I think of flavours in terms of tones, going from earthy and sweet to sour and light, and various grades in between. And I like my food to have a range of tones of flavours, be multidimensional. I know it may seem strange to talk of food in such terms, but somehow it makes sense. A garnish of certain fresh herbs on a meaty stew or curry. A squeeze of lemon or lime or a drizzle of brightly-flavoured extra virgin oil on pasta or salad lift that dish to more interesting heights. I also often use fresh chillies to give that uplift. I mix raw and cooked, grains and brightly flavoured vegetables, add the afore mentioned flourishes in order to achieve these tastes. They rock my boat, they just do it for me.
All posts in category Photography
Kitchen Notes: Building flavour and a warm salad
Posted by Maninas on 27 February, 2014
https://maninas.wordpress.com/2014/02/27/kitchen-notes-building-flavour-and-a-warm-salad/
Blue Mosque, Istanbul
Sultanahmet Camii (‘C’ is pronounced like ‘j’ in ‘jockey’), better known as the Blue Mosque after its intricate blue-tiled decorations, is the first and the last place I visited in Istanbul. (The airport doesn’t count, no. They usually don’t.)
The Blue Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I (hence the name Sultanahmet Camii), and on the site of the palace of Byzantine emperors and the hippodrome, facing Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya in Turkish).
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Silent Blue
This is one of my favourite photos, if not the favourite from the great Mosque.
Amazing inside
Mosque lights series
Mosque carpets. Not the expensive, hand-woven kind, I imagine, though I’m not an expert, but still wonderfully soft on our bare feet.
Multitudes of visitors inside the mosque
This is the space for prayers, from the other side of the barrier for visitors. The space for women was yet on the other side, towards the back of the mosque.
Men praying
Detail of decoration inside the Mosque
The Mosque at night
These were taken from the terrace of our hotel, which was very close to the Blue Mosque. So close that our room resounded with the call to prayer, or so it felt when we were in it. I grew to like the mesmerising sounds.
According to Wikipedia, until recently the muezzin had to climb a narrow spiral minaret staircase five times a day to announce the call to prayer. Today, a sound system is used.
Yet another view of the Mosque, this time from behind, i.e. not from the little streets behind the mosque. This was taken on a very cloudy day, from a restaurante terrace.
Leaving the Mosque. Note the people sitting on the grass in the right hand corner. That was a common sight, people having a picnic in Hippodrome, the great Byzantine square near the mosque, or like here around the mosque, in the gardens towards Aya Sofia and Topkapi Palace.
Looking back at the Mosque from Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya in Turkish), our next destination.
To be continued…
Posted by Maninas on 24 August, 2010
https://maninas.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/blue-mosque/
Something to think about today
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” – Ansel Adams
Posted by Maninas on 24 May, 2010
https://maninas.wordpress.com/2010/05/24/something-to-think-about-today/