Around here - Film Scans

Last year I bought a 2nd hand Canon AE1 film camera, the same film camera I first bought when I was 17 years old and learnt all about photography.  Having shot with a Digital SLR camera the past 18 years and going back to not seeing what the image looks like a second after you take it takes a bit of getting used to.  You can't adjust your ISO once you put your film in vs Digital Camera you can just dial up any ISO.  The camera has a manual focus system whereas the Digital SLR has an automatic focus system however I mostly used manual focus anyway but both cameras are very different.

You have to source the film and in this case I used Kodak Portra 300, take your 36 images then get the film processed which all costs $$.  Film is making a come back with some photographers and they are actually shooting family sessions with film.  I will stick with my Digital SLR camera but having a little personal project is something I want to have fun with.

This is the 2nd roll of film I have put through the camera and I decided half way through this roll not to go full manual on the lens.  The images aren't amazing and the grain is from the film which everyone these days are trying to emulate in post processing of their digital images nowadays.  I want to take one roll of film a month however I need to match this with a day out and not just take images at home as there's only so much I can take photos of here.  I think the next roll will be better as I will do things a little differently. 

Elise who I have been following for about 13 years has a whole lot of blog posts about her "Film Project" shooting one roll a month.  She had a little break and they moved a year ago into their forever home and has picked up the film camera again photographing her summer veggie garden and flower patch.

Here's a couple of images from good old fashioned film camera.  They are not fabulous however I think the next roll I'll be able to produce better shots.  The ones of the home grown tomatoes in the bowl I think are pretty good for film and now I'll do things a bit different so stay tuned.

Around here

A beautiful day in Brisbane today and a friend and I went to another Farmers Market for breakfast and do some fruit and veggie shopping.  It was a nice morning and we spent way less money than I would have at the supermarket.  Here's a few photos from my week.

Around her - Brisbane City Photo Walk

On Saturday I met up with a group of people to do a little photo walk from Southbank to Anzac Square in the city.  There were 7 of us and afterwards we had a coffee before heading home which was lovely.  Here's a few photos that I took on our walk.

The famous BRISBANE sign at Southbank with the city across the river.

The Queen's Wharf Development.

The Kitchen Restaurant at The Treasury Casino.

Stairs at the Treasury Casino.

Shadows on the stairs of the Treasury Casino.

Beautiful light in the foyer of the Treasury Casino.

Kangaroos in George Street.

Another Kangaroo in George Street.

Lights at the entrance of the Brisbane Quarter.

Lights at the entrance to the Brisbane Quarter.

City Hall Clock Tower in the distance from George Street.

Brisbane City Hall in winter.

King George Square.

King George Square

King George Square.

King George Square.

Adelaide Street, Brisbane City.

Around here - Mozzarella Cheese

I have been thinking about making cheese lately and about 9 years ago my sisters and I got a Mad Millie Cheese Making Kit each from our Mum for Christmas.  We had a morning at my place and made our first Mozzarella Cheese which was lots of fun.  Last week I came across an easier Thermomix Recipe to make Mozzarella Cheese so thought I would give it a go today.

This is the link to the 19 minute Mozzarella Cheese Making Video which I used, and as always I like to have the steps and recipe on my blog so I can quickly refer back to it in the future.

If you want an amazing Cheese guy to learn from go and check out Gavin Webber from Victoria, Australia as he has been making cheese for years.   He sells kits and cheese ingredients as well.  You can buy Gavin's Cheese Making ebooks [these are in USD].

I ended up buying a kit as it came with a bundle of things.

MOZZARELLA EQUIPMENT

• Thermomix TM31
• Thermomix Insulated Stainless Steel Serving Bowl
• Slotted Spoon
• Muslin Cloth
• Strainer
• Large Bowl
• Small bowl for cold water and ice cubes

MOZZARELLA CHEESE INGREDIENTS

• 2 Litres of Milk [cannot be long life UHT Milk]
• 1 Teaspoon of Citric Acid
• 1 Teaspoon of Cheese Salt
• 1 Rennet Tablet [this recipe said Vegan Rennet Tablet] if liquid rennet 1.25 ml

METHOD [I AM USING A THERMOMIX TM31]

Sterilize all equipment.

Boil the kettle and pour hot water into Thermomix Stainless Steel Serving Bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Pour Milk into the Thermomix Bowl.

Dissolve 1 Teaspoon of Citric Acid in half a cup of warm water until clear and add to milk.

Set TM31 to  10 seconds / Speed 3 to mix together.

Set TM31 to 5-10 minutes at 37 degrees / Speed 1 [when green light stops flashing it's at temperature and stop the heating up process. [it can take between 5-10 minutes so watch it]

Crush 1 rennet tablet and add it to 1/4 cup of warm water [not hot water] and stir through and set aside. [I used 1.25 ml liquid rennet as that's what I had however I'm going to order some tablets]

Tip out the hot water from the Serving Bowl.

Once the milk mixture has come to temperature pour it into the warmed Serving Bowl.

Pour the rennet mixture into the milk mixture and stir all around for 30 seconds so it's mixed in.

Place the lid on and let it sit for 15-30 minutes depending on if the curds and whey set.

Using a large knife cut the curds across one way in a big line and then cut in the opposite direction.

Leave for 15 minutes [might need 30] until the curds and whey have separated.

With a large spoon carefully place all the curds and whey into the Thermomix jug [gently]

Turn Thermomix on for 30 minutes / 37 degrees ** / Reverse / Speed Spoon [**40 degrees if you have a Thermomix with the dial - mine is older]

Drain all the curds and whey using the cloth and strainer over a large bowl.

Holding the jug from the bottom of the handle and pour it into the cloth to strain.

Pull cloth together and gently tease a little bit of whey out but not squeezing the cheese.

Place all the cheese into the TM31 and add 1 teaspoon of cheese salt [you could use normal salt]

Turn TM31 dough function on to knead the cheese 2 minutes / dough function [wheat symbol] closed lid position.

Get your glass bowl ready with cold water and ice cubes.

Turn out the cheese into a glass bowl it will looked a little bit whipped.

Place bowl with cheese into the microwave for 30 seconds.

Then fold the cheese over on itself using a spatula to get rid of the last bit of whey.

Doing the same - 30 seconds in the microwave and stretch again using the spatula.

Once cheese is glossy and stretchy squeeze between thumb and first finger and make balls.

Place into the bowl of ice water.

To keep the cheese in the fridge for a week place some of the whey into a glass container and put the cheese into it and pop on the lid.  [that's if there's any cheese left for the fridge].

It looks like a lot of steps however it's not much hands on time.  This was super fun and now I can add making Mozzarella Cheese to my list of things I can make at home.  This brought me so much joy I made a second batch the next day which up until the last 2 steps looked better than the first one but was an epic fail.  I think I took too my whey out and when I kneaded it that was the step it didn't do it's thing.   I will make it again but first I'll order some rennet tablets.

This is the step that it goes into the microwave for 30 seconds and then using a spatula you fold

 it back on itself and then repeat this step so there is no whey left and it's glossy and stretchy.

Once it's ready pop it into cold ice water to keep the firm shape.

My first attempt at shaping, not the greatest but the cheese tasted amazing.