A Matter of Nourishment

The essential brand photos every wellness business needs (and how to use them)

In the wellness industry, where trust and authenticity are paramount, your brand’s visual representation plays a crucial role in connecting with potential clients. Whether you’re a yoga instructor, nutritionist, massage therapist, or holistic practitioner, having a set of well-thought-out brand photos can significantly enhance your online presence and credibility.

Why brand photography matters in wellness

In a field centred around personal well-being and transformation, clients often seek professionals they can relate to and trust. High-quality, authentic images help convey your personality, values, and the experience clients can expect. They serve as a visual handshake, introducing you before any words are exchanged.

Must-have brand photos for wellness professionals

1. Portraits that reflect your personality

These aren’t your typical headshots. Think of images that capture you in your element: perhaps guiding a meditation, preparing a healthy meal, or simply enjoying a moment of calm. Such photos provide a glimpse into your approach and make you more relatable.

2. Your workspace or treatment area

Showcasing where you work helps demystify the experience for potential clients. Whether it’s a serene therapy room, a vibrant kitchen, or an outdoor yoga space, these images set expectations and build comfort.

3. Tools of your trade

Photographing the items you use (like essential oils, yoga mats, or nutritional guides) adds depth to your brand story. It highlights your methods and the care you put into your practice.

4. Client interaction (with consent)

Images of you engaging with clients can be powerful. They demonstrate your approachability and the personalised care you offer. Always ensure you have permission before sharing such photos.

5. Lifestyle shots

These images capture the essence of your brand in everyday settings. Perhaps it’s you enjoying a morning routine, walking in nature, or participating in a community event. They humanise your brand and show the lifestyle you advocate.

Utilising your brand photos effectively

Website: this is often the first point of contact. Use your brand photos to create a cohesive and inviting experience. Place portraits on the “About” page, workspace images on service pages, and lifestyle shots in blog posts or testimonials.
Social media: consistency is key. Regularly share your brand photos to maintain a cohesive aesthetic. Use them in posts, stories, and highlights to keep your audience engaged and familiar with your brand.
Marketing materials: incorporate your images into brochures, business cards, and newsletters. They reinforce your brand identity and make your materials more engaging.
Online directories and profiles: ensure your profiles on platforms like Google My Business, wellness directories, and booking sites feature your brand photos. They enhance your credibility and make your listings more appealing.

Planning your brand photoshoot

Define your brand identity: before the shoot, clarify your brand’s values, tone, and target audience. This clarity will guide the style and content of your photos.
Choose the right photographer: select a photographer who understands the wellness industry and can capture the essence of your brand. Review their portfolio to ensure their style aligns with your vision.
Collaborate on vision and planning: work with a photographer who takes the time to understand your brand, target audience, and goals. They should ask insightful questions, help prepare a shot list, and collaborate on a mood board to ensure the photos align with your vision. This collaborative approach ensures the final images resonate with your intended audience.
Prepare your space and props: ensure your workspace is clean and reflects your brand’s aesthetic. Gather props that are meaningful to your practice and resonate with your audience.
Plan your outfits: choose clothing that aligns with your brand colours and is comfortable (and if you are not sure what to pick, rethink your clothing in terms of colour psychology). Avoid busy patterns that might distract from your message.
Create a shot list: outline the specific images you want to capture. This list ensures a focused session and that you obtain all necessary shots.

Maintaining and updating your image library

Regularly update your brand photos to reflect any changes in your services, appearance, or branding. Fresh images keep your content relevant and show that your business is active and evolving.

Conclusion

Investing in professional brand photography is a strategic move for any wellness professional. It enhances your online presence, builds trust with potential clients, and clearly communicates your brand’s values and offerings. By thoughtfully planning and utilising your brand photos, you set the stage for meaningful connections and business growth.

I offer brand photography consultations tailored specifically to wellness professionals — whether you’re just getting started or want to refresh your visual content with more strategy behind it. I also work with clients in person in Dublin to create custom photo libraries that truly reflect your brand and values.

Curious what that looks like?

See this case study from a holistic professional I worked with

5 Proven ways to create visual content that grows your food brand

Standing out on social media is harder than ever. There’s no shortage of beautiful food photos, clever Reels, and carefully curated feeds. But what actually makes someone pause, pay attention, and remember your brand?

It’s not just about how good your food looks; what matters is how well you communicate your brand’s identity through visuals. Great content can build trust, tell a story, and make your audience feel something. But for that to happen, your content needs to do more than look nice. It has to be strategic.

This post breaks down five practical ways food brands can create content that is effective (and not just pretty). These tips are based on real-world experience working with food businesses that want more than likes: they want growth, brand awareness, trust and loyal customers.

1. Prioritise high-quality, appetising images

The foundation of engaging visual content is high-quality photography that makes your food look irresistible.

Lighting: lighting can make or break a food photo. It affects texture, colour, and how fresh or appealing your product looks. If the lighting is too harsh or too flat, even the best styling won’t help. For most food brands creating content in-house, natural light is the easiest place to start. A bright window and some diffusion (like a sheer curtain or a diffuser panel) can help you get soft, even light that brings out the best in your food. Artificial lighting can absolutely be effective too — but it takes the right tools, the right setup, and a bit of experience to get results that don’t look cold or unnatural. If you’re a busy founder or marketing manager, natural light might be the quicker, more practical route. It’s often more forgiving and easier to work with when you don’t have time for complex equipment or technical adjustments.
Angles: experiment with different angles to find the most flattering perspective for each dish. Overhead shots work well for flat lays, while a 45-degree angle can showcase the depth and layers of a burger or sandwich.
Styling: keep the presentation clean and focused. Use props sparingly to complement the dish without distracting from it. Fresh ingredients, simple utensils, and neutral backgrounds can enhance the overall appeal.
Editing: post-processing should enhance the natural colours and textures of the food. Adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation to make the image pop, but avoid over-editing that can make the food look unnatural.

Example: a well-lit photo of a fresh salad or sandwich with vibrant and colourful ingredients, styled on a neutral background with minimal props, can convey freshness and health, appealing to health-conscious consumers.

2. Incorporate your brand’s colour palette

Consistent use of your brand’s colour palette in visual content helps reinforce brand identity and makes your content instantly recognisable.

Backgrounds and props: choose backgrounds, tableware, and props that reflect your brand colours. This consistency creates a cohesive look across all your content.
Food presentation: incorporate brand colours into the food itself when possible. For example, a bakery with a pastel-themed brand might use pastel-colored frosting or decorations.
Graphic elements: Use brand colours in text overlays, logos, and other graphic elements to maintain consistency across different types of content.

Example: a coffee shop with a rustic brand identity might use wooden tables, earthy-toned mugs, and natural lighting to create a warm, inviting atmosphere in their photos.

3. Tell a story through your visuals

Storytelling adds depth to your content, making it more engaging and memorable. Visual storytelling can convey your brand values, the origin of your ingredients, or the experience of enjoying your product.

Behind-the-scenes: Share images of the cooking process, ingredient sourcing, or your team at work. This transparency builds trust and connection with your audience.
Customer experience: Showcase customers enjoying your food in real settings. This not only provides social proof but also helps potential customers envision themselves in those scenarios.
Seasonal themes: Align your content with seasons, holidays, or events to make it timely and relevant.

