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.

© Noel Barnhurst Hot Spiced Cider with Calvados Ingredients: 6 cups apple cider or apple juice 3 cinnamon sticks 30 whole cloves 8 slices crystallized ginger, each about 1 inch in   diameter 3/4 cup Calvados or other apple brandy Directions: In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves and crystallized ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer gently for 30 minutes to blend the flavors.Ladle the cider into warmed mugs or cups, adding some of the spices to each serving. Stir 2 Tbs. Calvados into each mug and serve immediately. Serves 6.

© Noel Barnhurst

Hot Spiced Cider with Calvados

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups apple cider or apple juice
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 30 whole cloves
  • 8 slices crystallized ginger, each about 1 inch in   diameter
  • 3/4 cup Calvados or other apple brandy

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves and crystallized ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer gently for 30 minutes to blend the flavors.

Ladle the cider into warmed mugs or cups, adding some of the spices to each serving. Stir 2 Tbs. Calvados into each mug and serve immediately.
Serves 6.
© Noel Barnhurst Classic Pecan Pumpkin Butter Pie Ingredients: For the dough: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 Tbs. granulated sugar 1 tsp. salt 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice 6 to 8 Tbs. ice water For the filling: 4 eggs 2 cups (about 1 1/3 jars) Muirhead pecan pumpkin butter 2 cups evaporated milk Directions: To make the dough, in a food processor, pulse together the flour, granulated sugar and salt until combined, about 5 pulses. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 pulses. Add 6 Tbs. of the ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water 1 tsp. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide in half and shape each into a disk. Wrap separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and place a cookie sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 400°F.Let the dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 dough disk into a 12-inch round about 3/16 inch thick. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish and press the dough into the dish. Trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under the excess dough and, using your thumb, decoratively flute the edges. Using a fork, gently poke holes in several places on the bottom of the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes. Roll out the other dough disk and make decorative cutouts according to the package instructions for the piecrust cutters.Line the piecrust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Place the pie dish on the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake until the crust is light golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before filling the pie shell.Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.To make the filling, in a large bowl, gently whisk the eggs. Add the pecan pumpkin butter and evaporated milk and whisk until well combined. Pour the filling into the pie shell and decorate the pie as desired with decorative cutouts. Bake until the center of the pie is set, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. If the edges of the crust begin to brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil.Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 4 hours before serving. If making in advance, cover the cooled pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Serves 8 to 10. Recipe courtesy of Williams-Sonoma

© Noel Barnhurst

Classic Pecan Pumpkin Butter Pie

Ingredients:

For the dough:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 6 to 8 Tbs. ice water
For the filling:
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups (about 1 1/3 jars) Muirhead pecan pumpkin butter
  • 2 cups evaporated milk

Directions:

To make the dough, in a food processor, pulse together the flour, granulated sugar and salt until combined, about 5 pulses. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 pulses. Add 6 Tbs. of the ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water 1 tsp. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide in half and shape each into a disk. Wrap separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and place a cookie sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Let the dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 dough disk into a 12-inch round about 3/16 inch thick. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish and press the dough into the dish. Trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under the excess dough and, using your thumb, decoratively flute the edges. Using a fork, gently poke holes in several places on the bottom of the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes. Roll out the other dough disk and make decorative cutouts according to the package instructions for the piecrust cutters.

Line the piecrust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Place the pie dish on the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake until the crust is light golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before filling the pie shell.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

To make the filling, in a large bowl, gently whisk the eggs. Add the pecan pumpkin butter and evaporated milk and whisk until well combined. Pour the filling into the pie shell and decorate the pie as desired with decorative cutouts. Bake until the center of the pie is set, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. If the edges of the crust begin to brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 4 hours before serving. If making in advance, cover the cooled pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Serves 8 to 10.

Recipe courtesy of Williams-Sonoma