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.

Mussels are relatively simple to cook! All you really need is cooking wine, herbs, onions, and some potatoes. For those wanting to delve deeper than a simple recipe today, here are some facts about the common mussel. Mussels usually have a lifespan of about 2-3 years, similar to that of an oyster’s. Mussels are suspension feeders. Mussels grow in groups in “mussel beds.” For more facts, visit BBC.co.uk

Mussels are relatively simple to cook! All you really need is cooking wine, herbs, onions, and some potatoes. For those wanting to delve deeper than a simple recipe today, here are some facts about the common mussel.

  • Mussels usually have a lifespan of about 2-3 years, similar to that of an oyster’s.
  • Mussels are suspension feeders.
  • Mussels grow in groups in “mussel beds.”

For more facts, visit BBC.co.uk

Carnivores unite! NCBA provides some interesting facts about beef: Beef is an excellent source of protein, which helps support a healthy metabolism, and is a natural source of nine more essential nutrients including zinc, iron, and B vitamins. Eating lean beef daily as part of a heart-healthy diet can help lower cholesterol. There are more than 29 cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean and have a total fat content that falls between a skinless chicken breast and a skinless chicken thigh.  Browse through some great recipes courtesy of NCBA! Click here to begin your search. 
Carnivores unite! NCBA provides some interesting facts about beef: Beef is an excellent source of protein, which helps support a healthy metabolism, and is a natural source of nine more essential nutrients including zinc, iron, and B vitamins. Eating lean beef daily as part of a heart-healthy diet can help lower cholesterol. There are more than 29 cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean and have a total fat content that falls between a skinless chicken breast and a skinless chicken thigh.  Browse through some great recipes courtesy of NCBA! Click here to begin your search. 

Carnivores unite! NCBA provides some interesting facts about beef:

  • Beef is an excellent source of protein, which helps support a healthy metabolism, and is a natural source of nine more essential nutrients including zinc, iron, and B vitamins.
  • Eating lean beef daily as part of a heart-healthy diet can help lower cholesterol.
  • There are more than 29 cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean and have a total fat content that falls between a skinless chicken breast and a skinless chicken thigh. 

Browse through some great recipes courtesy of NCBA! Click here to begin your search. 

Luckily for us, apples have been pretty readily available during winter. Enjoy these facts about apples! Unfortunately, the crabapple is the only apple native to North America.  Two pounds of apples make one 9 inch pie. Most apples can be grown farther north than most other fruits, because they blossom late in spring, minimizing frost damage Read more facts here

Luckily for us, apples have been pretty readily available during winter. Enjoy these facts about apples!

  • Unfortunately, the crabapple is the only apple native to North America. 
  • Two pounds of apples make one 9 inch pie.
  • Most apples can be grown farther north than most other fruits, because they blossom late in spring, minimizing frost damage

Read more facts here

Spring is officially here! As we approach closer to the warmer days, tastier fruits and vegetables become more readily available! We are especially looking towards cherry season at the studio, so here are a few facts about cherries to prepare for the season! Cherry pie filling is the number one pie filling sold in the US Tart cherries contain 19 times of the beta carotene of blueberries and strawberries There are 7,000 cherries on an average tart cherry tree and it takes 250 cherries to make a cherry pie.  Read more facts here

Spring is officially here! As we approach closer to the warmer days, tastier fruits and vegetables become more readily available! We are especially looking towards cherry season at the studio, so here are a few facts about cherries to prepare for the season!

  • Cherry pie filling is the number one pie filling sold in the US
  • Tart cherries contain 19 times of the beta carotene of blueberries and strawberries
  • There are 7,000 cherries on an average tart cherry tree and it takes 250 cherries to make a cherry pie. 

Read more facts here

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