Example: a farm-to-table restaurant might share images of the chef selecting fresh produce at a local market, preparing the dish, and serving it to customers, illustrating the journey from farm to plate.

4. Utilise video content to showcase movement and texture

Videos can capture the dynamic aspects of food that photos cannot, such as the sizzle of a steak or the pour of a sauce.

Short clips: create short, engaging videos that highlight the preparation process, the final presentation, or customer reactions.
Reels and stories: use platforms like Instagram Reels or Stories to share quick, behind-the-scenes glimpses or tips related to your food offerings.
Tutorials: share step-by-step cooking tutorials or recipe ideas that incorporate your products, providing value to your audience.

Example: a bakery could post a time-lapse video of a cake being decorated, showcasing the skill and care involved in their creations.

5. Engage with user-generated content

Encouraging your customers to share their own photos and experiences with your brand can build community and provide authentic content.

Hashtags: create a branded hashtag and encourage customers to use it when posting about your products.
Contests: run photo contests where customers submit their best shots for a chance to win a prize. This not only generates content but also increases engagement.
Feature customers: share user-generated content on your own channels, giving credit to the original creators. This recognition can foster loyalty and encourage more sharing.

Example: a smoothie brand might encourage customers to share photos of their smoothie creations using a specific hashtag, then feature selected posts on their Instagram feed.

Conclusion

Creating engaging visual content for your food brand involves more than just taking attractive photos. It requires a strategic approach that incorporates high-quality imagery, consistent branding, storytelling, dynamic video content, and community engagement.

By implementing these five strategies, you can enhance your brand’s visual presence, connect more deeply with your audience, and drive growth in a competitive market.

Remember, the key is to be authentic, consistent, and attentive to what resonates with your audience. With thoughtful planning and execution, your visual content can become a powerful tool in building and sustaining your food brand’s success.

Want content that actually gets people to stop scrolling and remember your brand? I help food, drink and wellness brands create visuals that are clear, on-brand, and made to connect.

If you’re ready for content that works harder for your business, get in touch or check out my services. I’m a food photographer and videographer based in Dublin, Ireland (but working remotely with businesses globally).

Let’s work together

How to choose the right social media manager for your brand

Social media has become one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with their audience. But keeping up with content creation, strategy, and engagement while running a business? That can be overwhelming and that’s why hiring a social media manager can really make a difference.

But how do you choose the right person for your brand?

This guide breaks down what to look for when hiring a social media manager so you can make a confident, informed decision that supports your business growth.

First things first: understand what you need

I know jumping into hiring mode and looking for a social media manager can be tempting, but unfortunately, there is some groundwork to do first. Start by understanding what you need: are you looking for someone to oversee all of your social media channels, or do you need someone to create content for you? Understanding your specific needs will help you narrow down the type of support you’re seeking.

Some businesses may only require a content creator who focuses on making beautiful photos, videos, and graphics, while others may need a full-service manager who handles everything from content creation to community engagement and reporting.

What a social media manager does

A social media manager is responsible for managing your brand’s presence across social platforms. That means handling the day-to-day work: planning content, writing captions, scheduling posts, responding to comments, and tracking basic performance. They’re often the ones pressing publish, managing your community, and keeping the content calendar running smoothly.

In some cases, a social media manager may also take on strategy or content creation, but not always. Some are skilled strategists who can develop long-term plans. Others are strong writers or visual creators who produce all the content themselves. But these additional skills shouldn’t be assumed. Many social media managers work alongside a strategist, a designer, or a photographer/videographer to execute the full picture.

If you’re expecting one person to handle all aspects (from strategy to photos to analytics), make sure you’re hiring someone who has experience in those specific areas, not just the job title.

Understanding the roles: social media manager vs. content creator vs. social media strategist

Social media manager: this individual oversees your brand’s social media accounts, handling tasks such as scheduling posts, engaging with followers, monitoring analytics, and ensuring consistent brand messaging across platforms. They act as the bridge between your brand and its online community.

Content creator/photographer/videographer: these creatives produce the visual and written content that populates your social media channels. Whether it’s capturing the right images, shooting videos, or writing captions, their work is the raw material that fuels your social media presence.

Social media strategist: a strategist focuses on the bigger picture, developing comprehensive plans that align your social media efforts with broader business goals. They analyse market trends, identify target audiences, and outline the types of content and campaigns that will drive engagement and growth.

While these roles can overlap, especially in smaller teams, it’s important to understand the different tasks involved in social media marketing.

Key traits of a strong social media manager

When looking for a social media manager, don’t simply try to find someone with the most adequate technical skills (that’s important, of course, but you need something more). You need a candidate who fits your brand’s ethos and understands how to communicate effectively with your audience. Here are some essential traits to look for:

Look for proven experience in social media and ask for case studies and results from previous clients (keeping in mind that different people might present their results in different ways). I would honestly skip the common “can you send me links of pages you managed?” because it could tell you everything and nothing at the same time. Case studies always win over a bunch of links to accounts they have managed successfully but maybe only for 3 months or 10 months ago (case studies tell you the full story, while social media moves fast and once you end a contract, things can change quickly). Overall, the takeaway here is: experience matters.
Creativity is key, especially considering how saturated social media is now. Who creates your social media content should be able to create posts that stop users from scrolling, use your tone of voice (or help you find one along with the strategist), and tell your brand’s story in a way that feels both fresh and authentic. They should understand what your audience wants to see, what makes them stop and read more/watch/save and share, plus know how to prepare posts, videos, and images that can start conversations in your community (or help you build one).
Strong communication skills are essential for handling customer interactions, maintaining a consistent brand voice, and collaborating with your team. I always find myself repeating this, but it’s true: good communication solves way more issues than you think.
Data-driven mindset because social media for business, at the end of the day, is about results. A social media manager should be comfortable analysing performance metrics to find out which strategies are working and which need tweaking. This includes understanding engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion metrics. While a brand would need to work with a strategist to do the major part of the work, I think any SMM should be able to talk about these metrics, know what they mean, and give a quick update on how things are going.
Last, but not for importance: adaptability. Social media is constantly evolving, and trends can change overnight. Your social media manager should be able to adapt and stay on top of new tools, features, and algorithm updates to ensure your brand remains relevant.

5 Tips for hiring the right social media manager

Now that you understand the role and skills of a social media manager, here are a few practical tips to help you find the right person for your brand:

Set clear expectations and goals. Before beginning your search, define your objectives. What do you want to achieve with social media? Is it brand awareness? Increased engagement? More website visits? Knowing your goals will help you find a manager who can tailor strategies to meet your needs.
Look for experience, not followers. While a large following might seem impressive, it’s the experience that matters. Focus on candidates who can show you case studies and can talk about managing campaigns, creating engaging content, and driving business growth or results — rather than someone who merely has a lot of followers.
Look for someone with an onboarding process that includes steps to help them become familiar with your brand, products or services, online presence, team, and community.
Social media is dynamic, and things don’t always go according to plan. Ask how the candidate has handled any social media crises, whether it was a customer complaint or a negative post. The ability to stay calm and handle issues is a trait that can be incredibly useful while working in marketing.

