Tirana.

It's been nine months since I was in Albania. As I finally sat and edited my pictures tonight, I also read through my journal and experienced the whole thing over again. I remember the exact way I felt when meeting my cousins for the first time. It makes me sad, but it makes me happy at the same time.  I'm so grateful for the many blessings that week and being with Alexandria and Stephanos. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to meet the family that my Baba always told me about. I'm so grateful for the experience. I'm so grateful I wrote it down. 

November 26, 2013; 2:00am

"I was sitting at their kitchen table, dining with them, and casually chatting as if I saw them everyday. I was thinking back to a couple nights ago when I met them for the first time. We met at Hotel Tirana. I will never forget the way it happened and the way it felt; the way they looked, the four of them sitting in the corner and I could see their jittery excitement through the window as they recognized me from the pictures. When I walked in to greet them, they jumped and ran at me with open arms and kisses. It was like they had known me and loved me forever. As we talked, I could see Lluka's heart through his eyes as the tears welled up at the corners. The kids were shy and giggled, and gave me the most generous, loving hug. I can't take it. I don't want to leave them. I just want to be with them forever."

It's been a while...

It's been quite a while since I last blogged. I struggle with blogging in the first place, because my relationship with this online journal is a bit of a love/hate. I love the idea of be able to document and share more than just a mere status and a couple of pictures. The hate part is more of just a I-don't-have-anything-that-important-to-say. Since it has been so long however, I do have a few updates:

1. I am no longer in Greece studying abroad. 

2. I spent the last four months of my undergraduate career completing a thesis on redemption through suffering, which is, by the way, something I never believed I could do.

3. I AM ENGAGED TO THE SWEETEST MAN IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!

4. I have struggled, learned, and grown so much more in the past four years of my life than I have ever consciously been aware of. It's been incredibly positive and beautiful. Although I am currently in this awkward phase of fresh-out-of-college-where--da-heck-am-I-going, it also feels like a strange kind of magical.

Aside from desperately searching for a full-time job, I have found myself using all of the extra post-grad, no homework time to do the things that I love; building relationships with the genuine people God has put into my life and to collaborate and feed off of other artists, their ideas, their words, and their presence.

Exhibit A: 

A recent makeup shoot with my dear friend and wonderfully talented makeup artist, Kailen Hodge

(You can follow her on Instagram, and very soon, Facebook too!)

P.S. We will be doing a couple of model shoots a month. Shoot us an e-mail at alexiswinstonphotography@gmail.com if you are interested in participating as a model!

a very not-so delicious Gazapacho

A friend of mine made an incredible, fresh, summery gazpacho. I tried a cucumber, avocado gazpacho. Sounds amazing. Didn't turn out so. Definitely using a recipe next time...

Haymarket

The Boston Haymarket is nothing compared to the Messick's Farm Market back at home. In fact, it should not be confused with a farmer's market at all. The Haymarket is located right near the port and there's no telling where the produce comes from. The thing that makes it wonderful is the experience of waking up early on a Friday or Saturday morning, grabbing a cup of coffee with a friend and walking through the waking streets of the city, only to return home with a bag full of fresh ingredients. Also, it's cheap cheap. Job-seeking college grads say yay!

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Although I'm totally out of season with these babies, I bought a donut pan mid-Spring semester of my senior year in college. I decided to use up the cans of pumpkin I had stashed from the previous fall semester when I was in Greece (missing the American fall season of pumpkin everything). Instead of focusing on my senior thesis, this is how I spend my time... 

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Adapted from Blue-Eyed Bakers

Makes 12 donuts

For the donuts:

1 3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoons ground cloves

1/3 up vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup milk (I used almond)

For the coating:

1/2 cup butter, melted

2/3 cup sugar

1-2 tablespoons cinnamon (more if you're a cinnamon lover, like me)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter a donut pan and set aside.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices together and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mixture and stir until just combined, careful not to over mix.

Using a spoon, fill each donut cup with the batter.  The donut cups should be fairly full, but not overflowing. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until donuts spring back when gently pressed (if you're using a mini donut pan, bake for 8-9 minutes).  Turn donuts out onto a wire rack and allow to cool for a few minutes.

While the donuts are cooling, melt butter in one bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in another.  When donuts are still hot (but not too hot to touch), quickly dip each donut in melted butter, then coat in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Serve immediately.

*Notes: If you're not going to serve the donuts immediately, you can bake them up to a day in advance and store them in an airtight container.  Do not coat them in the butter/cinnamon-sugar mixture until just before serving or they may get soggy.

Suzy's Baklava

I was asked to photograph baklava for another baker, which means I do not have the recipe for these delicious treats. I'm sure you can get an idea of how great they are from the images, so I guess it's just more incentive to buy from Suzy!

Blueberry Dutch Baby with Rosemary and Fresh Goat Cheese

With the help of my dear friend Kate, Valentines Day 2014 marks the official beginning of my attempt at food styling. Help.

 Blueberry Dutch Baby 
with Rosemary and Fresh Goat Cheese

Adapted from Three Many Cooks

Serves 4-6

1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon oil
2 small containers (4 oz. each) fresh blueberries
3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
confectioner's sugar for dusting

Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk milk, eggs, rosemary, and salt in a medium bowl; vigorously whisk flour until mostly smooth with a few small lumps; let stand a few minutes and whisk again (for instantly smooth batter use a blender). Meanwhile heat oil in a heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet (cast iron works well). Add blueberries to hot pan; sauté until heated through, a minute or so. Add milk mixture and sprinkle with goat cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until puffed and golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from oven. Top dutch baby with fresh blueberries and additional confectioner's sugar.