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Sara and I love Buffalo Chicken! It could be on a pizza, a taco, a salad, or even a sandwich and we would both devour any food that has the signature orange colored sauce and mouth burning taste! We have found that the key to a successful buffalo chicken dish is that you have to [...]
Interested in having an upside down dessert this weekend ? Well, I have two choices for you. If you are a traditionalist, Sally’s classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake may be more of your style. Feeling a little adventurous? How about a Pineapple Upside Down inspired sundae? The cake is perfect for taking on location to [...]
You may remember the Bacon, Bourbon, and Doughnut Bread Pudding from a few months ago. Bread puddings don’t always have to be sweet. Had a rough Saturday night and need something for your hangover cure? Or are you looking for a great Saturday morning meal to share with your children who don’t quite understand the [...]
For those of you who are interested in food photography, Issue 6 of photographing FOOD is now available! Hitting the road and shooting outdoors this summer? Issue 6 has everything you need to know to take beautiful pictures of your food outdoors! Inside this 38 page full color downloadable PDF, you will learn about taking [...]
Weekend Slaw is a slaw that you can make on Friday and still have that great crunch and flavor on Sunday. This versatile slaw works well as a side to a grilled entree, as a topper for a sandwich, or as the base to a BBQ salad. Its crunchy texture and vinegary tang is something [...]
Buttery, oven-roasted creamer potatoes are a great side to any meal. When entertaining on location at a tailgate or campsite, don’t let the lack of oven prevent you from having this tender, garlic-covered side. All you need is a sheet pan, a grill, and two metal bowls. Wash and dry the potatoes before leaving home. [...]
Next time that hot dogs and burgers hit your grill, you may want something to take this grilling classic to another level. A meaty and beanless sandwich chili is the perfect addition to this timeless summer entree. This Spanish inspired chili is filled with the smoky and full-bodied flavors of Spanish Chorizo, Ancho chili powder [...]
Can a cocktail be a dessert? What about a dessert becoming a cocktail? This Grownup Vanilla Cherry Ice Cream Float is the answer to these questions. Vanilla flavored cola and Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream added together make a delicious ice cream float. Vanilla flavored cola and cherry infused bourbon make a smooth and relaxing cocktail. [...]
I grew up and currently live in North Carolina. This means that when it comes barbeque, I automatically picture a pulled pork platter or sandwich topped with slaw. Every North Carolinian is accustomed to pork as the foundation of their BBQ platter or sandwich, but there are disagreements as to what sauce will go on [...]
On this Memorial Day Weekend, are you planning on bringing your grill out for the first time this year? To celebrate the unofficial start to grilling season, serve a grilled dessert to end your meal. Sally and I like to end a meal of heavy grilled entrees with a light and refreshing dessert. The base [...]
2013 is flying by. I am not sure how it is almost the end of May! Before you know it spring will have flown by and it will be summer! In honor of spring being at its peak, Sally came up with this Primavera Pasta Salad. Influenced by the traditional Pasta Primavera, this pasta salad [...]
A hot meatball sandwich is one of those comfort foods that is hard to turn down. They are a great weeknight dinner entrée or weekend entertaining appetizer. Sally and I think that they were made for tailgating! The beauty of the meatball sandwich is that it can serve any size appetite! You can cut your [...]
This vibrant yellow and green fruity salsa can be consumed in a variety of ways. You can eat it by itself with a spoon or chips, or it can be the topping to a grilled chicken or fish sandwich. Spooned onto the top of a cheese quesadilla and served with a cold beer makes it [...]
Do you like BLT’s ? There is just something about thick salty bacon, juicy tomato slices and crisp green lettuce that works. The best BLT that I have ever had was in Chapel Hill, NC. This salad is a great side dish for a Spring Picnic, Summer BBQ, or Fall Tailgate. Pack the tomatoes in [...]
A great mother is something that you can never take for granted. I am very fortunate that I get to work with my mom, Sally James, on a daily basis. The time that we have spent working on Taylor Takes A Taste, on assignments for commercial clients, and The Southern Tailgating Cookbook is something that [...]
Allow me to introduce you to something that has been three years in the making: The Southern Tailgating Cookbook! The book won’t hit store shelves until August, but you can now pre-order your copy from UNC Press! If you follow me on Instagram, you have seen some of the behind the scenes recipe development, [...]
