A byootaful Life

NOTE: This post was written before I left Australia, and has been sitting in my drafts for a while. I figured now was as good a time as any to publish it, as it documents the first time I took my camera along to photograph some food shots! Enjoy.

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I have been to Yum Cha exactly once before and that was when I was much younger, with my parents. I remember being in awe of the massive red gates that signified the entrance to the Chinatown and even more impressed with the numerous ducks hanging in the windows of the shops. I remember thinking they looked delicious but at the same time, how long had they been hanging there? Always the pessimist, I am.

Yesterday Phill, a friend and I went to Yum Cha for lunch. We had driven past a new restaraunt the other day and made a mental note to visit. We didn’t realise that we’d be visiting on the final day of their “Grand Opening Special” which apparently meant each dish was cheaper than normal, so excellent timing for us. We had to wait five minutes for a table because it was absolutely packed to the brim, but that’s normally a good sign, right?

We were shown to a table in a corner which was good because I was eager to try out my new camera. I didn’t particularly want to draw too much attention to myself because, well, I’m still pretty awkward at using it and I’d need a bit of time to achieve good shots. I’ve been playing around with the manual settings for the aperture and shutter speed (which was made much easier to understand thanks to this series of posts by The Pioneer Woman) and I am loving the results (even if I do say so myself!).

It didn’t take long for a few ladies to wheel their carts over and start offering us food. We were so hungry I think our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and we started accepting most of what they offered. We weren’t brave enough to try the chicken feet though – maybe next time…

These deep fried prawn parcels were absolutely delicious! I expected them to be greasy (they sort of look like they should be) but they weren’t – they were really light and crispy. The prawn filling wasn’t too heavy either. I commented to Phill that it might not be prawn in it, but more that seafood-extender type filling, because it didn’t have a strong taste. On a side note, notice the burry background and the focused food? Oh yeah…

Mmmm pork ribs! These were really delicate and had a bit of a kick to them (I didn’t notice the chili until I ate a piece that had some stuck on it). The only hard bit was separating the pork because it seemed to come in a few big chunks and it was a little difficult since the pork was quite slippery and we aren’t pro-chopstick users!

I’m 90% sure these were crab – they were definitely not pork, but I also thought they didn’t taste like prawns. I could be wrong. They had a strange texture, almost oily, which surprised me because I thought they were steamed. Maybe what I was confusing for oil was only moisture from the steaming? I loved the crispy bits on the top and bottom.

I didn’t actually try the sang choy bow but it looked really good. This one gave me the hardest time with the camera though, because the camera kept focusing on the bit of the lettuce closest to me and fuzzed out everything else. I know it’s due to the user, not the camera, but I finally figured it out and got a shot in focus. It was a big relief for me and my friend, because then she could actually eat it!

I was trying to be a good friend by taking quick photos and then putting the camera away. I know some food bloggers spend a while photographing the food before anyone is allowed to eat and I’d just feel terrible about that. I love food and I find it hard to wait, but it’s always worth it when you see the photos afterwards and the food is memoralised on film. If you’re a food photographer, what do you do? Make everyone wait or be a photo ninja, snapping away here and there but ensuring there’s plenty of time for eating?

Ahh, good ol’ spring rolls, the staple of any Chinese meal! These were just so-so, nothing fancy but still delicious. They went great with a sweet and sour sauce and were really crispy. I think we’d been lucky to get a fresh set, since a fresh tray had just arrived to restock the trolley while we were choosing our food.

I love dumplings with a passion. Anything that’s crunchy on one side and steamed on the other is just delicious. In fact, I practically lived on dumplings when we were in Japan. These were quite large and filling, with a pork centre and I found that I could really only eat one or two before I was too full from pork overload!

These were quite strange and I didn’t like them, which surprised me since I love potato. They had a potato filling with what tasted like bacon. Perhaps it was the texture? I’m not a fan of gnocchi either, even though that’s mostly potato too. Strange.

These were so strange – they have a pork filling in a bready bun, but with a sticky sweet glaze over the top. They were really delicious, but I wasn’t sure if they were meant for dessert because of the sweetness. I thought the lady with the trolley would have mentioned if it was meant to be a dessert plate, but she didn’t so I assume it’s not? Either way, they were pretty tasty!

In all, it was a really nice lunch and I left feeling very full, even though *technically* I hadn’t eaten that much. I wonder if it’s because of all the different things I tried, rather than just eating one thing.

So how did I go with my new camera? I’m slowly figuring things out but it’s going to take a while before I’m more confident and happy with my pictures. Already the difference between my old camera and my new camera is amazing – the definition in the photos and the versitility of the camera and its lenses is just WOW – now I just have to learn how to use it properly!