Hiring the right social media manager can make a massive difference for your brand. By considering the factors above (including their experience, creativity, communication skills, and how well they align with your brand’s values), you can ensure that you find someone who will help grow your online presence and achieve your business goals.

Ready to nourish your brand to success?
You don’t need to be everywhere or do everything. You just need content that feels right for your brand and a plan that’s built to last.

If you’re ready to take the pressure off and bring some consistency, strategy, and personality to your online presence, I’d love to chat.

Request a custom quote

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What’s the difference between food photography and food styling?

If you’ve ever worked with content for a food brand, you’ve probably heard both “food photography” and “food styling” used a lot. And while the two often go hand in hand, they’re not the same thing — and knowing the difference can save you time, budget, and a lot of back-and-forth when planning your content.

This post breaks it all down in simple terms: what food styling and food photography actually mean, how they work together, and why they both matter for brands in the food, drink, and wellness space.

What is food photography?

Food photography is exactly what it sounds like: taking photos of food. But it’s more than snapping a picture of your lunch. Professional food photography is a mix of technical skill, creative direction, and storytelling — all with the goal of making the food look tempting, high-quality, and on-brand.

Food photographers often think about things like:

Lighting (natural or artificial)
Composition
Camera settings
Angles and lenses
Mood and brand consistency

They’re responsible for capturing the final image. That means making sure the photo is sharp, well-lit, and visually engaging. A good food photographer knows how to work with different types of food, understand what the brand needs, and deliver images that stop the scroll on social or make a strong impression on a website.

But they don’t always prep the food themselves — and that’s where the stylist comes in.

What is food styling?

Food styling is the process of preparing and arranging the food to be photographed. The goal? To make it look fresh, appetising, and in line with the brand’s visual identity.

A food stylist works behind the scenes to:

Choose the best-looking ingredients
Plate the food in a visually pleasing way
Create texture, movement, and balance
Handle food on set during the shoot
Keep dishes looking fresh throughout the day

Depending on the shoot, styling might involve cooking, assembling, or prepping dishes in a very specific way. A stylist might tweak the shape of a burger bun, place a single parsley leaf in the right spot, or spoon sauce on the plate with precision.

Great styling can completely change the way a photo feels. Even the most skilled photographer can’t do much if the food looks flat, unbalanced, or messy. And great styling doesn’t mean “faking” food — it means making real food look its best on camera.

Food photographer vs. food stylist: do you need both?

Food photography and food styling are two distinct roles, but they can overlap — especially when working with photographers who also have a strong background in styling.

Some shoots require a full team, including a dedicated stylist, especially when working with complex recipes or editorial campaigns. But many brands benefit from working with a photographer who can also style the food in a way that’s consistent with their brand identity. It simplifies the process and often makes the shoot more efficient.

If you’re hiring someone for content creation, ask about both their photography and styling experience. Many professionals (like myself) do both — and do them well. The key is to be clear on what’s needed and make sure your photographer or stylist is comfortable handling both parts of the process when necessary.

This is especially important for brands building their content from scratch, where every image needs to work hard across multiple platforms. A photographer who understands food styling can help you tell a cohesive story from prep to final shot — without needing to manage multiple freelancers.

It’s important to ask questions before hiring:

Who will handle the food prep and plating?
Who’s responsible for sourcing props or ingredients? Do I need a prop stylist?
Is the photographer also styling? Or do I need to bring in a stylist too?

Knowing this ahead of time avoids confusion and helps you plan your timeline and budget properly.

Why food styling matters for brand photography

You might think: “The food is already beautiful. Why not just shoot it as is?”

The truth is, food doesn’t always behave well on camera. Salads wilt. Ice cream melts. Pasta dries out. Sauces separate. A food stylist knows how to handle those challenges and how to use ingredients, textures, and plating to bring the dish to life visually.

Even subtle details make a huge difference:

A glisten of oil on roasted vegetables
A dusting of sugar or flour to create texture
A broken cookie with visible crumbs
A melting scoop of ice cream with a drip on the edge

These little touches are often what make an image stop someone in their tracks.

In brand photography, the job isn’t just to show the food. It’s to make people feel something (hunger, comfort, freshness, indulgence), and that emotional pull starts with styling.

Food photography without good styling = missed opportunity

Imagine investing in a professional shoot but skipping the styling part. The food might be cooked perfectly, but if it looks dull, messy, or flat in the photo, the whole shoot suffers.

That’s why food styling isn’t optional — it’s essential.

If you’re running a food or drink brand, here’s what styling can help you do:

Make your packaging or product the star of the shot
Create consistency across your social media and website
Show customers how your product fits into their daily life
Help people visualise the taste, texture, or feeling of using your product

A well-styled image can increase engagement, help with conversions, and support your overall brand image. And when paired with strong photography? It becomes a powerful asset across all your platforms.

What to ask before hiring a food photographer or stylist

If you’re planning a shoot, here are some useful questions to ask upfront.

For a photographer:

Do you also handle styling?
Can you show examples of similar work?
How do you work with brands to match their visual identity?
What do you need from us before the shoot (brief, references, product samples, etc.)?

For a stylist:

Have you styled for food or drink brands before?
Do you cook or prep the food yourself?
Can you help source props or surfaces?
Do you collaborate with photographers or work solo?

This helps you hire the right person for the job — and helps avoid the common pitfall of expecting a photographer to style, or a stylist to shoot, when that’s not in their scope.

Examples of food styling in action

If you’re still wondering how styling really makes a difference, think about:

A brand photo where the founder is holding a dish styled with brand colours in the napkin, plate, or table setting.
A product image that includes ingredients styled around the packaging to hint at what’s inside.
A recipe shot where the food is plated in a way that feels fresh, inviting, and real — not too stiff, not too messy.

These types of photos don’t happen by chance. They’re planned and styled with intention.

Irish wagyu burger with mustard, sauerkraut, slices of coppa, buffalo mozzarella. Served with homemade bread. Food photography with pink background

Final thoughts: both matter, but they do different things

Food photography and food styling are two different skills, and they both play an important role in creating strong content.

One captures the image. The other prepares it.

When they work well together, the result is a photo that makes people stop scrolling, visit your website, click “add to cart,” or save the recipe for later. And that’s what great content is supposed to do.

If you’re looking for content that actually reflects the quality of your product — and does more than just “look nice” — take a look at my portfolio. Every photo you’ll see there? Styled and shot by me.

I work with food, drink, and wellness brands to create scroll-stopping content that feels intentional, lived-in, and brand-aligned from start to finish.

See my work here

Colour psychology in food branding: how to use colour to stand out on social media

If you’ve ever stopped scrolling because a food photo just felt “right,” chances are colour had something to do with it.

Colour is one of the first things people notice when they see your content. It can make a dish look more appetising, a brand feel more trustworthy, or a photo feel more energising or calm. And for food, drink, and wellness brands, it can make the difference between someone pausing to engage or scrolling straight past.

In this post, we’re digging into how colour psychology impacts the way your brand is perceived, and how you can use it to make your social media content more engaging and effective.

