- Artist Kasia Glowa from Cracow, Poland, creates the scents of fruit and spice in an illustration. Click the image to expand it.
The Dish is teaming up with Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, founders of They Draw and Cook, all December to share holiday recipes drawn by artists and inspiring all sorts of seasonal cooking with Food Network chefs. Each day, stop by the Dish for a new drawing and Nate and Salli’s liner notes about the illustrations and the artists. Tell us which you like and why. A dollop of this, a dash of that and some talent add up to interesting ideas in the kitchen. Visit theydrawandcook.com for more recipes showcased as art.
Simple images and simple ingredients can lead to complex looks and flavors. In this illustration by Polish artist Kasia Glowa, we adore the combination of the beautiful renderings of each ingredient, and we admire the lovely watercolor lettering and the scratchy graphite arrows. Just look at that pear on the right…doesn’t it look delicious? This must make the house smell wonderful. And the fruit and spice–on their own or over ice cream or pound cake–must taste spectacular.
See more illustrated recipes for holiday sweets today on They Draw and Cook, and check out desserts that celebrate spiced fruit here on FoodNetwork.com:
—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.
- Artist Natalie Smillie from Peterborough, England, draws on a homey comfort: cookies! Click the image to expand it.
The Dish is teaming up with Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, founders of They Draw and Cook, all December to share holiday recipes drawn by artists and inspiring all sorts of seasonal cooking with Food Network chefs. Each day, stop by the Dish for a new drawing and Nate and Salli’s liner notes about the illustrations and the artists. Tell us which you like and why. A dollop of this, a dash of that and some talent add up to interesting ideas in the kitchen. Visit theydrawandcook.com for more recipes showcased as art.
Call them whatever you like–they’ve got appeal. Across the pond, buttery cookies are called biscuits but their look and aromas match up with your memory. In this illustration by English artist Natalie Smillie, we love the delicate watercolor style and beautifully embellished lettering. For some reason, we think an illustrated recipe like this makes baking just that much more enjoyable. Oh, and to save you guys time on conversions, here you go (pay no mind that you won’t have any “fifths” measuring cups–just be inspired!): 100g sugar = 2/5 cups, 225g self-raising flour = 1 4/5 cups and 100g butter = 7tbsp.
See more illustrated recipes for holiday sweets today on They Draw and Cook, and check out favorite butter cookies, sugar cookies and “biscuits” here on FoodNetwork.com:
—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.
- Artist Amy King of New York, New York, renders playful pops good enough to eat. Click the image to expand it.
The Dish is teaming up with Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, founders of They Draw and Cook, all December to share holiday recipes drawn by artists and inspiring all sorts of seasonal cooking with Food Network chefs. Each day, stop by the Dish for a new drawing and Nate and Salli’s liner notes about the illustrations and the artists. Tell us which you like and why. A dollop of this, a dash of that and some talent add up to interesting ideas in the kitchen. Visit theydrawandcook.com for more recipes showcased as art.
Everything about Amy King‘s lollipop illustration is delightful and cheery. The holiday season is particularly fun for the young and the young at heart, and it’s the time of year when you might take the time to cook up something sweetly special. We think making pops would be a super-fun kitchen activity to do with your kids, especially the decorating! Amy, the artist who created this picture, is a great surface and textile designer, and you can see some of her excellent pattern work in the background of this illustration. We thrill at her combining her joys and sharing them.
See more illustrated recipes for holiday sweets today on They Draw and Cook, and check out candy-making recipes and techniques from your favorite chefs here on FoodNetwork.com:
—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.
- Artist Alison Kolesar of Williamstown, Massachusetts, warms us up with minted cocoa. Click the image to expand it.
The Dish is teaming up with Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, founders of They Draw and Cook, all December to share holiday recipes rendered by artists and inspiring all sorts of seasonal cooking with Food Network chefs. Each day, stop by the Dish for a new drawing and Nate and Salli’s liner notes about the illustrations and the artists. Tell us which you like and why. A dollop of this, a dash of that and some talent add up to interesting ideas in the kitchen. Visit theydrawandcook.com for more info.
This is a really great design to kick off a month’s worth of wonderful holiday recipe illustrations. At They Draw and Cook, we think this is such a fun and festive collage. It captures everything we love to see in an illustrated recipe: a nice layout, interesting typography, good color palettes, creative approaches to illustration, a bit of a story and, of course, a great recipe! The artist whose work is shown here, Alison Kolesar, is an awesome illustrator – she has the best handwriting, and her whimsy is simply magical.
—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.
- Our newest star spices up holiday gingerbread with gentle Indian flavor.
It’s time for 12 Days of Cookies, FoodNetwork.com’s annual cookie swap. Each day visit us here on the Dish for a peek at new holiday cookies, party-planning tips and top techniques for rolling, spooning, slicing, baking and decorating delicious sweet treats to give – or keep – from favorite Food Network chefs. Then stop by Cooking Channel’s blog for great takes on holiday baking from Cooking Channel chefs and Food People alike – cookies by the dozen to celebrate all season.
