What was on your plate?

Thanks to everyone who participated in that first “cultural blip” call!  It was a lot of fun looking through the submissions and your various takes on the concept.  I probably gained a pound or two because, no matter the time at which I looked at the images, I invariably ended up hungry ;)
 
We had a few ‘kinks’ in that first call which will be addressed for subsequent cultural blips. There was a bit of confusion about which tag to use (that’ll be clearer from now on) but I was happy to see that “when in doubt, use both tags” being applied across the board by our resourceful blippers.  The call for entries was meant to be for just one day, but blippers suggested we might increase the timeframe for submission; depending on what our next topics will be, we will provide for a bit more time and opportunity for you to find the right shot.
 
Finally, while this wasn’t a challenge per se, I did want to highlight some entries, in no particular order – call it ‘editor’s privilege’ :)
 
Some blippers kindly included recipes with their submissions. So check out these entries if you’re interested in: moussaka (and a brilliant use of close-up photography), leek and sage croustade, bacon & broccoli pasta salad, baked cheesecake, mini quiche muffins, boeuf bourguignon, or open-faced tuna salad sandwich.
 
Others chose to focus on the meal’s preparation – in the kitchen or outdoors --and/or its ingredients, leaving it up to us to imagine what the final product might be. The best image for depicting the ‘frenzy’ of multi-tasking in the kitchen has to be this one.
 
There was some wonderful close up photography: the dot of balsamic vinegar, the crispness of a batter, the delicate spices on roasted potatos, the flaky pastry of a vol-au-vent, the glaze on a fruit tart, the richness of chocolate, or the sizzle of barbecued ribs.
 
Some of you chose to depict your food from different perspectives: negative space, shadows,  top down, and table level.
 
Some images made me wonder or smile. Kudos on the most unusual food (for me), the best helpers, when a liquid diet is where it’s at, the importance of wearing the right equipment, and, the most effort put into a shot!
 
I'll go out on a limb and list my personal favorite – for the colors, the shapes, the exquisite light, and the fact that every time I look at that image, I find something new.
 
Finally, I need your help!  Let me know, in the comments line below, what topics we should call for in our ‘cultural blip’ series to help showcase various aspects of culture. Thanks!
 
   Michele (aka Alsacienne)