Why colour matters in food branding

In the food world, colour doesn’t just signal aesthetics. It shapes how people perceive flavour, quality, and even healthiness. For example:

Red is linked to appetite, energy, and urgency. Think fast food branding and bold product launches.
Green signals freshness, health, and natural ingredients. It’s widely used in wellness and plant-based brands.
Yellow grabs attention and adds a sense of warmth or joy. It’s often used in snack brands or casual dining.
Blue can evoke calm and trust, but it’s used sparingly in food because it’s not commonly found in natural ingredients.
Brown and earthy tones suggest wholesomeness, comfort, and simplicity (perfect for baked goods or organic-focused brands).

The key is using colour intentionally to reinforce the kind of experience or feeling you want your audience to associate with your brand.

The role of colour in social media content

When your audience is scrolling quickly, a strong visual identity can help them recognise your content immediately, even before they see your name. Consistent use of colour helps build that recognition over time.

But consistency doesn’t have to mean repetition.

You can weave your brand colours into:

Props and styling in your food or product photography
Clothing worn in lifestyle or founder portraits
Backdrops, surfaces, and textures in shoot setups
Graphics and templates for educational or storytelling posts

A clean, cohesive palette doesn’t just look good. It helps your brand feel considered and professional.

Using brand colours strategically

Your brand colours don’t need to appear in every piece of content. But they should show up enough to create visual consistency. Here are a few ideas:

Accent props: use napkins, plates, or utensils in your brand colours when shooting top-down or styled table scenes.
Packaging close-ups: frame your packaging in a setting that highlights the brand colour in the background.
Lifestyle shots: dress your team or models in your colour palette when doing behind-the-scenes or about-us photos.
Ingredient choices: when possible, lean into ingredients that echo your colour palette (like herbs for green or berries for rich purples).

You don’t need to overdo it — subtle repetition is more effective than trying to force colour into every frame.

When to use complementary colours instead

In some cases, your brand colours might not be the right fit for the mood or message of a particular post. That’s where complementary colours come in.

Let’s say your brand palette is mostly greens. Using a pop of pink, orange, or deep red in a food photo can create a strong contrast that draws attention while still working visually with your core branding.

A few tips:

Look at a colour wheel to find natural complements to your palette.
Use complementary colours in props or garnishes to make key elements stand out.
Balance bold contrasts with neutral backdrops to avoid clashing or chaos.

This technique is especially helpful if your feed is starting to feel too flat or muted. Adding variation through contrast can bring new energy to your visuals.

Colour psychology and your website

While social media might be your first touchpoint, your website is where potential customers go to learn more about your brand. That means your colour strategy needs to extend beyond Instagram.

On your website, colour can:

Guide attention: use bold colours for buttons or calls to action.
Support your story: background colours, product shots, and photography styling can reinforce your brand personality.
Set the tone: a wellness brand might use calming greens and neutrals, while a snack brand might go for energetic reds and oranges.

Make sure your social media content and website feel visually connected. If they don’t, you risk confusing potential customers.

When it’s okay to break the rules

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to colour. While consistency and psychology matter, content still needs to feel fresh, relevant, and creatively inspired.

There are times when a seasonal campaign, product launch, or limited-edition item may call for something completely outside your usual palette. That’s okay.

Breaking the rules can work if it’s intentional — and if your core visual identity is strong enough that your audience still knows it’s you.

You can also use different colour strategies for different types of content. For example:

Stick to your palette for educational graphics or branded templates.
Use complementary or mood-based colours in lifestyle shoots.
Follow colour psychology cues for campaign-based or emotional storytelling content.

This kind of flexible consistency allows you to stay visually cohesive while still leaving room for experimentation.

Final thoughts

Colour is a tool — one that shapes how your audience sees, feels, and connects with your brand. For food, drink, and wellness businesses, that connection starts with the visuals.

To intentionally use a colour well, you just need to:

Know what your colours represent
Use them consistently in content styling and branding
Switch things up with complementary colours when it makes sense
Make sure your visuals reflect the story and values you want to communicate

Done right, your colour palette becomes more than just part of your logo. It becomes part of the experience.

Need help creating content that reflects your brand visually and strategically?

I work with food, drink, and wellness brands to create photos, videos, and content that connect with the right people. If you’re ready for visuals that actually feel like your brand, get in touch using the button below and let’s chat.

Contact me

6 Food trends that will shape 2025

As a new year begins, it’s always interesting to think about what’s next in the food world. Trends don’t appear out of nowhere—they reflect how people eat, shop, and connect with food in their daily lives.

After years of working closely with food brands and developing recipes, I’ve noticed a few shifts that will likely take centre stage in 2025. From bold flavours to a growing focus on sustainability, here are the six food trends to watch in the coming year.

1) The Rise of Tea: Beyond Matcha

Matcha has been a go-to for years, but in 2025, other teas will step into the spotlight.

Oolong, pu-erh, and rooibos are gaining popularity—not just as drinks but as key ingredients in creative recipes. Think smoky oolong broths, tea-infused desserts, and complex, full-bodied brews served in restaurants and cafes. More menus will highlight these teas, giving them the space they deserve alongside coffee and cocktails.

For tea lovers, this shift means more variety and more chances to explore new flavours.

2) Smarter Ways to Reduce Food Waste

Food waste has been a long-standing issue, but in 2025, more home cooks and businesses will take practical steps to cut down on unnecessary waste.

Expect to see:

More recipes that highlight leftovers—like bread puddings, frittatas, and soups that make the most of what’s on hand.
Smarter storage solutions to extend the life of ingredients.
A push for products that help reduce waste, from upcycled snacks to meal kits designed with minimal packaging.

Reducing waste is becoming less about guilt and more about empowering people to get creative with what they have—which is a shift worth celebrating.

3) Spicy + Citrus

One of the most exciting flavour trends for 2025? The combination of heat and citrus.

Pairing tangy lime with smoky chilli, or bright yuzu with a punch of habanero, brings a bold and vibrant twist to dishes. This mix will show up in:

Hot sauces and condiments
Marinades and dressings
Cocktails and even ice cream

It’s a fresh, lively way to add depth to food, and it’s bound to be everywhere soon.

4) Cooking Together at Home

Cooking at home isn’t slowing down, but there’s a shift happening: more people are seeing it as a shared experience rather than just a daily task.

In 2025, we’ll see more families, friends, and couples cooking together—not just for special occasions but as a way to spend time together. From making pasta from scratch to baking a weekend dessert, food is becoming a way to connect, learn, and enjoy the process as much as the final meal.

This trend also ties into the growing interest in cooking skills—people are looking to improve their techniques and gain confidence in the kitchen.

5) Sour Flavours Take the Spotlight

Sour will be the flavour of the year in 2025.

Beyond the usual pickles and citrus, expect to see:

Tamarind and green mango in savoury dishes
Sour cherries in sweet and savoury dishes
Fermented fruits adding complexity to drinks and desserts
More sourdough-based sweets and baked goods
Tangy dressings and sauces bringing brightness to meals

Sour flavours add depth and balance to dishes, making them exciting for both home cooks and chefs experimenting with bold new recipes.

6) Bread is Here to Stay

Sourdough, focaccia, and homemade pizza had a resurgence—and that’s not changing anytime soon.

