There are days when I think âI am not enoughâ, âIâm not capableâ, âI canât do thisâ.
Itâs called imposter syndrome and it can be suffocating.
Then there are other days when you meet talented people like Oscar, who remind me why I love portraiture and help me bring back my confidence.
This is @mr.oscarmora in character for @thelatinstage while shooting promotional photos forâÂżMuerta yo?â A play directed by the one and only @ibarragledysof
Born in Argentina, raised in Venezuela but settled in London, Javier Weyler is one of those rare characters that could make two nations proud of his achievements.
I met him in London, but can remember listening to his band âClaroscuroâ playing in the Venezuelan radio. In The UK, he was the lead drummer of a band that doesnât need any introductions, The Stereophonics, for 8 whole years. Today Javier runs his own Studio in London (@breakingwavesagency ), and collaborates with artists like @zakstarkey (Oasis, The who), @philmanzaneraofficial (David Gilmore, Pinkfloyd). Javier could sit hours name dropping the people he has met and worked with, but that is not his style! He does have stories to tell, like that one time he played in Hyde Park in front of 300.000 people?
He is a really cool and down to earth guy. During this session we spoke about Latin American politics, food, music and photography, while sipping a glass of red wine, and listening to a Vinil that he just opened because he hadnât had time to listen to it before.
These photos are part of an editorial work that we shot for @mas.reino.unido . See that cover shot? Yup, thatâs mine đ
Baking up Naples at home with the @pizzapilgrims Napolitan pizza at home kit.
The mozzarella fior di latte impressed me, proper restaurant quality, and the natural tomato sauce was spot on. On the flip side, I wasnât fully happy with the dough. It tasted good, but even with my @oonihq oven at the right temperature, the crust wasnât quite what I wanted. Still, it was a tasty experience, Lucas had three slices!
Iâve got two more in the fridge to try again later this week!
If there is one food that connects me to my dad, that is chicharrones. He loved them in every shape or form. Making them connects me to him. When we spoke on the phone, food was always a recurring topic.
I always told him what I had cooked that day, and he would always give me tips on how to improve them. So here is exactly how I would have described the recipe to him:
âDad, here is what I cooked for dinnerâ
I made Los Chicharrones de your brother, Talito.
I started by taking a good piece of pork belly from @prioryfarmestate and cutting it into thick, manageable, bite-sized strips. Then, I placed the meat in a pot and poured in just enough water to barely cover the strips. To give it that classic flavor, I added salt to taste and two or three bay leaves. I let the whole thing boil gently over medium heat. I waited patiently until the liquid evaporated completely. Once the water was gone, the real magic started. I let the pork belly begin to get some color, allowing it to brown beautifully in its own natural fat.
Then came the trick I know you would have loved. I removed the golden pieces from the pot and put them in the air fryer at 200 degrees Celsius for twenty minutes. But I did not just leave them there. Every five minutes, I opened the air fryer drawer and took a spray bottle to mist a little water directly onto the skin. That sudden shock of moisture is Taloâs the secret!!! It causes the skin to puff up and become spectacularly crispy.
When they were ready, I served them hot, right out of the basket, with a generous squeeze of fresh lime. And naturally, I paired them with an ice cold beer.
There is nothing quite like sharing good food and keeping you present. Make it for someone you love.
#Chicharrones #PorkBelly #AirFryerRecipes #HomemadeFood #LatinRecipes
