SLAVE TO SWEETS

Ferraro's Cheese Cake

Photographing food over the past several years has given me the opportunity to sample it, consume it with dignity and in some cases, eat the generous offerings as if I was going to the chair.

During a recent shoot, the chef insisted I try his freshly-made cognac-pumpkin cheese cake. Initially, I resisted due to the high fat and caloric content (let’s face it, properly made cheesecake is not on any health food menu). I succumbed to the temptation and entered into a state of sensual bliss. After the chef gave me the slice of taste bud Nirvana, he went to get things prepared for the next part of the shoot. Anxiously, he returned to get the next item photographed and that’s when I informed him not to disturb me – I was experiencing a higher plane of existence and I would continue working only when finished. He gave me that proud I told you so look and left me to my vice.

Ok, this may seem a bit dramatic for a slice of cake, but there are some culinary pleasures that one can relate to and appreciate my indulgent actions. The image posted is not the cake I experienced, but their standard cheese cake made at the restaurant, which has been a popular item on their menu. Regardless of the image or food item, texture, taste and the balance of flavors are so critical in producing a quality piece of culinary art that executive chef, Guiseppe of Ferarro’s, in Westfield, NJ, has succeeded.

Not to mention some of the other items I sampled that day…