Bread baking is still going strong, with more people experimenting with:

Heritage grains for deeper flavour and nutrition
Flavoured focaccia with toppings like roasted garlic, herbs, and even fruit
Stuffed sourdough loaves
Creative pizza recipes that push boundaries

The process of making bread is deeply satisfying, and 2025 will bring even more innovation to this classic staple.

What Should We Leave Behind?

One trend that should fade away in 2025? Clickbait food content that leads to unnecessary waste.

Over-the-top, impractical recipes created for views (rather than for actual enjoyment) often result in wasted ingredients. Instead, it would be great to see more content that inspires creativity while being useful and accessible.

Final Thoughts

Food trends come and go, but the ones shaping 2025 are about flavour, connection, and sustainability. Whether it’s the rise of tea, smarter ways to reduce waste, or the continued love for homemade bread, these trends reflect how people are choosing to eat and cook.

For food brands, restaurants, and content creators, the key is knowing how to tap into these shifts in a way that makes sense for their audience.

If you want to bring fresh, strategic content to your brand in 2025 — through photography, recipes, or social media strategy — I’d love to help.

Want to chat about what that could look like for your brand? Get in touch and let’s make your content work for the year ahead.

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Soft cocoa burger buns

Want to step up your homemade burger game without having to compromise on fluffy bread? This recipe is for you. These delicious soft cocoa burgers buns will easily become one of your favourite baking projects.

Working with new ingredients and different cooking techniques is part of my everyday job and something I love doing because allows me to put my chemistry hat on in order to find out what is really going on in a recipe. That’s why doing all the testing (and taste-testing) required for these cocoa brioche buns has been quite an enjoyable experience for me. It all started a couple of years ago while I was working on my recipe for classic soft burger buns: I wanted to create something different for some photos I was working on, so I tried to add cocoa to my existing bread recipe. After a couple of attempts, I had a recipe that worked well but I knew it was far away from being what I wanted. Due to lack of interest and being busy with work, I ended up forgetting about it.

A few weeks ago, I made a deliciously decadent chocolate cake for my boyfriend’s birthday and the idea of cocoa bread popped right back into my mind. I found my old notes forgotten in the middle of a notebook and started planning a route to develop my recipe for the most delicious fluffy cocoa burger buns.

The previous buns were a bit dry, couldn’t hold their texture for longer than a day and, in terms of flavour, they were closer to rye bread than cocoa buns. They also didn’t have the right texture for getting that perfect burger bite. I know you can use many kinds of bread for burgers but here we are talking about soft brioche-style buns, so they had to tick all the boxes.

Thankfully, there is a kind of bread that I learned to master in the past couple of years: Japanese milk bread (also known as Hokkaido milk bread or Shokupan). This bread is famous for its softness and pillowy texture and it’s made using the Yudane method. The secret behind this soft bread is called Tangzhong: a simple roux-like paste made using a combination of water or milk and flour cooked until the starches in the flour gelatinize and the paste thickens. In this way, you are adding a gel into the dough that helps to retain moisture inside the cooked bread but you are also inhibiting some of the gluten from forming: the result is a bread that is extremely soft and lasts for longer compared to regular loaves.

Introducing the use of Tangzhong into my recipe for cocoa burger buns has been the first change I made (having already tried this technique for the classic buns). Then I worked on both ingredients and raising/baking times to get a final result I was happy with. All this recipe development work now allows me to share with you some useful details about substitutions and consequent changes in texture and flavour profile.

Here’s the ingredients list for these delicious soft cocoa burger buns:

bread flour
eggs
butter
yogurt
cocoa powder
sugar
coffee
water
milk
dry yeast
olive oil
sesame seeds
salt

As you can see, this recipe calls for both milk and water but there are some substitutions you can make on this point and they all work well.

Using milk and water is the best choice in terms of texture. Milk is the liquid part in the roux-like paste mentioned before, while water is one of the liquid ingredients used in the dough. These buns tend to last longer comparer to others.
You can substitute water in the dough with stout beer to get a more flavourful result. These buns have a slightly bitter finish and they are fluffy and moist but the texture tends to change after a day. They also tend to turn out a bit more flat than the others.
Another good alternative for water in this recipe is non-dairy milk (hazelnut, almond or cashew milk are the best choices). In this case, you can use a plant-based drink to substitute both water and milk. This new ingredient affects the flavour profile of the buns giving them a delicate nutty finish. The texture is a bit more dry compared to buns made with water and milk.

These might seems small details to you but it’s just another proof of how each ingredient has a different effect on the final result and this is due to their chemical composition and role in the recipe. You can find more information about baking and food chemistry in my recipe for classic burger buns.

Uncooked cocoa buns with sesame seeds on top

Cooked cocoa burger buns on a baking tray

Soft cocoa burger buns

Ingredients – dough:

180 g strong bread flour
1 large egg (approx. 50-55 g)*
35 g plain unsweetened yogurt
20 g butter, softened
20 ml water (or stout beer/non-dairy milk)
15 g granulated sugar
15 g unsweetened cocoa powder
10 ml coffee (espresso or coffee made with a Moka pot)
1 tbsp milk (for the final egg wash)
2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
8 ml olive oil
4 g quick dry yeast (instant)
3 g salt

*I separate from this amount approx. 1 tsp of egg and keep it in the fridge for the final egg wash.

Ingredients – Tangzhong:

50 ml milk (or non-dairy milk/water)
15 g strong bread flour

Method:

To make the Tangzhong, combine milk and flour together in a small pot over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until the mix becomes a paste; you’ll easily notice this change. Use a hand whisk to avoid lumps. Allow the paste to cool down: combine it with the other ingredients when it will be at room temperature.

Place the yeast and warm coffee in a large bowl (the coffee should be slightly warm not hot). Mix and set aside for 5 minutes.
Add half of the total amount of water (or stout beer/non-dairy milk, as suggested in the introduction written above), the yogurt, sugar, egg, softened butter (at room temperature) and cocoa powder. Mix well with a hand whisk.
Now you can add the Tangzhong to the same bowl. Mix well then start adding the flour. Towards the end, check your dough and add the remaining amount of water. Use a bit of olive oil to help you knead the dough. The exact amount of flour and water you need depends on the kind of flour, temperature and experience you have in kneading a dough by hand. You can totally make these buns using a stand mixer or food processor, too.
Knead the mixture for approx. 5 minutes until you get a soft and smooth dough. Drizzle a bit of olive oil all over the dough and allow it to rise in a bowl covered with a clean kitchen towel or a reusable wrap. This step will take approx. 1-1.5 hours, depending on the temperature of the room.
Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into 4-5 equal pieces. Each bun could weigh around 90-105 g but you can adjust the size according to your preferences. Roll each piece of dough with your hands to get a perfectly round ball. Ensuring the bottom of your buns is shaped properly will help you in getting a better looking cooked bread. Place the buns on a baking tray lined with a reusable mat or parchment paper and ensure there’s enough room between them. Gently press down a little the top of each bun (skip this step if you are using beer in the dough).
Cover the buns with a clean kitchen towel, then let them rise for approx. 45 minutes, until doubled in size. Gently brush the buns with the egg wash (approx. 1 teaspoon of egg + 1 tablespoon of milk), sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for approx. 16-18 minutes.
These burger buns will keep well for up to 3 days but you could also freeze them.

