance.  I really miss my Grandmother and her cooking, but ever since I moved to the El Cortez last year, whenever I crave amazing Italian cuisine, all I have to do now is walk downstairs to the Sole Luna Cafe’. Sole Luna has become like an extension of my home, with the amazing food and all the regular patrons from the neighborhood I’ve come to know, so I was thrilled when they asked me to photograph some of their fare for an upcoming web site update.

I’ll share a few examples here, of some of my favorite dishes that I enjoy  probably way more often that I should…but I can’t help it! In case you’re not familiar with the location, it’s an easy one to find. Just look for the building on Ash St. that’s been an iconic symbol on the San Diego skyline since 1927.

I’ll start with one of the all time favorites: Lasagna Bolognese! It’s one of their staples and popular reason for return visits!

Sometimes when I’m in the mood for vegetarian, which is often, I love their Veggie Lasanga too. One of my other favorites is the Ravioli Genovesi. It’s a four cheese ravioli, but with an amazingly rich basil pesto sauce that is out of this world.

Maybe it’s because Alessandro and Gigio brought a lot of their recipes with them from Italy, but even something as simple as penne pasta with a bolognese sauce is uniquely Sole Luna.

The Mare Salad has a combination of smoked salmon, shrimp, hearts of palm, cucumber and a lemon olive oil dressing. Yum!

Another ‘comfort food’ for me, the Ravioli Boscaioli – mushroom ravioli with their signature creamy bolognese and mushroom sauce.

Let’s not forget desserts! ( and an espresso martini!) I have a daily coffee habit thanks to living above Sole Luna Cafe…their espresso grind is authentically Italian and makes me feel like I’m back in Europe everytime I have a cappucino.