Before the mill closed for the season

David_S85

In the autumn, one of the tasty foods we enjoy baking (and eating!) are corn sticks. Thankfully, our supply of corm meal was low, so this meant a trip down to the mill, and of course a photo op.

The mill would be closing for the season in just a couple more days, the morning light was good, the air was cold, and I was off on my little adventure. At 9am, the only thing I could do was go on a walk for a shoot, as opening time was 10am.

I though I had better shoot the mill first while the light was still fairly low.



The wide walking path was very quiet on each side of the river since it was a weekday and people were probably working. :lol3 Most of the leaves had dropped, but the area was still a bit fall-like and beautiful. One more week and the wintery stuff would begin around here.



I ventured about 3/4 of a mile west to the nature center (a small old building with a museum feel about it). As I got there, some school buses unloaded with about a hundred 8 year olds acting like a bunch of 8 year olds. They scared the wildlife away, and me with them. No pictures of that, but here's the river near the nature center.



...and some sort of puffy plant, up close.



From Mrs. D_S85's point of view, this is why I went there, and not to get photos. Time to cook up the one-day-old very fresh corn meal.



Antique iron corn stick forms are the absolute best to bake these things with. The thin aluminum pans do a fine job too I'm sure, but with these black iron pans weighing in at about 10 pounds each, it just adds a special old worldness to the baked result.


Yum! Best with honey on them when they're still hot.

Enjoy (food baking) photography!

Skippy

Ohhh That Looks A Pretty Place

David_S85 wrote:

In the autumn, one of the tasty foods we enjoy baking (and eating!) are corn sticks. Thankfully, our supply of corm meal was low, so this meant a trip down to the mill, and of course a photo op.
The mill would be closing for the season in just a couple more days, the morning light was good, the air was cold, and I was off on my little adventure. At 9am, the only thing I could do was go on a walk for a shoot, as opening time was 10am.
I though I had better shoot the mill first while the light was still fairly low.
The wide walking path was very quiet on each side of the river since it was a weekday and people were probably working. Most of the leaves had dropped, but the area was still a bit fall-like and beautiful. One more week and the wintery stuff would begin around here.
I ventured about 3/4 of a mile west to the nature center (a small old building with a museum feel about it). As I got there, some school buses unloaded with about a hundred 8 year olds acting like a bunch of 8 year olds. They scared the wildlife away, and me with them. No pictures of that, but here's the river near the nature center.
...and some sort of puffy plant, up close.
From Mrs. D_S85's point of view, this is why I went there, and not to get photos. Time to cook up the one-day-old very fresh corn meal.
Antique iron corn stick forms are the absolute best to bake these things with. The thin aluminum pans do a fine job too I'm sure, but with these black iron pans weighing in at about 10 pounds each, it just adds a special old worldness to the baked result.
Yum! Best with honey on them when they're still hot.
Enjoy (food baking) photography!

Hi David............looks to be a very pretty spot, at first I was looking for a windmill ?? dunno why I just was I love that Baking Mould in the Corn Cob Shapes, that is pretty neat isn't it..... nice shape too, great for hand holding.......they'd be great with soup too for dipping
How longs that Mill been around it looks like it's been there for quite some time, nothing beats freshly baked breads does it
Nice series you've posted.....making me feel hungry Skippy (Australia)

David_S85

Hey Skippy. The mill was begun in 1852. It is a traditional trip for school children especially due to the nature center being a half mile drive down the river. A local historical non-profit group runs it, and charges several dollars for the tour of the 4 floors and the newly restored original owner's house next door. I just wanted to buy the corn flour since the tour of the mill is no different than it was when I was about 8 years old, and I still remember that trip vividly.

We do have (semi-) operating windmills in the area also. One windmill closeby is almost underway with their second multi-year full restoration, so someday I hope to get a full photo tour of that done. Every town around here had a mill of sorts about 125 years ago, and 99.5% of them are long gone. Wind or water powered most of them. It is nice to see that a small handful have survived.

gluwater

Good to see you post shots of the Mill. That's where I usually go to shoot but I haven't really been able to in the last month or so. All the times I've been there and I have never shot the mill or the landscape. It is a pretty popular place and the people walking/running/biking through it can get annoying when trying to shoot wildlife but that is what it is there for so I can't complain. Hopefully with the cold weather there will be less people and hopefully some wildlife left.

gus

Great series David I love the 1st one of the old mill.

Is this what you call corn bread ? I had some in Yosemite but to me it was a cake.

David_S85

Humungus wrote:

Great series David I love the 1st one of the old mill.

Is this what you call corn bread ? I had some in Yosemite but to me it was a cake.

Yes, corn bread is probably similar I guess. There are hundreds of recipes using crushed corn meal. Though corn bread sounds a bit soft and uninteresting. These have a bit more grit and stiffnes to them. The baking pans toughen the outer part (facing down). The trick is to place the empty pans in the oven for about 15 minutes alone at the baking temp., then spray the cooking oil on the pans, then pour in the batter while the pans are piping hot (dangerous and tricky). Then cook for the 12-15 minutes. (in case anyone needs to know all this)

Andy

They look good enough to eat. I'll take a dozen, thanks.

polartownjunkie

that first one is nice, you have given it dimension
and the color works very well

David_S85

polartownjunkie wrote:

that first one is nice, you have given it dimension
and the color works very well

Thanks. Done quick and dirty with the VirtualPhotographer plug-in on a Custom setting. Easy really.