Carli Wentworth Photography

Cooking with the Sassy Mama | OKC Food Photographer

Carli Wentworth — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 02:34:18 +0000

Last year I had the opportunity to shoot the food photography for a cookbook. This has always been on my list of things to aspire for, but I had no idea I would get to accomplish it so soon. I’m very blessed to have talented people in my life who like to make me look good! One of those people being Caryn Ross. If you haven’t heard her name before, just wait. It’s only a matter of time. Her intuition when it comes to food combined with her sassy personality make a beautiful combination. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the book. If you’d like to order a copy, check out Caryn’s blog here. The cookbooks are also available at Tulips Home and Gifts, Mels Kloset, The Painted Door, Best of Books, Wright’s Family Market, and Hastings. Enjoy!

Kitchen 324 | Restaurant Review | OKC Food Photographer

Carli Wentworth — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 04:18:04 +0000

I promise, there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for me going to Kitchen 324 three days in a row. With my camera. Causing a scene.

Well..let me explain.

I’m always keeping my eyes and ears open for new restaurants and when I heard about this one, I was thrilled. It sounded like it was made for me. Local, fresh, homemade food located downtown and uniquely delicious; I was dying to try it. I grabbed my camera (Day 1) and planned on snapping a few quick photos. But I couldn’t help myself, everything was beautiful. I couldn’t resist the simple, modern-yet-elegant atmosphere. Or the shiny new espresso machine. Or the smell of fresh-baked pastries. Once the food arrived, I was hooked. What a wonderfully refreshing take on breakfast. It’s places like this that are really contributing to the growth and transformation of OKC.

Later that day, I had an email in my inbox from Slice magazine. They wanted to me to shoot a new restaurant downtown called Kitchen 324. Hm, how ironic. So, (Day 2) I walked in with my camera and took over a spot in the corner, hoping to be out of the way as much as possible, and avoiding eye contact with anyone who might have noticed me doing this exact same thing the day before. But once again, I got carried away with my subject. Can’t say that the latte or the carrot cake donut survived.

The next day was my friend’s birthday. We knew that we wanted brunch, but she needed suggestions. What can I say? I had Kitchen 324 on the brain. As I entered (Day 3) I took a quick glance around. I didn’t see anyone who looked familiar, so I thought I’d be ok. I mean, I wasn’t planning on eating there every day…it just kinda happened. We found our seats and when the waitress came to take our order I had to laugh, it was the same woman who I had spoken with about the blog and magazine the past two days in a row. “Yep, I’m back…but I promise it’s for her birthday, and (this time) I didn’t bring my camera!”

But really, there’s no need to justify showing up three days in a row to the employees at Kitchen 324. Because they understand. So go ahead, come everyday. There’s no judgment here.

Smoked Salmon

Carrot Cake Donut

Green Eggs & Ham

Steel Cut Oats

Latte

Pineapple, Green Apple, Lemon, Mint Juice

Greek Yogurt with Seasonal Preserves

That’s right, even the water has personality here.

Coffee Bar

Kitchen 324

To see a much more eloquently written article in Slice Magazine, click here. For more information on Kitchen 324, check out their website and menu, here.

Have a restaurant you’d like to see featured on the blog? Leave a comment!

Flint | OKC Restaurant Review

Carli Wentworth — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 01:28:30 +0000

There’s nothing I love more than breaking the Oklahoma stereotype. Tornadoes, cowboy boots, teepee’s.. yeah that stuff is out there. But there is a whole side of Oklahoma that’s just waiting to be discovered. One of the places contributing to the growth of OKC is my new found breakfast obsession, Flint. It’s located at the bottom of the historic Colcord hotel, across from the newly renovated Myriad Gardens. Looking out the window at the downtown view, you don’t feel like you’re in Oklahoma. Flint is the perfect blend of cozy and upscale. Its lounge area and unique fireplace not only sets the restaurant apart, but also makes it the place to be now that fall has arrived. As if that isn’t enough comfort, just try the food. This visit I decided on the lemon ricotta pancakes with papaya chutney, while Hannah ordered the heart healthy omelet. Both had the melt-in-your mouth deliciousness factor. (Very important.) Though I’ve yet to try it, Flint is open for lunch and dinner as well. If it’s anything like breakfast then I think we’re in for a treat.

Breakfast is serious business. Thanks for putting up with me and my camera, Hannah.

For more info and to see a menu check out their website! http://flintokc.com

15 North Robinson Ave. OKC, OK -Free valet parking during your meal (up to 90 minutes).

Nebu | OKC Devon Tower | Restaurant Review

Carli Wentworth — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:51:48 +0000

Confession: I have an infatuation with the Devon tower. It has become a compass when I’m lost and a landmark when giving directions. It surpasses all other buildings in our little skyline so much that it looks out of place. Not to mention that it’s extremely photogenic. As if I needed another reason to love this tower, now there’s Nebu.