A burger bun made with cocoa powder, more buns in a bowl in the background

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Focaccia morbida alla zucca

(read in English)

Ottima anche se mangiata così com’è, questa focaccia vegana alla zucca è morbidissima e, grazie al suo sapore dolce che ricorda un po’ la frutta secca, potrebbe facilmente diventare una delle tue ricette preferite!

Delicious even when eaten on its own, this soft vegan pumpkin focaccia has a sweet finish and a pillowy texture, that may help this one to easily become one of your favourite recipes!

Una fetta di questa focaccia alla zucca è l’alternativa perfetta al pane per preparare un panino, ma starebbe benissimo anche in un tagliere per l’aperitivo. Il suo sapore un po’ particolare si sposa molto bene con l’hummus, il formaggio, la rucola e l’insalata in generale, ma ci sono tante altre combinazioni che potrebbero rivelarsi davvero delle ottime scelte.

Quando si decide di aggiungere un ingrediente diverso dal solito nel pane o nella focaccia, alle volte non si ottiene un buon risultato fin da subito; proprio per questo motivo è importante capire come modificare una ricetta sulla base dell’effetto che avrà l’introduzione di una nuova variabile. La zucca, ad esempio, ti consentirà di sfornare una focaccia con un bel colore e dal sapore davvero unico, ma può anche risultare una scelta un po’ difficile da gestire ed è facile finire con un risultato con un’interno denso ed una consistenza troppo molle.

In questo post ti spiego come preparare una focaccia vegana alla zucca usando ingredienti di facile reperibilità ed un po’ di pazienza. Il rapporto tra farina e zucca arrostita, i tempi di lievitazione lunghi e una particolare combinazione di ingredienti sono ciò che ti aiuterà a preparare questa focaccia senza problemi anche se non hai molta esperienza in questo campo. Non c’è assolutamente nulla di complicato in questa ricetta e può essere una buona scusa per provare a cucinare qualcosa di diverso dal classico pane; se vuoi leggere qualcosa di più sulla chimica dietro gli impasti lievitati, puoi dare un’occhiata al mio post sui panini per burger.

Domande frequenti riguardo questa focaccia alla zucca:

Perchè usi l’amido di mais? L’utilizzo della zucca rende quest’impasto abbastanza diverso da uno più classico. L’amido di mais consente di bilanciare l’effetto di questa nuova variabile in un modo simile a quello delle uova: infatti, è d’aiuto per la struttura del prodotto finale, che risulta così bene lievitato ed areato. Ho deciso di optare per l’amido di mais per creare una ricetta vegana. Ricorda che l’amido e la farina di mais sono due cose diverse; infatti, potresti sostituire l’amido di mais con quello di patate, ma non con la farina.
Non ho un frullatore, posso preparare comunque questa ricetta? Certo! Schiaccia la zucca cotta in una ciotola con una forchetta prima di aggiungerla agli altri ingredienti. Il risultato sarà meno omogeneo, ma comunque ottimo.
Che tipo di zucca devo utilizzare? Puoi preparare questa focaccia con una zucca tipo “butternut squash” o qualsiasi altro tipo, esclusa quella chiara dall’interno filamentoso (spesso chiamata “spaghetti squash”).
Posso accorciare i tempi della ricetta? La preparazione di per sè non richiede molto tempo, ma l’impasto deve riposare per poter ottenere una focaccia morbida, ben lievitata ed areata. Puoi adattare le tempistiche alle tue necessità come indicato nella ricetta, ma non ti consiglio di cambiarle completamente; non otterresti un risultato soddisfacente facendo tutto nel giro di un paio d’ore.
Posso usare un tipo di farina diverso? Sì, puoi scegliere di utilizzare una farina diversa o una combinazione differente di quelle già incluse tra gli ingredienti; ricorda semplicemente che avrai probabilmente bisogno di una quantità di acqua diversa. Non ho ancora ottimizzato una versione senza glutine di questa ricetta, quindi, per essere sicura che la focaccia venga bene, ti consiglio di usare una farina con glutine.
Posso usare solo farina integrale? In questa ricetta la farina integrale è utilizzata sia per il suo contenuto di nutrienti, sia per una questione di sapore; puoi decidere di usare solo questo tipo di farina, ma ricorda che dovrai adattare la quantità di acqua di conseguenza e che la struttura della focaccia sarà un po’ diversa (solitamente è un po’ meno areata, ma comunque morbida, a patto che l’impasto sia ben idratato e le tempistiche per la lievitazione siano lunghe).
Perchè usi la farina da pane? Quando preparo la focaccia o il pane, se posso, preferisco usare almeno una parte di farina da pane. Questo tipo di farina ha un contenuto leggermente più alto di proteine rispetto a quella classica. In commercio si trova sia la versione bianca che quella integrale: in questa ricetta ho utilizzato una combinazione di entrambe per ottenere un risultato ottimale, ma potresti anche usare una parte di farina di pane ed una di quella normale.

Focaccia morbida alla zucca

INGREDIENTI:

per il lievitino: 130 g di farina da pane integrale, 150 g di acqua, 3 g di lievito secco istantaneo
200 g di farina bianca da pane*
150 g di zucca cotta al forno
20 g di amido di mais
3 g di lievito secco istantaneo
100 ml di acqua
2-3 cucchiai di olio extra vergine d’oliva
1/3 di cucchiaino di sale
Opzionale, da aggiungere sopra: olio extra vergine d’oliva, salvia fresca, un pizzico di sale

*Per darti un’idea, se confronto una farina bianca normale ed una da pane della stessa marca, rispettivamente hanno 10 g e 12.6 g di proteine (anche la quantità di carboidrati è ovviamente diversa, risulta più bassa in quella da pane).

PREPARAZIONE

Per preparare il lievitino: mischia gli ingredienti e lascia riposare il tutto in una ciotola coperta con un canovaccio da cucina pulito o un involucro riutilizzabile (come quelli fatti con cera d’api) per almeno 1 ora (fino a 3).
Frulla la zucca con l’acqua finchè non ottieni un purea omogenea.
Prendi il lievitino (che a questo punto dovrebbe essere ricoperto di bolle in superficie) e mischialo con gli altri ingredienti (olio d’oliva escluso). Potrebbe essere d’aiuto utilizzare un colino per l’amido di mais.
Inizia ad impastare, inizialmente con un cucchiaio, poi con le mani, controllando l’impasto passo dopo passo (potresti dover usare una quantità di acqua o farina diversa, in base agli ingredienti che usi ed alla tua esperienza nell’impastare a mano). Aggiungi l’olio d’oliva in 2-3 volte giusto quando l’impasto sarà quasi pronto.
Lavora l’impasto per circa 5 minuti finchè non sarà morbido e liscio; lascialo lievitare in una ciotola (con un filo d’olio d’oliva) coperta con un canovaccio da cucina pulito o un involucro riutilizzabile (come quelli fatti con cera d’api) per circa 1-1.5 ore.
Quando l’impasto sarà raddoppiato, piegalo su se stesso, poi copri bene la ciotola e riponila in frigorifero per almeno 8 ore (fino a 12).
Rimuovi la ciotola dal frigo, piega l’impasto su se stesso e spostalo su una teglia da forno rivestita con un tappetino in silicone riutilizzabile o con carta forno. Servirá un po’ di tempo all’impasto per ritornare a temperatura ambiente (1 o anche 2 ore, in base alla temperatura della stanza): durante questo tempo, aggiungi un filo d’olio d’oliva sulla focaccia e, in un paio di passaggi, inizia a dare all’impasto la forma desiderata (è importante evitare che si formi una crosticina sulla superficie dell’impasto, quindi copri la teglia con un canovaccio da cucina pulito o, a patto che sia ben chiuso, mettila scoperta all’interno del forno spento). Noterai la formazione di bolle d’aria sulla superficie della focaccia quando la tocchi per stenderla. Questo è anche il momento giusto per aggiungere la salvia fresca ed un pizzico di sale.
Cuoci la focaccia in forno preriscaldato a 180°C per circa 20-25 minuti finchè non sará dorata in superficie e ben cotta all’interno (il tempo di cottura vara in base allo spessore della focaccia).

