Ready for their close-ups

Food on television seldom looks the same as food in real life. It looks better actually. For this, we have stylists, tabletop directors and special-effects riggers to thank.

The business section of The New York Times provides insight on people in the ad world "hired to turn the most mundane and fattening staples of the American diet into luscious objects of irresistible beauty."

From director Michael Somoroff, for instance:

"I make my living basically taking food and painting a reality with it... And if I succeed in a given moment, you're going to go buy that dish because you're going to identify with the experience we've created.

"To do that with something as banal as food is the challenge. I mean, it's easy to go out and shoot a beautiful sunset or a beautiful girl. They're beautiful, O.K.? I've got a noodle over here."

Making soup

The days get shorter and inevitably colder. I think to make soup, using Lisa Schroeder's recipe as a decent jumping-off point.

Manhattan Clam Chowder
from Lisa Schroeder's "Mother's Best: Comfort Food That Takes You Home Again"

2 strips bacon, finely diced
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
2 ribs celery, finely diced
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced into half-moons and washed
1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 10.75-ounce can tomato puree
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 1/2 cups fish stock or 2 14-ounce cans clam juice
1 10-ounce cans baby clams in juice
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
5 dashes Tabasco sauce
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Place a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the bacon. When it starts to brown in spots, lower the heat to medium. Continue to cook until most of the fat has been rendered and the bacon is almost crisp, about 4 minutes.

Add the vegetable oil, onions, carrots, celery, leeks and green bell peppers. Saute, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.

Add the diced and pureed tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme and potatoes.

Add the stock or clam juice. Stir to mix well. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Add the clams with their juice and season with salt and pepper. Add the Tabasco and Worcestershire. Bring back to a simmer for several minutes.

Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread or crackers. Makes 7 servings.

Food court fare

The dining options at Westfield Century City take food court fare to a whole other tastier level. There is sushi and ramen, Italian and Chinese, cupcake and yogurt. I could get used to this quite easily.