Aperture's newest recipe book, of photographers' favourite foods and accompanying images, doubles up as a time capsule of some of the most extraordinary work of the 1970s
The Photographer’s Cookbook is the long-preserved brainchild of Deborah Barsel, a one-time assistant registrar at what is now New York’s Eastman Museum who, bored in her job in 1977, decided to begin compiling a collection of photographer’s recipes. She posted an advertisement calling for submissions in the museum’s magazine, and began writing directly to practitioners asking if they’d like to contribute. To her surprise, over the years that followed, she received over 120 responses.
Unfortunately, Barsel left her post at the museum before the book came to fruition, only to be rediscovered by one Lisa Hostetler some 35 years later in a box entitled Photo Cookbook. “When I opened the box, I found neatly organised files of Barsel’s correspondence, along with materials and recipes she had gathered for the book,” Hostetler writes in Food for Thought, the introductory essay to the book that she has subsequently published in association through Aperture, with the Eastman Museum. “There was a handwritten letter from Brassaï apologising for missing the deadline for submission and expressing his hope that his photograph and recipe could still be included; a recipe for two classic Southern dishes from William Eggleston; instructions for making and enjoying Robert Heinecken’s favourite martini (‘not recommended before 11:00 a.m.’); Ansel Adams’ recipe for poached eggs in beer; and a postcard from John George stating, ‘I eat out,’ among many other submissions.” In short, it was a goldmine.
Together with Aperture’s senior editor Denise Wolff, Hostetler set about editing and reorganising the recipes and corresponding images, and publishing them in what is now The Photographer’s Cookbook – a pleasingly compact time capsule of imagery and insight into some of the most prolific photographers of the 1970s. It’s a book which necessitates a dinner party, allowing you and a few select friends to eat like the industry’s greatest talents – whether you enjoy Richard Avedon’s The Royal Pot Roast, Ed Ruscha’s Cactus Omelette, or William Eggleston’s Cheese Grits Casserole. Here we share the method behind Ansel Adams' Eggs Poached in Beer, along with a typically magnificent still life by the photographer himself.
Ansel Adams' Recipe for Eggs Poached in Beer
Ingredients
¼ cup (1/8 pound) butter
Mixed spices
Dash sherry
1 bottle dark malt liquor or strong ale (ordinary beer is not strong enough)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 pieces toast
Dash paprika
Method
1. Melt butter in microwave oven, but do not allow to brown. Add a dash of mixed spices and sherry.
2. In a small bowl, microwave malt or ale with 1/4 teaspoon salt just to the boiling point. Carefully slide eggs into this hot liquid, cover with paper plate or glass bowl (to retain thermal heat), and cook as desired in microwave. (See note below on microwave cooking.)
3. While eggs are cooking in microwave, make two pieces of toast. Spread part of the butter-spice mix over the toast.
4. Serve eggs on the toast, and pour over the rest of the butter-spice mix. Add a dash of paprika.
Note on microwave cooking:
I like my eggs poached soft. I find that 1 egg in the hot ale or malt takes about 1 minute to cook, 2 eggs about 2 minutes, etc., all the way up to 8 eggs about 8 minutes. When working with as many as 8 eggs, the bowl should be moved around every 2–3 minutes.
The Photographers Cookbook is out now, published by Aperture.