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Soft pumpkin focaccia

(read in Italian)

Delicious even when eaten on its own, this soft vegan pumpkin focaccia has a sweet finish and a pillowy texture, that may help this preparation to easily become one of your favourite recipes!

A piece of homemade pumpkin focaccia is the perfect alternative to bread for a tasty sandwich or a great addition to any appetizer or snack board. It’s characteristic nutty flavour pairs really well with hummus, cheese, rocket or salad leaves but there are so many other combinations that could work well, too.

When you decide to add one extra ingredient into bread or focaccia, sometimes the result doesn’t turn out great from the beginning; that’s why it’s important to understand how to change a recipe based on the effect of that new variable. Pumpkin, for example, will make a delicious, sweet and beautiful coloured focaccia but, it can also be tricky to use and it’s easy to get a soggy result with a way too dense texture.

In this post, I show you how to make a soft vegan pumpkin focaccia using simple ingredients and a bit of patience. The ratio between flour and roasted pumpkin, the long leavening time and the combination of ingredients will help you to successfully make this focaccia even if you don’t have much experience in baking. There’s absolutely nothing complicated about this recipe and it can be a good chance to try baking something different from regular bread; if you want to learn something more about the chemistry behind baking, you can find more info in my post about burger buns.

Common questions about this focaccia with pumpkin:

Why do you add cornstarch? The use of pumpkin makes this focaccia quite different from a classic one. Cornstarch allows me to counter-balance the effect of this extra ingredient in a similar way eggs would do: it helps with the structure of the final product, that is indeed well-leavened and aerated. I decided to opt for cornstarch to keep the recipe vegan. Remember than cornstarch is not the same thing as corn flour or cornmeal; while you could swap cornstarch with potato starch, the different corn-based products are not interchangeable.
I don’t have a blender, can I make this recipe anyway? Absolutely! Just mash well the cooked pumpkin with a fork before mixing it with the other ingredients. The result would be less homogeneous but still delicious.
What kind of pumpkin should I use? You can make this vegan focaccia using butternut squash or another kind of pumpkin or squash like Delicata, Hokkaido or Kabocha (due to its particular texture, the only kind I would avoid is the one called “spaghetti squash”).
Can I shorten the preparation time? The preparation itself doesn’t take too much time but the dough needs to rest in order to get a focaccia with a more soft and aerated texture. You can adapt some of the timings to your needs as written in the recipe below but I don’t recommend you to change them completely; you won’t get a great result by doing everything in a couple of hours.
Can I use a different flour? Yes, you can use a different flour or a different combination of those already included in the ingredients’ list; just remember that you’ll probably need a different amount of water. I haven’t optimised a gluten-free version of this recipe yet, so, to ensure you’ll get a good result, I recommend you to use a flour with gluten.
Can I use just whole grain flour? In this recipe, whole grain flour is used both for its nutritional value and for a matter of taste; you can decide to use just this kind of flour but keep in mind that you’ll need to adapt the amount of water used in the preparation and that the texture of the baked focaccia will be different (usually less aerated but still soft if the dough was well-hydrated and the timeframe for the leavening process is long).
Why do you use bread flour? To make focaccia or bread, I prefer to choose bread flour if available. This kind of flour has a slightly higher protein content compared to the classic all-purpose flour. You can find both the white and whole grain version of it: in this recipe, I use a combination of these two ingredients for an optimal result but you could also pair one part of bread flour and one part of the regular one.

Soft pumpkin focaccia

INGREDIENTS:

for the starter: 130 g whole wheat bread flour, 150 ml water, 3 g quick dry yeast (instant)
200 g white bread flour*
150 g roasted pumpkin
20 g cornstarch
3 g quick dry yeast (instant)
100 ml water
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 tsp salt
optional, to add on top: extra virgin olive oil, fresh sage, a pinch of salt

*To give you an idea, if I compare white all-purpose flour and bread flour from the same brand, they have 10 g and 12.6 g of protein respectively (they also have a different amount of carbohydrates, that’s higher for the all-purpose flour).

METHOD:

To make the starter: mix the ingredients and allow everything to rest in a bowl covered with a clean kitchen towel or a reusable wrap for at least 1 hour (up to 3).
Blend the roasted pumpkin with the water until you get a smooth result.
Take your starter (that should have some bubbles on top at this stage) and mix it with all the other ingredients (apart from the olive oil). It may be useful to use a sifter or a fine-mesh sieve for the cornstarch.
Start mixing the dough with a spoon at the begin and with your hands later on: check the dough step by step (you may require a slightly different amount of water or flour, depending on your ingredients and kneading experience). Add the olive oil in portions just when the dough will be almost ready.
Knead the mixture for approx. 5 minutes until you get a soft and smooth dough: allow it to rise in a bowl (with a bit of olive oil) covered with a clean kitchen towel or a reusable wrap. This step will take approx. 1-1.5 hours, depending on the temperature of the room.
Once the dough has doubled in size, fold the dough on itself, then cover well the bowl and place it to rest in the fridge for at least 8 hours (up to 12).
Take the bowl out from the fridge, fold the dough on itself and transfer it on a baking sheet lined with a reusable mat or parchment paper. It takes a while for the dough to warm up completely (1-2 hours, depending on the temperature of the room): during this time, add some olive oil on top of your focaccia and gently stretch the dough a couple of times, until you get the desired shape (also, keep the baking sheet covered with a clean kitchen towel to prevent the dough from drying; you could also do this step in a well-closed oven leaving the baking tray uncovered). You’ll notice the formation of bubbles on the surface of your dough when you touch it. This is also the right time to add the sage leaves and a pinch of salt.
Bake your pumpkin focaccia in a preheated oven at 180°C for approx. 20-25 minutes until it’s golden on top and cooked through with a firm bottom crust (the baking time will be different based on the thickness of the focaccia).

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Tagliatelle al cacao fatte in casa

(read in English)

La pasta fatta in casa è un piatto veramente speciale e, per essere davvero buona, necessita di un po’ di pratica: queste tagliatelle al cacao sono un modo perfetto per affinare le tue capacità accompagnando un formato di pasta classico e semplice con il sapore ricco (e particolarissimo) del cacao in polvere. Questa pasta fresca all’uovo è ottima servita con formaggio fuso e spezie: ti sorprenderà con il suo sapore e, per questo, non ha bisogno di sughi che ne coprano troppo le caratteristiche.

