Old World Italian

My copy of Mimi Thorisson’s new cookbook, Old World Italian, arrived yesterday and it has me excited for a cozy weekend of recipe reading and testing. We are headed up north to our tiny cabin this evening, a place where I love to cook, so the timing could not have been more perfect.

I’ve followed Mimi for years, since her idyllic days in Médoc living in her family’s farmhouse and now, I look forward to reading about their new adventure in Turin, Italy.

Admittedly, part of what first drew me into her work was the photography. Her husband, Oddur Thorisson has been capturing her culinary travels and recipes since the beginning. There is such depth to her work — her authenticity and passion comes alive in the imagery that feels so uncontrived yet seductive in color, texture and mood. And yes, there is indeed an element of “Old World” to her spirit and philosophy that I find incredibly alluring. She is perhaps one of the royal members of and advocates for the Slow Food movement that captivates many of us.

From foraging in the fields for mushrooms, to the best duck with green olives in Paris, to her favorite local markets in Bordeaux, Mimi has always been a go-to source of mine when I’m scheming up special meals, and even influenced our restaurant selections in Paris last fall and on our honeymoon in Italy.

I highly recommend following Mimi on Instagram, and welcoming her cookbook to your kitchen.

Now, I’m off to find some Oxtail Stock…

ABOVE & BELOW: Snippets from Mimi’s new cookbook, available for order on Amazon — or, better yet, call your local bookstore to see if they will order for you.

MEET MAAIKE OF MAAIKE BERNSTROM PHOTOGRAPHY

The creator behind the lens steps in front of it: Maaike of MAAIKE BERNSTROM PHOTOGRAPHY

I met Maaike what seems like many moons ago, when I was starting the very beginning of C&C, and enlisted her talent to generate some content. Maaike was already very established with her photography career, however it’s been an absolute thrill seeing her in full throttle mode ever since. Though her work ranges from commercial to lifestyle and weddings, there is one notable constant — this girl is in HIGH DEMAND.

Whether she’s shooting for Anthropologie, Vineyard Vines, Stetson or Farmaesthetics, Maaike has a way of making her subjects in front of the camera look and feel incredibly natural and alluring.

On a personal level, it’s been fun to reflect back on those initial photos with Maaike, while also knowing that she’s been there to capture other milestone moments, like our engagement and wedding (scroll for a few snaps). I’ve always loved the way Maaike uses light and there seems to be an inherent nod to the natural world with her work. Perhaps the result of her upbringing, as she notes below. Her imagery is indeed visually intoxicating, yet so organic. With summer around the corner, I always think to her imagery, and thus, thought I’d showcase a few of her summer-esque photos! (View her full portfolio here).

I wish I could just bottle this moment….

A commercial shoot for Anthropologie x The Dahlia Shed. Is there a better combo than summer whites and big juicy dahlias?!

I invite you to get to know Maaike with a good old fashioned Q&A, below (and be sure to follow her on Insta):

Maaike! Your work is so beautiful and I especially love the way you master light. How do you think about light when it comes to your photography?

Aw thanks Caitlin!  For me, lighting is one of the most important elements when it comes to photography. Whether you are shooting indoors or outdoors lighting is what brings out that feeling which draws you into the image. Golden hour light is a magical time of the day to photograph people - it is a very flattering light and offers such a warm ethereal element to images.

What are some of the magical components that make a shoot fulfilling for you behind the lens?  

I try to make everyone who steps in front of my lens feel comfortable and to give them the time to relax and trust the process. Being in front of someone's camera can be a very nerve-racking experience - I do my best to eliminate that feeling.  So for my family + wedding clients when everyone is relaxed - those deep heartfelt images are the result - its magic.

In addition - when you have the right magical light and location on top of relaxed clients it is a win win - such a great feeling.

Ideal subject matter? 

Any shoot with a person!  I have been working with some great brands over the last few years shooting commercial/lifestyle imagery for their branding - it is so fun to pull together the whole shoot from picking the models, to the location to the styling of clothing + props. I really enjoy this avenue of commercial photography

You honor nature and the outdoors with so much of your work, whether it’s directly or in a subliminal fashion. What do the outdoors represent to you, personally?

Being outside hiking, exploring, traveling, sailing, camping,  skiing, gardening were all things my parents instilled on my brother and I  from a very early age. All of those feelings of being free in nature as a child has stuck with me. It has drawn me to work with brands that offer the same feelings of being outside and sense of adventure. Being outside in the fresh air no matter what the season is an instant mind “ reset” for me.  

For my photography - I have built my business around shooting outdoors in natural light.

We share a similar affection for the state of Vermont and all of the wonderful gifts it brings, especially in the winter. What does an ideal wintry day in Vermont look like for you and your family?

YES - we run to Vermont every chance we get - it is definitely one of our most favorite happy places. The minute we all arrive in Vermont we feel relaxed - whether its for some hiking in the summer and fall or for the ski season in the winter. 

