Thursday, September 20, 2012

Stuffed Dates



Last night after our dinner I prepared a plate for today's post. It was quite dark to take photos, so I decided to leave the plate in the refrigerator and take another, better photo after sun comes up in the morning. After dropping the teenager at school, I drove back home, thinking of what place in my home  is better to take photos this time of the day? Would it be kitchen? Or Living room?  Upon my return, I started to prepare the set: props, position of the table (I am gaining muscles moving furniture around for better photos as I don't use any additional lights. More on that in a later posts). When everything was ready I went to the kitchen for the plate... Before I checked refrigerator, with the corner of my eyes I caught the familiar plate in the kitchen sink.  "It must be left by someone after the breakfast" - was my innocent thought. Then I opened the refrigerator... My head was turning from refrigerator to the sink in disbelief.  I looked at the happy husband, who was sipping his morning coffee and reading the news. 
"Thanks for the breakfast", - he said. "I love those roasted vegetables. The plate was pretty too. Can you make some more?" 
"Yes, dear"- was my respond with a deep sigh...  
I approached my husband, giving him a hug and kissing him in a well groomed cheek, and murmured in his ear: "I wanted to take a picture of that plate, dear..." 
"Do you know, there is a guy, who ate too much pop corn..." - spoke he softly, taking the conversation into the different direction... 



We continued our  morning conversation about all things life with some tea (me) and coffee (husband) and walnuts stuffed dates, that I made a day before, and had already taken some photos. :)


See you,
Marina




64 comments:

  1. LOL! I guess you need to start posting warning signs on your plates until after the photos are taken. :) The stuffed dates look lovely, too. I've not cooked much with dates, but I've found a lot of date recipes in my grandmother's recipe box, so I think it is time to explore.

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    1. Thank you Linda! It would be interesting to see some dates recipes from your grandmother's recipe box. I wish my grandmother had one, that would be a treasure! :)

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  2. This is one of the popular snack in my house. Have you ever tried it with medjool dates?

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    1. Hi Balvinder, I don't know if I tried medjool dates, often times the only information about it is dates. I will keep my eyes open for medjool dates, thanks! :)

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  3. Really fun post! Very entertaining. All of the good light in my house is in really inconvenient spots. There's great light in my wife's office, and I'm sure she'd cooperate if I wanted to take pictures there, but that's just too much to ask - I'd be evicting her. I finally went to artificial light most (not all) of the time. So much easier to control, and I can take photos whenever it's convenient for me, not the natural light. Oh, and the dates? Really look great. Nice photos. ;-)

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    1. Thank you John! I am not a big fan of artificial lights. I feel as it steals something from the photo... :)

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  4. Fall certainly is here, just by seeing your amazing stuffed dates. Just love figs and dates; especially dates just the way you prepared it! xo

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    1. Thanks Elisabeth. Oh, I am not ready for fall yet, we just stated to have a reasonable weather to enjoy... :)

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  5. Ahaha, oh dear - this sounds like the exact sort of thing my father would have done, if I still lived at home :D They look lovely, although I've never really been able to get on board with dates. In paste form, like in pastries, they're absolutely great, but on their own I've never been a huge fan. I've never tried a fresh one - should try it sometime.

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    1. Hi Charles, thanks for your comment. Last year I tried fresh dates for the first time, and was not fond of it either. I prefer dried ones. :)

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  6. All that happened due to Murphy's law id the light can be ok it will be for sure not ok, if the dish is to wait for the photos to be taken it will for sure be eaten by someone ;-) What I like about that whole story is your approach to what happened. Very zen and very yogic one. Your stuffed dates look really great. yum yum :-)

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    1. Thanks Joanna! You are absolutely right: yoga does help to see things through different more positive lenses. :)

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  7. Lovely stuffed dates. Such a sweet response :) Sometimes we forget what's important, but you did not.

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    1. Hi Sheila, often times I do need to remind myself that important things in my life are not things at all. :)

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  8. I haven't made stuffed dates for years. I love them, and yours look so delectable!

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    1. Thank you Della! I think some sharp cheese would be good too :)

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  9. You are so funny! I was giggling reading this and can relate. Sometimes the family just doesn't get what we're up to :)

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    1. Hi Valerie, I am fine with that. When I started my blog I decided for myself that my blog is going to be about our life, hence no special "effects", just a reflection of what we love, eat, see... :) Thanks for your kind comment!

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  10. My husband knows better, not to touch before I photograph it first-)) It was fun reading about your little moments with your dear husband.

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    1. Thanks my friend! :) There wouldn't be a moment if I just took a photo...

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  11. That is soooo funny! If I saw a plate of those stuffed dates lying around, I'd eat it too!

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    1. Thanks! Well, it wasn't dates he ate before I photographed it. :)

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  12. I have just picked up some walnuts in the garden this morning, now I know what to do with them.

