Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Tablet and Cakes!

Hazel Caldwell, and her husband Brian, of Aunt Marie’s Kitchen makes Scottish tablet and cakes – and I love both of those!!  I could not think of a better place to begin a new personal project documenting small craft based businesses in my new local area.  I call this project ‘People and Process’ and it involves finding crafts-people who interest me and photographing them at their work.  I then finish off the shoot with a stylized portrait.  The aim is to perhaps exhibit the results one day, once I have enough material.  There is no end date to this project and I am happy for it to take me wherever it chooses.

The process of making Scottish tablet requires patience and some skill otherwise you will end up with either a sticky mess or a rock solid lump of sugar – I know, I have done both!  I was impressed that Hazel seems to have mastered the art of tablet making to such an extent that she can replicate the process precisely producing a very fine example of this rather naughty treat.

Hazel also makes and decorates cakes when not making tablet and I was witness to a couple of examples of these on my visit – of course I got to take a few bits and pieces home to have with my tea.  If you want to sample the tablet look out for Hazel and Brian at local fairs and events like The European Pipe Band Championships in Forres.  In the meantime you can contact them through their facebook page – Aunt Marie’s Kitchen on facebook.

For the portraits I have decided to set myself the following limits, shoot using a 1981 vintage Nikon 80-200mm f/4 manual lens, outside in daylight against a plain backdrop in 5 x 4 format, black and white and no cropping allowed!  By setting limits I find I can concentrate better on the subject, rather than all the possibilities that digital photography allows.

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes

Aunt Marie’s Kitchen – Scottish Tablet and Cakes