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Darkroom processing v cooking

cliveh

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I find cooking very similar to photographic processing, with the time/temperature and mixing being of similar importance. I was cooking a dish tonight using my favourite spatula, in the same way I have favourite tools in photographic processing. For instance I use barbeque tongs to process prints. Can others relate to this comparison, with perhaps their own favourite?
 
I actually just made this exact comparison the other day in another thread...I definitely print like I cook...generally without a recipe and with a decent glass of red wine.
 
Chris Lange said:
I actually just made this exact comparison the other day in another thread...I definitely print like I cook...generally without a recipe and with a decent glass of red wine.
Click to expand...

Chris, your post probably inspired my thread and I second the decent glass of red wine.
 
Of course, Some are Heston Blumenthal in the darkroom; while others have a more "caveman" approach ...
 
hey pdeeh

what is the caveman approach ?
( i'll have to google heston b too ) ..

john
 
cliveh said:
Can others relate to this comparison, with perhaps their own favourite?
Click to expand...

My cooking tends to be of the "bung it in the oven on hot and take it out when the smoke alarm sounds" school. If the smoke alarm goes off while I'm in the darkroom, something real bad has happened.
 
I tell people that if you can make Kraft Mach-n-Cheese you can process black and white film.
 
I cook only so that I don't starve or go broke by eating out. I much prefer the darkroom. Some of my better kitchen concoctions were a result of tossing stuff in a pan while drinking some wine, though. I just don't enjoy cooking.
 
Cooking to me is as therapeutic as printing if not more so...it also gives me a decent reason to call some friends around and have some good drinks and conversation. I love spending 2 or 3 hours, sometimes more on preparing a good meal with company, sampling each dish. When I had my apartment at school, my friends knew that coming over for dinner would be a 4 hour affair, at least...we did this numerous times a week. Everyone brought ingredients/wine/beer...the girls would talk and drink and make fun of us while my best friend and I would prepare each course.

What fun...
 
Maybe somebody should organize a poll on the relationship between those who stuck with or returned to analogue photography, and those who like to cook.
I really enjoy both....
 
Chris Lange said:
Cooking to me is as therapeutic as printing if not more so...

What fun...
Click to expand...

Same here. I love to cook. But like photography, I'm just not very good at it. Sunday I'm going to make a Chicken concoction inspired by Betty Crocker plus a fabulous Fennel and Craison wine vinegar salad. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
 
I never mix liquor with darkroom work. But I am the most photographically knowledgeable foul-up you'll ever meet. I never poured in fixer first or anything like that. Just small. almost dyslexic, little simple foul-ups. "measure twice, cut once, re-measure, and re-cut" Then measure it again afterwards. If I don't work that way, then my work is probably worse than the lucky knucklehead who didn't know the first ting about it. Some people make straight A's and never crack a book. I'm the guy who has memorized the book and flunked anyway.
 

With darkroom alcohol is kept @ beer or 2 but in the kitchen with the black vessel that I am NOT allowed to look @ a draught of white seems to make the whole process that much more pleasant. Wine can/is used as stop on occasion.
 
I've often likened film photography to the 'slow food' movement which I understand to mean being careful with ingredients and enjoying the process with it's emphasis on time. I like to bake using sourdough and I see many parallels with film development and printing.
 
Perhaps we should have a "favourite recipes" or "what I am cooking tonight" forum, because I too spend plenty of time in the kitchen!
 
jnanian said:
hey pdeeh

what is the caveman approach ?
( i'll have to google heston b too ) ..

john
Click to expand...

well you've have found out about HB and his molecular gastronomy by now, but as for caveman I was thinking along the lines of whack-a-mammoth-over-the-head-with-a-rock-then-spit-it-over-a-fire ... but then I read paul_c4x5's post and it sounds as if he has it nailed ...
 
mr rusty said:
Perhaps we should have a "favourite recipes" or "what I am cooking tonight" forum, because I too spend plenty of time in the kitchen!
Click to expand...

I second this idea. Part of why I don't like cooking is that I'm tired of everything I know how to cook. I need some new (and easy) ideas. I also now live somewhere where I can only get the basics. I picked on western PA for being very "meat and potatoes", but this area is even more so. Not being able to get good seafood is exasperating.
 

i have, thanks !
i understand now what you meant thanks for the explanation


=====
i cook for 5+ pretty much every night ...
i sometimes like cooking over the top, and sometimes like plain and simple ...
like with my photography, i would rather color outside the lines ....

lately ive been making citrus-cooked scallop, clam pizzas ..
 
The idea by mr rusty – Perhaps we should have a "favourite recipes" or "what I am cooking tonight" forum and seconded by winger is not a bad idea. If we got enough recipes, we could make it into the APUG International Photographers Cookbook. It could also show some good food photography to go along with individual recipes.
Perhaps someone can suggest what forum to put this in?
 
When ever I make pie crust it makes me think of making D 23. Both have but three ingredients: flour, shortening and water vs Metol, sodium sulfite and water. Two simple recipes, two useful products.
David
 

it has been attempted to have a food related forum but it usually dies ..

maybe in the "groups" area
 
Both cooking and photography are applied chemistry.
 
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