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    1. Lindy, fresh walnuts from the garden?! Awww, that would be a delight to have just by itself. My parents have a few walnut trees in their garden, mmm, I can hear cracking... :)

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  13. Oh dear me, I will learn from your experience and shall leave a note on something if I still want to photograph it. I too battle with finding the right light for photos. The stuffed dates look fantastic too.
    :-) Mandy

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    1. Thank you Mandy! Photography is a new avenue for me, so far I stumble quite often, but still go forward...:)

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  14. Oh no! Fortunately, hubby goes the other way. He was so sweet and didn't eat anything until I came home because he wasn't sure what he could eat :P We both love stuffed dates though and if I had a bowl of those, he would have wolfed them down ;)

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    1. We don't have any blogging restriction to begin with. I just thought that after we had dinner no one would want to eat anymore. :)

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  15. I've had a similar experience, so I'm very sympathetic. I now tag food that is waiting to be photographed. The dates, by the way, look delcious. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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    1. Thank you Mary! I don't make food for the blog, I cook for family and take photos of that. Sometimes I take photos feeling both of my men breathing in my back... :)

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  16. these are so tasty!! And they make a healthy snack too!

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  17. Beautifully done! My hubby has finally learned to ask if he can eat what he finds in the fridge...we've had a few incidents as well. Makes for a good story~

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  18. Dear Marina, What a sweet story. These are a delicious treat. I used to get the task of stuffing the dates on holidays when I was a little girl.
    Blessings dear. Catherine xo

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    1. Hi Catherine, I remember stuffing for the holidays prunes, it was our job when we were kids... :)

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  19. Haha, I can't even tell you how many times that happens to me. Or, I'll be eating dinner and realise.. OH NO, I forgot to photograph it before I messed it up with my enthusiastic nom, nom, nomming.
    Jase is great at restaurants though, always asking 'do you want to photograph this?' before eating. The curse of being a food blogger's man. :D

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    1. My friend is the same way, she always asks if I want to take photo when we go out... :) Thanks for your comment, Sara!

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  20. I wish my husband would eat more of the food that I prepare . . . such as recipes with dates or figs, etc. I'd be kissing him all over his face! Good story Marina, but these look even better than the story! I love, love, love dates!

    Ciao,
    Roz

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    1. Hi Roz, we all eat what I prepare. I cook for my family and take photos of it. Maybe some day I'll be at the point when I would cook for my blog, but not now. :)

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  21. These dates look delicious, I love how Meditteranean they are :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  22. that was such a cute story. my husband loves to much on my cookies and cakes before i get a chance to photograph them. so, i make extras just for him ...that way, he stays away from my stuff...lol

    these dates look yummy! i have also stuffed dates with blanched almonds and sometimes, i even roll them around in finely shredded coconut... they taste brilliant!

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    1. Isn't it fun to read how everyone handles similar situation?! Thanks for your comment! :) Almonds and dates would taste really good!

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  23. haha, Marina - I have to hide things all the time and Ive learned to be quite inventive about finding good places :) the dates look delicious! You might not have been able to photograph them had I been around! :)

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    1. Thank you Chris! Lol, I love my blogging friends... :)

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  24. Haha. Such a lovely story and such tasty dates. Thank you so much for sharing...what a delicious way to end my weekend. I hope you have a beautiful Monday, my friend!

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    1. Hi Monet, thanks for your kind comment. My Monday was beautiful indeed, I posted about it.. :)

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  25. sweet fun story. and yum...looks delicious!!

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  26. these really look good and brought back memories--my mom used to make them at Christmas time--she rolled them in powdered sugar :)

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    1. Thank you Lynn. We also had for Christmas but stuffed prunes, and as a kids it was our job to do it. My brother and I had so much fun! :)

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  27. These look delicious! I must remember to try making some for my kids.

    xx Jenee C.
    {camo meets couture}

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    1. Thank you Jenee. They were delicious indeed. I should remember to make them more often, makes a good snack. :)

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  28. This has only happened to me once. Now if I need to leave something in the fridge I put a big sign on it that says, "THE CAT PEED ON THIS, DON'T EAT IT" which means nobody can eat it until I photograph it. :)

    I love stuffed dates.

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  29. Oh well, I have so many stories reagarding photographing my plates, that you would crack up! It doesn't matter your photos look terrific and after all you made your husband happy with your dish so that's really important!

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    1. Hi Katerina, I'd like to hear some of those stories, and I think many of your readers too... :)

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  30. Oh that happened to me one time too many!
    and I know what you mean about getting muscles moving furniture to chase sun light!
    I love dates and stuffed they are indeed a treat taken to the next level

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    1. Hi Sawsan, we have such a nice weather most of the time, but our townhouse has poor lightning. Chasing the light is a challenge indeed. :)

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  31. Oh, Marina! I'm chuckling here but know that this could happend to anyone. In my home, I live alone but there's Max, my dog. I'd be embarrassed to tell you how many dishes he's "sampled" while I was setting up the camera or place setting. Never fear. The pictures you used look great, as does the sound of your stuffed dates -- and they come with your husband's seal of approval: a clean dinner plate. :)

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    1. Thank you John! I see you have to "share" your food with Max... Don't dogs have the most funny way of "sampling"?! And then look so innocent in your eyes... :)

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  32. I really enjoyed the "accidental" story. You are such a good wife. The dates looks beautiful in the photo. Great job photographing.

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    1. Thanks Holly! I need to show your comment to my husband..:)

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