Fresh pasta is a labour of love and great pasta needs practice: these homemade cocoa tagliatelle are a wonderful way to step-up your pasta game pairing a very basic shape with cocoa powder and its characteristic flavours and colour. Delicious when served with melted cheese and spices, this fresh pasta with cocoa will definitely surprise you with its special taste.

Capisco benissimo che preparare la pasta in casa sia un qualcosa in cui non tutti vogliono cimentarsi. Per molte persone, però, il problema non è la mancanza di voglia, bensì il pensiero di tutti gli utensili ed ingredienti particolari che servono per preparare la pasta fresca: se anche tu fai parte di questo gruppo, mi fa piacere dirti che, in realtà, le cose più importanti di cui avrai bisogno sono pratica ed impegno. Sebbene non raccomanderei questa ricetta col cacao a qualcuno che non ha mai provato a fare la pasta in casa, non mi sembra neanche giusto scoraggiare qualcuno che volesse cimentarsi con una bella sfida fin dall’inizio! Dunque, quali sono le differenze principali tra questa ricetta e la pasta classica? Come gestirle?

I miei consigli per aiutarti con questa ricetta:

Prepara l’impasto a mano: io sono abituata ad impastare tutto a mano e penso che sia il modo migliore per imparare. Preparare il tuo impasto a mano ti permette di capire meglio come cambia la consistenza, come aumenta l’elasticità e se hai bisogno di più farina o se ne hai già aggiunta fin troppa. Il cacao in polvere influisce sulla consistenza dell’impasto, quindi è ancora più importante poterne controllare la consistenza passo dopo passo.
Non aggiungere troppa farina: pensare che sia sempre meglio aggiungere più farina è un errore piuttosto comune quando si prepara la sfoglia. L’esperienza, però, mi insegna che non è così: ciò di cui hai bisogno è soltanto la quantità giusta di farina per non far attaccare l’impasto al piano di lavoro o al mattarello. Nel caso in cui dovessi aver bisogno di molta farina in questo passaggio, vorrebbe dire che probabilmente è stato commesso un errore in precedenza; di solito il motivo è l’aggiunta di troppi ingredienti liquidi o un impasto non lavorato abbastanza bene. In questa ricetta è presente il cacao in polvere (che ha un piccolo contenuto d’acqua e di grassi), quindi l’impasto tende ad essere un pochino più appiccicoso: è una nota utile e da tenere a mente, ma niente che renda impossibile la preparazione della pasta.
Un pochino d’olio d’oliva è utile: quando si parla di pasta fatta in casa, ognuno ha le sue preferenze ed i suoi trucchetti. Ho scoperto che un pochino d’olio d’oliva è piuttosto utile in questa ricetta con il cacao, perchè aiuta ad ottenere la consistenza giusta e l’impasto risulta diverso anche quando si stende la sfoglia.

Una nota a margine: non tutto il cacao in polvere ha le stesse caratteristiche!

Tra le tante specifiche che rendono ogni cacao il polvere unico, ci sono un paio di fattori che sono di particolare interesse per questa ricetta.

Il contenuto di grassi: durante il processo di lavorazione delle fave di cacao, le parti solide vengono separate dal burro di cacao, ma il contenuto di grassi della polvere che si ricava non è pari a zero; infatti, ha un valore che varia tra l’8% ed il 26%.
Alcalinizzazione (o Dutching o Dutch processing): le fave di cacao sono spesso trattate con un agente alcalinizzante (come il carbonato di potassio) e questo influisce sul pH del cacao in polvere, il quale naturalmente ha un valore intorno a 5 ma, in seguito a questo passaggio, diventa più elevato (i valori sono intorno a 6.5-8) (per un piccolo promemoria sul pH: 7 = neutro, valori più elevati = basico, valori inferiori = acido). Il processo di alcalinizzazione non modifica soltanto il pH del cacao, ma ha un effetto anche su colore e sul sapore: il cacao in polvere diventa più scuro e c’è una diminuzione nel contenuto di composti chimici che gli donano il gusto amaro ed astringente.

Tagliatelle al cacao fatte in casa

Ingredienti (per 2 porzioni piccole):

90 g farina (puoi usare sia la 0 che la 00)
5 g cacao in polvere (puoi usare fino a 7 g di cacao per ottenere una colorazione più intensa)
1 uovo
2 cucchiaini di olio extra vergine d’oliva
opzionale: 1 cucchiaino di caffè (freddo)*

*usa qualcosa di concentrato come un espresso o un caffè fatto con la moka

Prepara la farina ed il cacao in una ciotola o su un tagliare, poi crea una conca al centro ed aggiungi l’uovo al suo interno. Utilizza una forchetta per sbattere l’uovo ed iniziare ad incorporare la farina. Continua a mischiare il tutto con le mani, poi aggiungi l’olio ed impasta per 5-10 minuti, finchè non avrai un risultato liscio ed elastico: ci potrebbe volere un po’ di tempo, ma riuscirai a capire facilmente i vari cambiamenti di consistenza e noterai quando sarà pronto. Copri l’impasto con della pellicola o un panno riutilizzabile e lascialo riposare in un posto fresco per 15-20 minuti circa.

Ora è il momento di stendere la sfoglia: dividi l’impasto in 2 parti e tieni sempre coperta quella che non stai utilizzando, altrimenti diventerà troppo secca. Puoi assolutamente preparare queste tagliatelle senza la macchina da pasta, utilizzando solo un mattarello: cospargi con un po’ di farina il piano di lavoro, poi inizia a stendere l’impasto preparando una sfoglia larga e sottile. Con il mattarello sarà più difficile ottenere delle forme rettangolari perfette, ma puoi comunque preparare facilmente la pasta e le tagliatelle verrano dello spessore e della lunghezza giuste in ogni caso (presta attenzione a ciò che stai facendo ed a come tagli la sfoglia).

Quando si usa la macchina per la pasta, solitamente si parte con le impostazioni più larghe e poi si procede in avanti da lì, ripassando l’impasto nella macchina varie volte. Questi passaggi aiutano anche a creare la superficie ruvida della pasta (quella che si sposa perfettamente con un bel sugo!) ed è per questo che mi piace fare qualcosa di simile anche quando la preparo a mano: è un passaggio in più e del tutto opzionale.

Prepara la sfoglia dello spessore che preferisci, cospargila con un po’ di farina e taglia le varie sezioni necessarie per le tagliatelle: vuoi creare dei lunghi rettangoli di pasta, che poi arrotolerai delicatamente su sè stessi. Utilizzando un coltello, taglia trasversalmente la pasta: prima di cuocere le tagliatelle, lasciale riposare per 30 minuti circa su una superficie leggermente infarinata o su un apposito essiccatore oppure prepare i classici nidi. Se non le usi subito, puoi conservarle in frigo per un paio di giorno (ma sono decisamente più buone quando vengono cotte entro 24 ore).

Come si possono servire? Sono ottime accompagnate con formaggio fuso (pecorino o qualcosa di simile) e pepe nero oppure con Camembert fuso e salvia.