I had a surreal experience the other day. My husband called from Wal-Mart saying he’d found my photograph on the cover of a magazine. He bought a few and brought them home to share with family and friends. Was he talking about my work? No, it couldn’t be.
It seems like my photographs have always done two things. Local work I’d see all the time but didn't leave, or sent far away never to be seen again. This was different. My work went far away and came back to my little Idaho town.
Although a new experience for me, I have to look at it and wince a little bit. The shot that almost didn’t happen. I think of pain and nausea too. Not something I’d like to relate to a beautiful summer picnic!
There were only a couple days to throw together a menu, test and shoot. Beckett Media had an emergency deadline that makes other deadlines look like a stroll in the park. I was lucky to be one of the photographers they reached out to for help.
With some help of my own from well, everyone, I was able to pull it off until I got to the end of my grilling shots. I stepped back a bit too far and fell off my deck. Hard.
Protecting my camera and in searing horrible pain I still had to shoot the cover picnic shot. I’d badly torn a thigh muscle and beat the heck out of my knees. I all but had to be carried, vomiting, to the next site for the shot. I couldn’t set anything up, but had to rely on friends and family to set up my next shot. All of them male! How many men do you see decorating tables? It wasn’t as perfect as I wanted but there was nothing I could do but shoot. I couldn’t even see clearly at this point anyway and relied on instinct and habit.
I did my best under the circumstances thanks to everyone who held me together, but nowhere near what I could have done. Still, editor Hillary Black made my work beautiful. She’s a genius.
The magazine’s been out for a while now so I feel like I can share with you these recipes without causing a problem. If you want a copy of your own it’s “The Summer Grilling Guide” from Beckett Entertainment Plus. It should be out until the end of summer.
Garlicky Bacon Pizza with Summer Vegetables
Printer Version
1 (12 to 14 inch) pizza dough, stretched onto a pan
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Alfredo sauce (from the refrigerated section of your store)
3/4 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup Fontina, shredded
1 medium zucchini, sliced into rounds
5 slices thick sliced bacon, cooked and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups mini heirloom or other small tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons dried Parmesan
Salt & pepper to taste
Cornmeal
1. Preheat the grill on high to 500 degrees, with the lid closed. Brush a good quality pizza pan lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with cornmeal. Set aside.
2. Stretch and roll out the pizza dough until thin, and place on the pan. Brush the top with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and then spoon on as much Alfredo sauce as desired.
3. Top pizza with the mozzarella, zucchini, Fontina, bacon, tomatoes, scallions, minced garlic and dried Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Set pizza on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until cooked through.
Pizza dough
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey or sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
Place water, yeast, and honey or sugar into a stand mixer bowl. Stir to combine and set aside for 10 minutes.
Place the rest of the ingredients in the bowl and knead with a dough hook on low speed for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead by hand on a clean surface for another minute. Pat into a circle.
Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, flipping once to coat with oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Makes two large pizzas.
From "Summer Grilling Guide" from Beckett Entertainment Plus 2010. Recipes & photographs by Laura Flowers.
20 comments:
What a surreal experience! You are such a talented photographer that I'm sure your photographs will begin popping up everywhere. The pizza looks wonderful (I'm always in the mood for bread and cheese). Thank you for sharing your picture and the recipe!
Ouch, but what a trooper!
This pizza is making my mouth water. I love everything on this. I must add this to my weekly menu :o)
I agree you are a trooper and how exciting!
This looks delish. My hubby would love it with the bacon and I love the garlic!
It does sound surreal.
Can't resist to have a bite of that gorgeous pizza.
Congrats! That's incredibly awesome.
I love the flavors you've put in your pizza dough!
That looks delicious! I love making pizza. So easy and you can put any ingredients on it! The pictures are awesome on your site. Good job:)
How cool! You definitely are a talented photographer!
This pizza looks delicious!
Jess
asugarhigh.blogspot.com
Laura, congratulations, I have to look for the magazine, I hope I can find it here in NJ.
You are a very talented photographer. I'm sure your photographs will be in many more magazines.The pizza looks yummy.
That is so exciting! The food looks great - I can see why it made the cover.
What a great phone call to get! I'll look for the magazine for certain. I'm teaching a pizza grilling class on Thursday and can use all the pointers I can get. Beautiful pizza :)
Oh my goodness girlfriend - you probably had a concussion. This story proved that you deserve that cover - dedication, vision, skill, and pure talent!!!
I'll definitely be on the lookout for a copy of this magazine here in VA. CONGRATULATIONS!
:)
ButterYum
Congrats to you for having that cover photo but I'm sorry about your injuries in getting that shot. The pizza also looks fantastic.
Oh Laura, I'm so glad you're okay. That sounds like a horrific experience. You're photo's are Always AMAZING. The editor knows what a gem you are. I'm just sorry you got hurt and yet you still finished the shoot!
The pizza looks wonderful as does everything you make.
So you fall on the ice and get a concussion, then you fall off your deck and tear your muscle? Vomiting? Gosh, Laura, I'm so impressed by your fortitude. I bet you wanted to call it quits sooo badly. And even though the cover isn't your best work, you should be even more proud that you pulled it off under the circumstances. I think the cover looks great and this pizza sounds wonderful. Congrats.
You can also make pizza's directly on the grill. Spray the grill with oil (carefully, it will flare a bit), spray the dough, put it on the grill. Cook about 5 minutes, rotate, cook until it's brown. Remove the dough, spray the uncooked side, flip, put your toppings on the cooked side, return to the grill for another 8-9 minutes with the grill closed. You'll want to make them smaller, about 8 inches--but that lets everyone pick their own toppings.
Thank-you ladies! This was a first for me certainly.
The shot is still lovely, Laura. I'm so proud and happy for you! At the same time, I am so sorry that you hurt yourself so badly, but I'm glad you're okay now. Wow. What an unforgettable experience.
P.S. I've heard of plenty of men who can decorate a table. I, on the other hand, suck at it big time hahaha.
I forgot to comment on that gorgeous, yummy-looking pizza!!! I love the idea of adding garlic, bacon, and fontina on it! YUM!
Wow, what a story behind the cover photo! I'm glad it wasn't worse, and that you had some help to finish up..how dedicated you are, Laura! I really want to find this magazine! SO exciting!!! :)
BTW, this pizza looks wonderful and sounds(the dough too) DELICIOUS!
Congrats on the cover photo! I want to go to Wal-Mart and see if they have it here... If I buy a copy, you'll have to autograph it for me the next time we get together!
I am loving that pizza, too... it looks incredible. I'm hungry now :)
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