Nebu is a cafeteria style restaurant with a fresh twist. Although it’s located inside the Devon tower, you don’t have to be an employee to come here. It’s menu offers salads, sandwiches, pizza, and sushi; along with other hot items like pasta, burgers, and burritos. Nebu is taking a step in the right direction for OKC, offering healthier, simple solutions for lunch. When you’re short on time usually eating right goes out the window, but that doesn’t have to be the case. And the best part? It won’t break the bank.

Nebu is located in the garden wing of the Devon Tower. Open Monday-Friday 7:30 am – 2.pm. *Coming Soon* Illy Coffee to be opened in August. Future blog post? I think so!

My taste-tester for the day.

Chocolate Quick Fix | OKC Food Photographer | Recipes

Carli Wentworth — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 01:51:58 +0000

Whether you find yourself getting caught in traffic, spilling something all over a new shirt or forgetting your phone at home.. Some days just call for chocolate. Not that we’d need an excuse for that. Every once in a while (everyday), I get a chocolate craving that just won’t go away. A craving that not just any chocolate could take care of. Something warm and gooey could only do the trick. But who has time to make a warm gooey cake at a moments notice? During one of my said cravings, I was desperately rifling through recipes and found this one for cake in a cup. I doubted that a cake made in the microwave could actually taste good, but much to my surprise it was unexpectedly delicious. One recipe makes two servings. Three if you just need a sampling. Or one…if you’ve had a rough day.

Cup Cake

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

Splash of vanilla

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

Put dry ingredients in a mug and mix well. Add egg, milk, oil, vanilla, and chips. Mix with fork. Put in microwave for three minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy.

* This recipe would be great made with peanut butter, coconut, cinnamon, or banana etc. Make it your own!

Chipotle Steak Tacos with Fire Roasted Corn Salsa | Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Carli Wentworth — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:07:26 +0000

While living in Massachusetts I learned many things, but mainly: 1. Pretty winter snow is overrated. 2. There is no such thing as real Mexican food that far north. Now that I’m back in Oklahoma I appreciate Mexican cuisine even more. So for me, Cinco de Mayo is a great excuse to eat anything that involves a tortilla.

Chipotle Tacos with Fire Roasted Corn Salsa

Ingredients

1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Juice of 2 limes, divided
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank or skirt steak, 1 inch thick (ask the butcher to tenderize it twice)
kosher salt and coarse black pepper
16 soft taco-size corn or flour tortillas, charred. I like the La Abuela brand because they come ready to cook and taste homemade.

Toppings for tacos

grilled sweet corn, scraped from the cob
pico de gallo (make your own or use pre-made) mix with grilled corn
Crumbled Queso Fresco
black beans
sour cream or plain yogurt
lime juice

Preparation

Seed chipotle peppers then purée with adobo sauce into a smooth paste. Add 4 tablespoons to a large plastic food storage bag. Place remainder in a small freezer bag with the date for future use. To the large food storage bag, add the lime juice, honey, Worcestershire, oregano, garlic and vegetable oil. Mash up the bag with your hands to combine.

Season steak with salt and lots of black pepper. Drop it in the bag and press out most of the air as you seal up the bag. Maneuver the marinade evenly around the meat and marinate in the fridge for several hours.

Bring the beef to room temperature. Pre-heat the broiler and set an oven rack one notch up from the center. Shake off excess marinade, place beef on a broiler pan and broil 5 minutes on each side for rare, 12 minutes total for pink center or medium.

Let meat rest 5-10 minutes then thinly slice against the grain. Serve with charred hot tortillas and toppings above or of your choice. Serves 4-6

Feel free to use chicken as well as steak. Grilling the meat also works well if you prefer not to use a broiler.

Quinoa Cookies | OKC Food Photographer | Recipes

Carli Wentworth — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:06:46 +0000

Growing up, I was extremely picky. Nothing too colorful, flavorful, and definitely nothing out of the ordinary. Then quite suddenly, my taste buds completely transformed. No longer was I skipping salads before meals and writing off foods that looked unusual. Like most kids, I was obsessed with McDonald’s. But now even the thought of eating there grosses me out. (Not to mention that I’ve seen the documentary Super Size Me.) That being said, even though I like to eat healthy, I love desserts. I am always up for a ‘healthier’ version of something if there is one, so I was very pleased to find this recipe for peanut butter cookies. Some of you may be hesitant if you aren’t familiar with quinoa, but I promise there is nothing to fear here. So if you find yourself like I used to be, give these a try. I bet even my former self would have approved.

