A number of the comments recently have lamented the recent lack of food porn. Well, just like everyone else, I have to make a living and have gone back into my company "full time" (16 hours a day +, for now). Right now I’m editing a book for getting out of debt as a do-it-yourself endeavor.
The company I started in 1992 does this as a service for clients. Now, I’m creating a do-it-yourself program with the possibility also for consulting / coaching: LeanDebt.com, which is just at the beginning of development and the flagship will be the 150+ page ebook I’m currently editing. I fucking hate it; but it has to be done. Two chapters per day…
But what I will insist and command is that, no matter how busy and productive you get, take time to source, prepare and eat Real Food. Here’s some samples over the last couple of weeks. All of these images can and most definitely should be clicked to get the Lightbox hi-resolution versions.
Braised Lamb Shanks
Baked Lamb Loin
Lamb Loin with Browned Butter and Roasted Cauliflower
Grassfed Meatballs with a Heavy Red Wine Reduction and Roasted Broccoli
Bavette and Red Wine Reduction
And finally, since that red wince syrup I put on it hides the pink sweetness, here you go.
Bavette Sans Sauce
Bon appetite!
Wow you really do like lamb! I had to look up “Bavette”. So do you cook it like the French?
“The French are quite partial to this cut, known as bavette. It is quickly seared in a hot pan and eaten rare to maintain its tenderness. “
Hate me for this suggestion if you will, Richard… but for editing your book, I would recommend using the services of someone who actually knows how to spell, punctuate, and write a grammatical sentence. Over the years I’v been following your blog, you have had a lot of spelling errors. Perhaps no one cares about spelling on the internet, but a published book is different. If you can’t spell, your finished product will look less than professional.
Yeah, oops, it should have been “I’ve been following…”
Rather than package it as an e-book, you can self-publish via CreateSpace through Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/mm-summary-page.html?topic=200260520
The returns are much better than you would get through a standard publisher, particularly since you already have an audience here.
Or you can do both…e-book and paper book.
The problem with CreateSpace (well, one of them) is that you need to do 100% of the print-ready formatting yourself. You literally submit cover and interior PDFs. This involves a lot more than just creating something readable on a screen…I know people who do book design, and just choosing a font and line spacing that doesn’t scream “AMATEUR” or “MS WORD” is tricky. (Hint: those fonts don’t come installed on your computer.)
Anyway, this is not intended to dissuade you from the idea…but it’s always easy to tell who used professional designers and who DIYed it. Good formatting will also help your e-book look more professional.
Well, decent design work helps too.
I’m actually all for self-publishing; but it bugs the living crap out of me that people who can’t spell don’t have someone who can spell proofread their books.
I used to do pasteup, layout, and some design before it was all done on computer; but if I *had* to choose between a professional layout and good writing and spelling, I’d choose the latter.
To me, the amateur design just looks like DIY, but bad spelling and grammar really make the author look just plain stupid.
If the author can’t, for instance, differentiate between “to,” “two,” and “too,” I’m inclined to figure that he got his facts wrong too.
One of my “favorite” internet bloopers, which I see all the time is this: “I just want somebody to _except_ my love.” I figure that the author is just too much of a dumbass to realize that he wrote something nearly opposite to what he probably means.
I love the meat photos. The lamb shanks look expertly done, same with the loins! The bavette though, is overcooked for my taste. I want my blood for Christ sakes! LOL
Yeah, I’m with you on that one. My meat needs to be mooooooing, LOL!
I know you hate vegetables, but that cauliflower looks amazing. =P
One of these days I’m going to have to join “Amino Acids Anonymous.”
Thanks for all the suggestions. This is actually both an ebook and print version I had put together back in about 2005 with a couple of professional copy editors. I’m simply editing for content. I’m in contact with the professionals who will take it from there in terms of page layout, proofreading, marketing, etc.
We’ve been debt-free for a few years now. I guess it mainly came about as a result of some focus, hard work and luck. If you’re helping people get rid of debt, you’re doing some really important work, Richard.
yummy looking food… no recipe?? :(
Is that lamb loin wrapped up in a cm of fat? Looks DELICIOUS!
I didn’t even know about your company at the time I desperately needed to use the same kind of services. The last few years, since an approximately 30% pay cut, have been a financial nightmare for me (I was the primary breadwinner in the beginning too). Fortunately, that will be coming to an end soon, although the debt settlement plan will take somewhat longer.
I don’t see anything wrong, in and of itself, that some companies have been charging upfront fees. The way my plan was set up, I have made a certain payment each month, and at the beginning, building up the escrow account was slow because most of those payments were going toward the fees. Now the fees are paid off, and all the payments I made are going into the escrow fund.
I’ve learned my lesson, but it’s been a rather expensive one, to be sure.
When I do tri-tip, I have to pull some slices off while it’s still rare and bleeding, because my fellow likes his meat well done. It’s still good, even though it’s supermarket meat.
I had a couple of those lamb shanks at a local restaurant; they were good, but didn’t have nearly enough meat on them for me. I think I got either 2 or 3 little shanks, and I could easily have eaten twice that many.
When the bills are lower, I want to get a leg o’lamb here and there. I’ve eaten mutton too, but it’s obviously a lot tougher. It makes good broth, though. The only place I’ve found mutton so far is in the Hispanic supermarkets.
I feel your pain on the book editing. Freakin’ sucks.
Ever think about a food porn ebook?
last night i have a great idea while i sleep dry the meat and then make flour what do you think haha