Welcome to May the 6th, also known as the day after Cinco de Mayo. If you hosted a party yesterday, I am sure that you have a surplus of Tecate, Corona or Dos Equis sitting around your house. What to do with this extra beer? Drink them is the obvious answer, but why go with [...]
When most people think of food trucks, the first places they think of are probably Austin, Los Angeles, or New York City, but that might be changing soon! Charlotte’s food truck scene has steadily been on the rise for the past few years. As the weather heats up, so do the food trucks, with their [...]
Photographing FOOD Issue 5 is now out! The theme of this Issue: “After The Shot!” The first 4 issues were designed to help you with your lighting, propping, styling, and the technical sides of food photography. In Issue 5 I will show you how to take these images you have made and make them even [...]
Hooray for Friday! The most natural use for an infused spirit is in a cocktail. Sally has taken one of her favorite cocktails and given it an apricot twist. The sweetness of the apricot, sour of the lemon, and boldness of the bourbon make it a great cocktail to unwind with and enjoy the beautiful [...]
Remember the Apricot Bourbon from a few weeks ago? By now your bourbon and apricots have had plenty of time to infuse together. You are left with two products: a bourbon that has a pleasant, sweet and subtle taste of apricots and dried apricots that are filled with bourbon. Don’t throw away this infused fruit. [...]
A little over three years ago, I started Taylor Takes A Taste. It was January of 2010. I had moved back to Charlotte after almost 6 years in Wisconsin and California and was trying to figure out where to take my business. I new that I wanted to be a photographer, but after a [...]
Infused liquors have a wide variety of uses that I will share with you next week while I am on vacation ( more about that on Friday). The infusion takes a few days to mature, so begin your infusion this week. Infusing is not magic. A cheap bourbon that you don’t enjoy drinking will not [...]
The Madness of March has come and gone. This weekend is the Final Four! Either Louisville, Wichita State, Syracuse, or Michigan will walk away Monday night with a national title. I picked Louisville to win it all in my bracket, but being a Big 10 alumnus, I find myself looking for a win from the [...]
If your bracket is now busted, the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 rounds of the tournament are an excuse to hang out with your friends. The second weekend of the tournament is made for eating, drinking, and watching as those remaining contenders in your bracket pool cheer with joy or curse their now busted [...]
It’s that time of year again. Welcome to March Madness! Other than college football in the fall, this is my favorite time of year to be a sports fan. Today and tomorrow the field of 64 teams will be narrowed down to 32. After the weekend, there will only be 16 teams left. A week [...]
photographing FOOD Issue 4 is now out! In this issue, I wanted to focus on ingredient and process shots. Due to the poor lighting conditions found in most kitchens, these shots are often ignored. In this issue, I will show you how you can turn these potentially boring and un-interesting shots into images [...]
Need something to cure your sweet tooth this weekend? Blondies are a nice change of pace from the traditional chocolate brownie. White chocolate and toasted whole almonds are baked into a buttery brown sugar base making a bar that no one can eat just one of. White Chocolate Blondies Serves 10-12 2 sticks unsalted butter, [...]
Happy Sunday! Or should I say sundae? The perfect end to a great weekend is a delicious dessert. Sundaes are quick and easy desserts that tastes of all ages will love! All you need is ice cream and a sundae sauce. This Butter Pecan Pie Sauce tastes just like a pecan pie! It can be [...]
Issue 3 of photographing food is out! This issue is all about shooting with artificial light! Are you occupied with family or work during daylight hours? Are you only able to take pictures of food at night? Have you been struggling with finding ways to create beautiful images of your food using artificial light? Intimidated [...]
Cornbread comes in two different forms. Savory or sweet. This cornbread has a slightly sweeter flavor that complements the tart flavor of fresh cranberries. The yellow cornbread and vibrant red cranberries create a dish that is just as beautiful as it is delicious. Cranberry Orange Cornbread Makes 1 9×9-inch pan 1 1/4 cups [...]
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! Are you ready? If your Valentine is a fan of bacon, bourbon, and doughnuts you should make them a Bacon, Bourbon, and Doughnut Bread Pudding. What do you do if you know that a bread pudding won’t win your Valentine’s heart? Better yet, what if you are hosting an anti-Valentine’s [...]
Valentine’s Day is this Thursday. Is there a guy that you have a crush on and you don’t know how to ask them to be your Valentine? Ladies, I have the solution. Make them a Bacon, Bourbon, and Doughnut Bread Pudding. As a guy, I can tell you that most men out there will find [...]