Hmm… an ideal wintery day in Vermont starts with coffee by the fire early in the am. Then its straight to Bromley Mountain where our daughter races on the ski team and where we ski all day, which leads to après with friends, then its home for dinner, fireside family time and bed - REPEAT!  On days where I am not skiing I love to hike all around - and snowshoe up the backside of Bromley.

You have a special tie to the Netherlands. Can you share a little bit about this? 

My mother is from The Netherlands and it is a country I have been going to since I was 6 months old. My name Maaike is a traditional dutch name meaning little girl - my brother’s name is Sam - haha I always joke about this. Holland is a very special place to me - we have lots of family and friends who live here and we try to make it back at least 1 x a year. Holland is a very small country so it is so easy to visit so many people in one visit - we love to bike from town to town, the food, the canals, the light, the flowers - I wish I was there right now!

Summer is (almost!) upon us here in Newport. What are some of your favorite things about summertime here in the Newport area?

Summertime in Newport is... let's be real - the main reason we all choose to live here. A few of our favorite things to do are beach dinners with friends, rafting up at Mackerel cove, Clarke Cooke house Sushi, and soaking up endless days at 2nd Beach.

Can you share with us some of your go-to staples in your farmer’s market shopping basket?

I love going over to Casey Farm for their Saturday morning Farmer’s markets as well as Aquidneck Farmers market - in my basket is usually fresh fish, fresh baked goods from Olga’s, and veggies from Little River Farm out of Exeter.

I’m always weak in the knees for a good old fashioned screen door…they remind me of happy hazy summer adventures. Love this shot Maaike captured as part of a special wedding album.

Lovely bits featuring Blundstone and Little State Flower Company.

Maaike’s darling daughter and her prized summer wheels.

Would you rather... Cocktail harbor cruise in the summer, or fireside nightcap in the winter?

Unfair question haha!  Seriously - I am not sure , can I choose both :)?

Are there other creatives in the New England area you’re championing for at the moment? 

A really nice part of my job is that I get to work with so many other creatives from handcrafting artisans to videographers and fellow photographers to stylists and writers, jewelry makers to floral designers. A few years ago I met a woman named Linda Campos who lives in Boston- we have become social media friends and I just love her food photography and the direction she has taken her business - go give her a follow :) -  I could seriously name over a 100 people I am championing for - New England seems to be a powerhouse area in our country for Creatives!

Favorite summer bloom? 

Ohh so hard to pick one - I love peonies, dahlias, echinacea, zinnas, and hydrangeas!

A salty and sublime New England moment.

This was one of the snaps from our engagement shoot with Maaike. Just love how she works with light!

Love this shot Maaike took from our wedding in the Adirondacks. I chose this Oscar de la Renta dress as I fell in love with all of the embroidery and appliqué details. Naturally, it was nothing near what I had pictured my dress would be but Maaike captured the details so beautifully.

A slightly haphazard yet perfectly captured snapshot of summer in all its glory.

I had to feature this holiday shot for Farmaesthetics. Don’t you want to just jump right in to this dreamy scene?!

Quick! You’re hopping on a plane tomorrow to shoot any landscape in the world. Where are you going and what camera equipment are you bringing?

We were supposed to be in Morocco over April break - hiking in the Atlas mountains which was postponed due to Covid. Morocco is still heavy on my mind so I would say there… I generally travel pretty light with camera gear - I was planning to just bring my Canon Mark 1V and Canon 35mm. I was so excited to document our trip through the markets of Marrakech to the Atlas Mountains and high desserts by camel. We will get there someday.

You’ve truly done it all (and so beautifully!) — from lifestyle to weddings, commercial to hospitality, family shoots to fashion. If you could only pick one sector, what would it be?

Over the past few years I have been directing my business towards mainly shooting lifestyle branding which not only am I super passionate about but also works really well with my young daughters schedule. Running a busy business and being a mom and wife definitely has its scheduling scrambles at times but directing my business this way has been so positive on all fronts.

Thank you, Maaike!

A blast from the past featuring yours truly…the past, as in 2014.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHY: MAAIKE BERNSTROM PHOTOGRAPHY

Evolving Appeal

Photographed by William Waldron for Elle Decor, the feature on the Edwardian home in San Francisco's Presidio Heights neighborhood found me while thumbing through the magazine in the park. (I also realized the home is one I admire frequently on my running route in the neighborhood).  Although I personally think the dining room resembles more of a boardroom I'd picture in Aerin Lauder's office for example, I keep examining the space. While I appreciate photography as an art form, I have historically preferred seeing paintings, sculpture and the like in what I believe should be kept as a formal room. This photograph however has me thinking differently. The design elements are modern and fresh but because it's juxtaposed by dark wainscoting and beautiful moldings, it works for me. The home was done by San Francisco designer Palmer Weiss. View more images of the home below.