Foods and Moods, Foraged Aromatics for Holiday Infused Cocktails that Heal the Body and Soul

The San Francisco Bay area was home to the Miwok Indians. These people lived off the land, foraging for ingredients that grew wild to both nourish and heal them. Come fall time, the prevalent ingredients were mostly berry like, dark in color, inky and red. Also prevalent were healing and scented leaves and things like rose hips, the remnants of beautiful wild roses. Dan, our food stylist,  spends a lot of time hiking around the Bay Area and is familiar with these local "crops". He has been an admirer of the abundance out there and embraced the challenge to create cocktails that used these ancient ingredients that the ancestors of the region used to nourish and heal.

 

Happiest of Thanksgivings! A Project with BiRite Markets

This year I had the privilege to shoot for BiRite Markets. Our first shoot was for their holiday meals so the shoot had a deeper level of community to it. BiRite is a San Francisco based market that embodies the idea of Good Food and community. It has created a program that educates the community with cooking lessons for low income kids, teens and adults and also introduces it's neighbors to the producers of the food it sells. It was a pleasure to see the passion and dedication that these folks have for their markets, their food and the philosophy behind them. A great way to start the holiday season of giving (back.)  Above is one of the shots we did for them for use on multiple platforms and below are some BTS (behind the scenes) photos of the shoot. We are looking forward to working with them again, continuing the relationship with this wonderful local brand.

Breakfast Fun - Cereal!

Do you ever just want to do what Jerry Seinfeld did- eat cereal all day long? I do, and as the "cook" in the family, the simplicity of pouring two things in to a bowl and eating a nutritious meal sounds very appealing most days. These days there are so many fun things you can do with cereal too- bowls, bars, even toppings! Big thanks to Pinterest for all the fun ideas!

Wine Country Ingredients "Foods and Moods"

A focus on just a few of the incredible ingredients that have the power to heal us and nourish us- all which are grown locally here in our Northern California Wine regions - both Sonoma and Napa! A visual treat for me to shoot! I think that just looking at these beauties heals the soul.

Foods and Moods- Pineapple!

This year I wanted to start a project that reflects a challenge to myself to explore new ways to use my photography + passion for food to help deepen peoples connections to the foods that not only nourish and nurture, but also heal us. Growing up with my mother fighting breast cancer for over 30 years meant being exposed to alot of talk of healing foods and nutrition. It is probably why she lived so long with cancer, due to her proactive attitude and diligence to nutrition. So you can see that healing foods is something very special to me. I also seem to have spent my career shooting for magazines and brands that revolve around healthy food and lifestyle. Each project has exposed me to how powerful ingredients are in helping our bodies heal and be healthy.

For my first study on “Foods and Moods”, I partnered with twin sisters and talented chefs Mary Barber and Sara Whiteford, aka Mary and Sara  (www.maryandsara.com). Besides our mutual love of making a storied image, they also have learned along the way to make and eat foods that help the body heal. And we love Turmeric.  And pineapple — not only for its taste, texture and flavor but because it is also a serotonin-rich food that helps promote optimism. For this project we wanted to focus on foods that promoted good mood and optimism in conjunction with my friend Riley John Donnell’s movement UMEWE ( you me we) and “Into Yellow” which is a platform and specific tone of yellow he has created in conjunction with Pantone to promote optimism as well.  http://www.intoyellow.com.  

Paella! A Mediterranean Diet Inspired Video Collaboration

The Mediterranean Diet has been credited with contributing to longevity, healthy heart and brains. Research has shown that it can protect against heart disease, depression, cancer, type 2 diabetes, dementia, Alzheimers and Parkenson's all while eating delicious unprocessed foods and sipping a glass of wine ( in moderation).  I learned of this diet early on and grew to love the flavors of this region. One of my favorite cookbooks to photograph was one called Saffron Shores by the wonderful Joyce Goldstein who is such an expert on this region's cooking.

"Paella! Mediterranean Healthy" is a video collaboration with fellow photographer and PD Clinton Perry and was inspired by the quick, easy and fun dish that captures all the flavors and health benefits of the region. I also admit that I was a bit influenced by my recent trip to Puglia, Italy.

Paella! mediterranean healthy from Leigh Beisch on Vimeo.

Aromatics: Sips That Heal The Body, Soul and Mind

A dive into the healing powers of ingredients and mixology. Cocktails or should I say "sips" with a nod to ancient remedies.