Thank you to everyone who has supported the first issue of photographing FOOD! I wanted to let you know that Issue 2 is now out! This issue is all about color theory and camera controls! Stuck on what colors to use in your images? Can’t decide what background will be best? You will love [...]
The Superbowl is this weekend! This means a Sunday filled with football, food, and commercials! Odds are you will be watching the big game at your home or a friends party. There will be plates of appetizers, dips, and of course wings! Chicken wings are perfect football watching food. They can feed a large [...]
Happy National Blueberry Pancake Day! I celebrated this back in 2011 with an adaption from the Joy of Cooking. For this year’s celebration, I got a little bit of help from Sally. We both agree that blueberry pancakes are delicious, but there is a problem. They can make too many to eat in one [...]
It is cold outside. So cold that I have decided to head South for the weekend. How far South you ask? I think Birmingham, AL, would do just fine. Want to join me and spend a weekend surrounded by people who love food, the South, and food blogging? There are still a few ticket to [...]
Between the Cotton Bowl tonight, 4 NFL playoff games on Saturday and Sunday and the the BCS Championship on Monday, I am definitely looking forward to the next four days. These games feature the best match ups of the season, but they also signal the end of the season being very near. To celebrate a [...]
Happy New Year! My round up of 2012 will come later in the month when Taylor Takes a Taste celebrates its 3rd birthday. Today, I wanted to bring you something that is perfect any time of day or year. Let me introduce you to this Spicy Sausage Breakfast Quiche. This cheesy and delicate Quiche [...]
Did you receive a new camera for Christmas? Is your New Year’s resolution to improve your food photography? If you have a passion for pictures, I have something you will love! Today I am introducing a new series of food photography tutorials. Say hello to photographing FOOD. Many of you have asked about my workshops [...]
What are you doing January 26th ,2013? How about making a trip to Birmingham, AL for Food Blog South! Do you have goals that you would like to achieve with your blog in 2013? Have you thought about starting a blog ? Are there bloggers that you want to finally meet in person? All these [...]
The day after Thanksgiving means one thing. You are on your first day of eating leftovers. Your leftovers may last you a day, or they could last you a week. Leftovers will start to taste monotonous after a few servings. For a little change in your leftover menu, try this Cranberry Thyme Polenta. This buttery, [...]
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. Are you still stuck on your menu planning? Feel like you are in a rut with the same sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole every year? It is time for a change. This hearty blend of brown basmati and wild rice is enriched with stock, apple juice and aromatics. [...]
This time of year you will see pumpkin added to almost anything. From cookies to soup, the addition of pumpkin can be a hit or miss adventure. I have tried a few failures, but adding pumpkin to twice baked potatoes creates a dish that will have no problem disappearing. These buttery and fluffy baking potatoes [...]
Happy Halloween! Feeling overwhelmed with sugary desserts, candy corn, and pumpkin put into everything? This Roasted Squash and Spinach Salad is a retreat from the orange and black sugar overload that you may be experiencing. Butter-roasted butternut squash debuts as the star of this spinach salad. Crisp spinach, tangy Ricotta Salata cheese, and earthy [...]
Do you always end up with leftover pasta? Instead of throwing it out, save it for a pasta frittata! This is an easy way to take last night’s dinner and turn it into the next morning’s brunch. If pasta in the morning is too strange for you, then use it in a quick one dish [...]
Apricot Sweet Potato Bread is perfect for a mid afternoon snack, breakfast, or side at dinner. The sweet flavors of apricot and honey combine with the earthy goodness of white whole wheat and sweet potato are satisfying any time of day. You can even bring it to a tailgate as a snack for guests to [...]
Bananas and chocolate are an irresistible combination. Cake is a delicious dessert. A chocolate banana cake is something that once made will not very long in your house. Take this Sunday to make a cake. It is perfect ending to a Sunday Dinner or end to a weekend filled with football. Give it a try. [...]
Summer is gone and fall is here. Temperatures are beginning to cool, leaves are starting to fall, and most importantly, football is in full swing! With fall comes apple season and an appetizer that will work at your next tailgate or served while watching your favorite team play at home. This Tart Apple Bruschetta [...]
Labor Day has come and gone. While summer doesn’t officially end until September 21st, Labor Day weekend marks the start of one very very important season. College football has begun! If you have followed Taylor Takes a Taste over the last couple years you may have noticed that I enjoy college football. My love for [...]