Peanut Butter Quinoa Cookies

1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter (I’m obsessed with Teddie’s. I have it shipped to my house..)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup Quinoa Flakes
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat honey, brown sugar, butter, margarine, peanut butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl until creamy. Combine rice flour, quinoa flakes, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Add to mixture and beat until well blended. If desired add nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Yields about 3 dozen cookies. Or around 2 dozen if you like larger cookies, like me.

Local | OKC Food Photographer | Restaurant Reviews

Carli Wentworth — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 02:22:30 +0000

Local defines everything I love. Their philosophy is to eat real food from farmers in the area, to be self-sustained and creative, and over all, to simply be original. Oklahoma has needed a restaurant like this for a long time.
Local’s originality is the key to their success. Although they might be a little under the radar for now, I have a feeling it won’t be like that for long. They do things differently, right down to serving lime in the water instead of lemon. It’s the little thoughtful things that make a difference.
Their location is a bit deceiving from the outside it looks like it might be a small cafe in a strip mall. After going inside I was more than surprised. It’s spacious and has a modern vibe to it. Who says that you have to be a hipster-tree hugger to eat healthy? Local has some unique features that set it apart.

Localville – a space created just for the little ones. It’s completely separate from the rest of the restaurant so it’s a perfect place to bring the kids and still fit in some alone time. They can play and eat in this supervised area. The only problem being they might not want to leave.
Local Market - a take-out version of Local, where you can purchase fresh and frozen foods to be prepared at home.
Private Event Space – A dining room available for private parties. The room will feature different artwork throughout the year and it even has a private entrance for VIP guests or surprise visitors.

But as great as all that is, what about the food? I tried the Sweet Potato Ravioli with brown butter and swiss chard. The homemade pasta was light and smooth and the brown butter sauce was richly divine. But I must admit, I was stealing bites of my mom’s Turkey Lasagna the entire time. Initially, I thought the portions looked small, but I think that was just because my eyes were bigger than my stomach. Local offers a long list of atypical lunch and dinner items, we just happened to be in the mood for the two italian ones, so don’t think that’s all they offer. I still managed to find some room for dessert, Banana Split Bread Pudding. It’s served with a whole banana, vanilla gelato, and then lightly drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauces. I saw the table next to us throwing jealous glances our way a few times. Not that I’d ever let that stop me. The service we had needed some improvement, but given that Local is still in its beginning stages, we can’t be too hard on them. After all, it’s hard to find a place that’s taking strides not just to stand out, but to stand for something.

You can view Local’s menu here.

2262 West Main Street Norman, OK 73069

Tuesday-Saturday at 11am.

Friday and Saturday there is a Late Night menu from 10pm-2am.

-Oh and next time, I’m trying the cookies and milk. Sound boring? Not if it’s peanut butter infused milk and a chocolate cookie.

Shelby Clark | Senior 2012 | Blog Contest!

Carli Wentworth — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 22:32:50 +0000

Meet Shelby! I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Shelby for a while now and I was so excited to get to photograph her. Her inner beauty radiates from within and is contagious to everyone around her. If you’ve been around her for more than 5 minutes then you know what a wonderfully, spunky girl she is. Since Shelby practically bursts with personality, photographing her was a breeze! But I wanted to make sure that I captured the quieter side of her too-all those in between moments. Check out how gorgeous she is and leave her some love in the comment box. For every 20 comments she receives a complimentary print!

Lemonade with a Twist | OKC Food Photographer | Recipes

Carli Wentworth — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:11:29 +0000

As the temperatures increase, so does my readiness for all things summer. Although it has only been Spring a few days, I find myself dreaming of having a tan already. I guess I may be jumping the gun just a bit. But can you blame me after living through a Massachusetts winter last year? This warm weather sparked my craving for homemade lemonade. This wasn’t one of those, “oh-that-sounds-good” cravings…it was more like the can’t-concentrate-or-be-productive kind of cravings. Nothing from a can, bottle, or powder was going to do the trick. So what started out as an innocent craving turned into a photo shoot. What can I say? I had some very photogenic lemons.

But you see, problems arise with these types of cravings when you only have four lemons on hand. The thing is, sometimes when we run into problems the result becomes better than what we had intended in the first place. Since the amount of lemon juice squeezed was minimal, I needed something else. I had a tangelo in the fridge, so I went ahead and squeezed that too. The result was even better than what I had originally planned. Seems like lemons are always teaching us life lessons.

Homemade Lemonade

Mix 3 cups water
1 cup lemon juice (or in my case, add other citrus juices with the lemon. Tangelo, orange, lime ect.)
1/2 cup sugar

*optional – I didn’t have any on hand, but I thought a few sprigs of mint would be prefect.

*I also used Meyer lemons, which have a stronger citrus flavor and are less bitter.