Ginger and garam masala are a natural fit in savory Indian cooking, so why not in a cookie? And any sweet decked with chocolate is sure to be a hit (just ask Ms. Deen about Day 1′s cookie).
Read more »
Since we’re all home enjoying the holidays, we wanted to share some holiday memories from your favorite Food Network stars…
Tyler Florence: Best gift — moped as a ten-year old…and then, “…whatever my wife got me last Christmas. Thanks, honey!”
Sandra Lee: Best gift — a love letter from her honey.
Guy Fieri: Best gift — His horse, Rebel was his first thought. However, he changed his answer to his two sons instead.
Alton Brown: A jet from his wife. That’s right, a REAL jet.
Sunny Anderson: Beebee bear from her mom.
Danny Boome: Skiing lessons. Worst gift: Hospital bills after the skiing lessons.
Watch all the holiday memories from your favorite FN stars.
Here’s a toast to all of the FN Dish’ers!
And if your glass needs a great companion…
try Paula‘s Mama’s Eggnog. YUM!
Happy Holidays!
~ The FN Dish Staff
Wendy recently shared a bold tablescape which prompted:
Dear Wendy,
Every year something goes horribly wrong and I’m left with a mis-mash of clutter on my table. You mentioned bold colors (which I LOVE) but my walls are bright yellow and orange. Is it over the top to incorporate more bold colors in my tablescape or should I go subtle? I don’t want my guests to need sunglasses but I don’t want it to look blah! ~ Robin
Here’s what Wendy shared:
While table settings should connect to the immediate environ, it’s the type of gathering that determines the “flavor” of color…
- High energy: If it’s a lively event with spicy foods and fun music, go bold!!! A tropical “bamboo” green would also be a great choice in your setting, Robyn.
- Down to earth: Neutrals or creamy textures are great for a more conversational, daytime mood.
- Tryouts: Test how your color vision works with your table and the rest of the room. Paint swatches are helpful. Or in a pinch, try book jackets, colorful clothes like sweaters and scarves, or simple objects around your home to achieve that preview.
- Start small: Still unsure? Use a touch of bold color via napkins or a table runner for a color splash with impact.
Best,
Wendy
I know Thanksgiving 2008 is way over, but I can’t stop dreaming of the three new side dishes I cooked. They were so fabulous that I’m planning on making them again for Christmas.
I grew up in San Antonio and had two cousins from Austin visiting me in NYC this year, so I chose a menu that reflected the foods we loved on Turkey Day when we were kids in South Texas. When it came to the turkey itself, I admit I cheated. The big bird I bought from a local BBQ joint tasted just like my dad’s version, only no one had to get up at 4am to start smoking it over mesquite in the back yard. It paired perfectly with the two types of BBQ sauce I forced my cousins to smuggle from home, and it freed up my tiny Manhattan oven.
The sides were the real winners, though. I chose these three easy but truly tasty recipes.
Fennel Orange Cranberry Sauce from Dave Lieberman
I opted to grind my fennel seeds a bit with a mortar and pestle, but I wished I hadn’t. The rush of fennel when you bite into a seed is part of this recipe’s appeal, and the flavor works so well with turkey.
Twice Baked Potatoes from the FN Test Kitchens
I ran the cooked and scooped-out potatoes through my ricer to make the filling extra fluffy and smooth. Then I snuck in some extra butter and sour cream since my taters were jumbo-sized. I also trashed the tops and served them open-faced like my grandma always did.
Creamed Collard Greens from The Neelys
Follow the instructions and let the cream reduce by half. I got impatient/hungry, so the dish was a little too runny. Mea culpa.
Remember: We’ve got your back (and your sides) here at FN.com.
-Angela Moore
VP/Site Director
Food Network Design Director, Wendy Waxman, got her latest assignment — create a vibrant tablescape for a Food Network charity event featuring Chef Duff…oh, and make it kid-friendly. Wendy immediately saw red — in a good way.
As the table came together, Wendy shared some great tips…
1) Bold, vibrant colors will stay true to you – going bold works well all year long, whether the holidays or the 4th of July.
2) Pick a plate that’s ready to take the stage. For this, Wendy fell for a rich collection from SoHo-based Global Table.
3) Let your creativity bloom. Wendy chose amaryllis and orchids from Ovando to complete her vision. A top-notch florist should always supply fresh product (and ideas, if you want them).
Have a holiday tablescape question?
Hit Wendy up in the comments below…
Or check out her holiday tablescape photo gallery.
As mentioned, Food Network staffers just baked off in honor of the 12 Days of Cookies. To settle some bets, we’d love to hear which you think turned out the best. Plus, see if you can guess all the FN Gingerbread Stars in the last of the two fan photos at the bottom. Full answers (and the staff winner of our internal taste test) will be posted this Friday in the comments below…
