Styling a casserole, hot dish, covered dish, or whatever you (or your mom and grandma) may call it, can be tricky. The thing is heavy and and hot and crusty, and smells delicious! Conveying that with only two dimensions is, well, limiting. Thankfully, the photographer works his or her magic with lighting and I try to show lusciousness. This shot, in case you can't tell, was taken on my phone, by me, with overhead lighting. Thankfully, the strata was for eating purposes only.
On the other hand, the cooking hand, putting together a casserole can be a cinch. This cheese strata was the second edition of our New Year's Eve fondue, and we ate it for breakfast the next morning. With homemade donuts - not that we needed more calories. Into a baking dish we put chunks of crusty bread, bits of leftover gruyere, emmentaler and appenzeller, vegetable odds and ends, all held together with cream and eggs.Pour a mix of cream and eggs over anything and put it in the oven till confidently browned. I guarantee that a brunch-worthy hot dish will result!
Happy New Year! May all your efforts in 2012 pay off twice!