Welcome to Noel Barnhurst's blog. Noel is a food photographer based in the South Park neighborhood of San Francisco, California. He has photographed for a wide range of clients including Williams-Sonoma, Kashi, Haagen Dazs, Driscoll's berries, Sunset Magazine, and Burger King. Here you will find a plethora of recipes, tips, and news from a professional food photographer. Enjoy!

All photography is exclusively done by Noel Barnhurst.

Is anyone else keeping up with the recent legislature update regarding food trucks in San Francisco? According to SFweekly, the legislation has been updated to keeping food trucks at least 75 feet from existing restaurants until 10pm. Food trucks are also banned in neighborhoods like the Mission. What are your thoughts on food trucks? What on-the-go treats will you miss?

Is anyone else keeping up with the recent legislature update regarding food trucks in San Francisco? According to SFweekly, the legislation has been updated to keeping food trucks at least 75 feet from existing restaurants until 10pm. Food trucks are also banned in neighborhoods like the Mission. What are your thoughts on food trucks? What on-the-go treats will you miss?

Inside Scoop SF recently interviewed several ice cream and pastry chefs from San Francisco to figure out exactly what ice cream flavor could encapsulate San Francisco’s essence. Bi Rite Creamery suggested honey lavender to promote local food sourcing and a “take it or leave it” SF point of view, while B. Patisserie suggested sourdough. What flavor ice cream would you consider San Francisco to be?

Inside Scoop SF recently interviewed several ice cream and pastry chefs from San Francisco to figure out exactly what ice cream flavor could encapsulate San Francisco’s essence. Bi Rite Creamery suggested honey lavender to promote local food sourcing and a “take it or leave it” SF point of view, while B. Patisserie suggested sourdough.

What flavor ice cream would you consider San Francisco to be?

Did you know that pistachios used to be dyed red by manufacturers to cover up blemishes on the nut’s surface? Luckily, most of us are familiar with the natural appearance of pistachios- in fact, we prefer it’s rich green color!  Try including this nut in both sweet and savory dishes… They can be baked in muffins, frozen into ice cream, or even used in salads! Check out some great recipe ideas on Bon Appétit here and the Pistachio Board here!
Did you know that pistachios used to be dyed red by manufacturers to cover up blemishes on the nut’s surface? Luckily, most of us are familiar with the natural appearance of pistachios- in fact, we prefer it’s rich green color!  Try including this nut in both sweet and savory dishes… They can be baked in muffins, frozen into ice cream, or even used in salads! Check out some great recipe ideas on Bon Appétit here and the Pistachio Board here!
Did you know that pistachios used to be dyed red by manufacturers to cover up blemishes on the nut’s surface? Luckily, most of us are familiar with the natural appearance of pistachios- in fact, we prefer it’s rich green color!  Try including this nut in both sweet and savory dishes… They can be baked in muffins, frozen into ice cream, or even used in salads! Check out some great recipe ideas on Bon Appétit here and the Pistachio Board here!

Did you know that pistachios used to be dyed red by manufacturers to cover up blemishes on the nut’s surface? Luckily, most of us are familiar with the natural appearance of pistachios- in fact, we prefer it’s rich green color! 

Try including this nut in both sweet and savory dishes… They can be baked in muffins, frozen into ice cream, or even used in salads! Check out some great recipe ideas on Bon Appétit here and the Pistachio Board here!

Have an inkling to try Thomas Keller’s famous chocolate bouchons? Try the recipe below! INGREDIENTS Butter and flour for the timbale molds 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 large eggs 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly warm 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, such as Valrhona Equatoriale (55%), chopped into pieces the size of chocolate chips Confectioners’ sugar INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Butter and flour 12 timbale molds (Bouchon Bakery uses 2-ounce Fleximolds and serves smaller bouchons. You can also use 3-ounce [2- to 2 1/2-inch diameter] timbale molds for larger cakes.) Set aside. 3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until very pale in color. Mix in the vanilla. On low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then one-third of the butter, and continue alternating with the remaining flour and butter. Add the chocolate and mix to combine. (The batter can be refrigerated for up to a day.) 4. Put the timbale molds on a baking sheet. Place the batter in a pastry bag without a tip, and fill each mold about two-thirds full. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When the tops look shiny and set (like a brownie), test one cake with a toothpick: It should come out clean but not dry (there may be some melted chocolate from the chopped chocolate). Transfer the bouchons to a cooling rack. After a couple of minutes, invert the timbale molds and let the bouchons cool upside down in the molds; then lift off the molds. 5. To serve, invert the bouchons and dust them with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with ice cream if desired. (The bouchons are best eaten the day they are baked.) Read about the recipe here or buy the Bouchon Bakery cookbook

Have an inkling to try Thomas Keller’s famous chocolate bouchons? Try the recipe below!

INGREDIENTS

  • Butter and flour for the timbale molds
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly warm
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, such as Valrhona Equatoriale (55%), chopped into pieces the size of chocolate chips
  • Confectioners’ sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Butter and flour 12 timbale molds (Bouchon Bakery uses 2-ounce Fleximolds and serves smaller bouchons. You can also use 3-ounce [2- to 2 1/2-inch diameter] timbale molds for larger cakes.) Set aside.

