Who takes the pictures on olive Oil and Lemons? What kind of camera?
I take all the pictures, still in the process of getting it right. Food photography is not easy. If I include images taken by others I credit the source.
I now shoot with Nikon D7000 and love it. I use the AF-S Micro Nikkor 105 mm 1:2.8G ED lens. This lens is designed for close-up and macro photography. A tripod comes in handy whenever possible. I also use AF-S Nikkor 18-300 1:35-56 and an AF-S Micro Nikkor 40 mm 1:2.8 G lens Older images were taken using the Lumix FZ35, a nice, light, feel good in your hand point and shoot ca mera. Restaurant food images are mostly taken with my iPhone.
Who styles the food on Olive Oil and Lemons?
I style every image myself. This is truly a one-woman endeavor over here. I try to take advantage of natural lighting as much as possible. I keep an eye out for styling “props” that I think will look good in an image and I used to have a lot of beautiful things in the kitchen to serve as natural props, a little less now after the fire.
Who does all the writing, recipes, essays etc.?
I do all of the writing on the blog, including recipe development and writing. If I am inspired by another source I acknowledge it in the recipe and provide the source. In writing the recipes I assume that you know something about cooking but I try to be as clear and comprehensive as possible without writing a tome about each recipe. I particularly like writing the essays that you find in the What’s in Season and Travel sections. They reflect my style, interests, worldview and my sense of fun.
Can I link to your site on my Facebook? Twitter?
Yes, if you like anything you see here please post on your social network or send a link to your friends.
Can I use the images and content from this site anyway I want?
No. All images and content on this site are protected by national and international copyright laws and I hold the sole right to these copyrights. You are welcome to print a single copy of a recipe or an image for personal use only. If you are a blogger and wish to feature some of the images or recipes on your blog please ask first. I am likely to grant you permission but will ask that you give credit and provide a link to the page on my blog where you found the recipe. Please contact me via the contact form at the top of the page or through the comment feature in the post. You are permitted to adapt a recipe found on this site provided that you give credit and a provide a link to this site or the page where you found the recipe. Any commercial use, publication or distribution of the material herein is expressly prohibited without first obtaining a license from me. Please contact me via the contact form provided at the top of the page to obtain rates. For more information on copyright and site user agreement please click here or on the link at the bottom of the page.
I noticed that the Vegan category features some recipes that have non-vegan ingredients. Why?
Some of the recipe in the vegan category were not created specifically for the vegan category. If I tag a recipe to this category it means that the non-vegan items are not integral to the dish and can be easily substituted or omitted altogether. For example if a salad calls for a sprinkling of cheese on top but otherwise has all vegan ingredients, I tagged it to Vegan because you can easily leave the cheese out. Similarly with butter as an ingredient. Just substitute with olive oil or another vegetable oil. I felt that this would increase your resources for vegan recipes.
Why do you moderate comments?
All comments are moderated, meaning that I have to approve them before they are posted. Olive Oil and Lemons is in essence a private blog that I make available to the public but it is still my “home” on the web. As I am sure you know, the web can be a wild place and I need to control what is being posted to my site. Just like I would not tolerate any speech in my house, I will not tolerate it on my site.The moderation is not intended to avoid criticism or suggestions. Fair criticism and helpful suggestions are welcome and will be posted.
What are some staples we should always have in our kitchen for cooking (oils, seasonings) so that we can whip something up quickly.
This question was posted by my daughter Alexis. It’s hard to answer it in a paragraph so I will prepare and post and article about this subject later. In the meantime I will say that if you have dried pasta, excellent olive oil, real parmesan and a few bread crumbs you can whip up a delicious pasta dish with minimum ingredients and no effort at all. If you have Canned tomatoes, canned beans, small dried pasta, a few onions and olive oil you can whip up a delicious soup in no time and hardly any effort. See recipes in relevant sections.
What are 10 must have appliances for your kitchen for cooking? (blender, pots, knives etc.) and what brands do you recommend? (investment pieces like building a fabulous wardrobe just for your kitchen instead)
Guess who posted this question? My fashionista daughter Alexis of course. It’s no wonder that she has built up a successful fashion styling business (see a link to her blog on the left). Again, a good question but difficult to answer in a paragraph but here are few tips: first, invest in a few excellent knives. You do not need a “set” of knives: get a chef’s knife, a couple of smaller utility knifes and a bread knife and add more as you need them. For pots and pans get a stainless steel soup size pot, a couple of 2-quart saucepans for general cooking and a small pot for smaller jobs. I cook a lot with Le Creuset dutch oven type pot, couldn’t be without it. A pasta pot with a strainer is nice to add to your kitchen “wardrobe” at some point and you can even go “designer” with the Alessi pasta pot, a gorgeous piece of kitchenware. You need some skillets and I suggest you get large, medium and small for various food preparations. A few wooden spoons, spatulas and a whisk or two can be placed in a container near the stove. For electric appliance, a food processor, blender and an electric mixer are a must. A set of measuring spoons and cups, mixing bowls in 3 different sizes, a couple of strainers and a good cutting board and a few baking dishes will get your kitchen to a point where you can cook a meal with convenience. Check Kitchen Gear for additional gadgets I like to have in my kitchen.
Do I have to print the images with the recipes?
No. When you click on the printing option look to the top of the page. It gives you various printing options, including the option to remove the images.
I noticed a few typos here and there. What’s up with that?
No one posted that question (yet) but I thought a preemptive strike is in order. This is a one-woman operation and I do everything myself, including the editing. I do my best to catch all errors and run everything through a spell check before it’s posted but unfortunately some typos get by the spellchecking and me. My apologies. If you point them out I will correct them.