3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until very pale in color. Mix in the vanilla. On low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then one-third of the butter, and continue alternating with the remaining flour and butter. Add the chocolate and mix to combine. (The batter can be refrigerated for up to a day.)

4. Put the timbale molds on a baking sheet. Place the batter in a pastry bag without a tip, and fill each mold about two-thirds full. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When the tops look shiny and set (like a brownie), test one cake with a toothpick: It should come out clean but not dry (there may be some melted chocolate from the chopped chocolate). Transfer the bouchons to a cooling rack. After a couple of minutes, invert the timbale molds and let the bouchons cool upside down in the molds; then lift off the molds.

5. To serve, invert the bouchons and dust them with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with ice cream if desired. (The bouchons are best eaten the day they are baked.)

Read about the recipe here or buy the Bouchon Bakery cookbook

Butterscotch Pot De Crème Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and cook over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, until smooth and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in the cream. Return the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Add the salt and vanilla seeds. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture. Strain the custard into eight 6-ounce ramekins. Set the ramekins in a small roasting pan and place it in the middle of the oven. Fill the roasting pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, until the custards are set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Transfer the ramekins to a baking sheet and refrigerate until chilled, 4 hours. In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar with 2 tablespoons of water and cook undisturbed over high heat, until a deep amber caramel forms, 6 minutes. Using a moistened pastry brush, wash down any crystals from the side of the saucepan from time to time. Remove from the heat. Add 2/3 cup of water and stir until smooth. Let the caramel sauce cool, then stir in the vanilla. Top the pots de crème with the caramel sauce and whipped crème fraîche, sprinkle with Maldon sea salt and serve. Recipe courtesy of Food & Wine

Butterscotch Pot De Crème

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and cook over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, until smooth and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in the cream. Return the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Add the salt and vanilla seeds.
  2. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture. Strain the custard into eight 6-ounce ramekins. Set the ramekins in a small roasting pan and place it in the middle of the oven. Fill the roasting pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, until the custards are set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Transfer the ramekins to a baking sheet and refrigerate until chilled, 4 hours.
  3. In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar with 2 tablespoons of water and cook undisturbed over high heat, until a deep amber caramel forms, 6 minutes. Using a moistened pastry brush, wash down any crystals from the side of the saucepan from time to time. Remove from the heat. Add 2/3 cup of water and stir until smooth. Let the caramel sauce cool, then stir in the vanilla.
  4. Top the pots de crème with the caramel sauce and whipped crème fraîche, sprinkle with Maldon sea salt and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Food & Wine

Ice cream is surprisingly easy to make, as long as you have the right equipment and patience! Pick up an ice cream maker and you’ll make your money back in no time. Paying $4 for a scoop almost seems ridiculous after you realize how affordable it is to make your own. Each of the following recipes have been personally taste tested by one of our photo assistants. Peppermint Dark Chocolate Honey Lavender Lemon Chocolate Chip (just add chopped up chocolate while you’re freezing in the machine) Coffee Chocolate Chip (add chocolate chips at the same time as above) HONEY VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM INGREDIENTS 2 cups milk 1 vanilla bean (7 inch) 6 egg yolks 1 cup packed brown sugar 3 tbsp honey 1/3 tsp salt 2 cups  heavy cream INSTRUCTIONS In a medium pan, heat the milk and vanilla bean to simmering. Do not boil. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar, honey, and salt until light colored and frothy. While whisking constantly, slowly combine the hot milk with the egg mixture. Transfer the mixture back to the sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until mixture reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius) when tested with a candy thermometer, or becomes thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat. Remove the vanilla bean from the mixture and reserve. Strain custard into a large bowl. Scrape seeds from the vanilla bean into the custard. (Vanilla bean pod may be used again.) Stir the heavy cream into the custard. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. When cold, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Recipe courtesy of All Recipes

Ice cream is surprisingly easy to make, as long as you have the right equipment and patience! Pick up an ice cream maker and you’ll make your money back in no time. Paying $4 for a scoop almost seems ridiculous after you realize how affordable it is to make your own. Each of the following recipes have been personally taste tested by one of our photo assistants.

Peppermint

Dark Chocolate

Honey Lavender

Lemon Chocolate Chip (just add chopped up chocolate while you’re freezing in the machine)

Coffee Chocolate Chip (add chocolate chips at the same time as above)

HONEY VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 vanilla bean (7 inch)
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1/3 tsp salt
  • 2 cups  heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a medium pan, heat the milk and vanilla bean to simmering. Do not boil. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar, honey, and salt until light colored and frothy. While whisking constantly, slowly combine the hot milk with the egg mixture. Transfer the mixture back to the sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until mixture reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius) when tested with a candy thermometer, or becomes thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat.
  2. Remove the vanilla bean from the mixture and reserve. Strain custard into a large bowl. Scrape seeds from the vanilla bean into the custard. (Vanilla bean pod may be used again.) Stir the heavy cream into the custard. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
  3. When cold, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Recipe courtesy of All Recipes