Food Stylist & Photographer Aliza Sokolow's Carte
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If you follow Aliza Sokolow on Instagram, you already know that her work as a food stylist and photographer is vivacious and colorful. Her ability to artfully display food is her gift, earning her features in top publications like The New York Times and Bon Appetit, credits on Jamie Oliver’s Emmy winning show Food Revolution, and a book deal with Random House.
Aliza doesn’t stop at photography and styling; lately she’s been flexing her baking muscle in the kitchen. For those living in Los Angeles, you can order her delicious pies and breads to try for yourself, and with each order she’ll donate a portion of proceeds to charity. Carte caught up with the master of crudité to get suggestions on serving boards to elevate any presentation and the kitchen tools ideal for slicing and baking.
Cooking & Dining
“Good food to me means locally grown and fresh. I eat mostly vegetables and it’s important for me to know where my food comes from. I source my ingredients from local LA farmers markets and I bake with Tehachapi Grain Project flour.
Sometimes you need the right equipment to inspire you to make things.
Robert Siegel Studio
All of my dishware comes from my friend Robert Siegel, he handcrafts everything in downtown LA. He makes ceramics for a lot of restaurants around the city, they’re super chic. I get a lot of joy out of using them. I make such colorful food that when I place it on a black or white plate, it looks great.
Pictured: Aliza’s confetti salad in a Robert Siegel bowl. @alizajsokolow
Mercer Culinary Hell's Handle Spatula
My favorite kitchen tool is this fish spatula for delicate things like flipping pancakes or taking cookies off a sheet. No food is precious, but things like baked goods and fish are so delicate and this metal easily slips under and allows them to breath. Traditional spatulas are too thick, everyone needs a fish spatula. If you don’t have one, you need one. It's the best kitchen tool.
Milo Mini Dutch Oven
Milo makes the perfect size dutch oven. It’s big enough to cook anything but small enough that it’s not too heavy. Other dutch ovens are very heavy. You want to be able to easily carry your cookware.
Our Place Always Pan
This is the best pan, nothing sticks to it.
Staub Enameled Cast Iron Fry Pan
Once you season this really nicely it makes everything taste good. It stays flavorful. I wipe it down with olive oil instead of using soap.
Zwilling J.A. Henckels Knife Block Set
My knives are from Zwilling, they’re amazing.
Zwilling J.A. Henckels Bread Knife
Everyone should make sure they have a good bread knife. You can't ruin other knives from cutting bread. They’re also great for slicing tomatoes.
Kuhn Rikon COLORI Paring Knife
I love a paring knife. They’re great for cutting soft fruit and other delicate things. The nonstick coating on these knives makes slicing easier.
Silpat silicone Baking Mat
Pictured: Aliza making challah on her Silpat @alizajsokolow
kitchenaid STAND MIXER
I use this for all my baking.
Cuisinart Hand Blender
If you’re cooking soup in a pot, you just put the immersion blender in and it makes your life so much easier. It’s also great for smoothies and salad dressings.
VITAMIX Professional grade blender
I love it, I’ve used mine for years.
Miroco Electric Milk Steamer
This is my favorite thing I’ve ever bought - it’s a coffee/milk frother. I've used it every day since I bought it. I put Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer in my coffee. If I just mix in a spoonful, it’s chunky and gross. But with the Miroco, it's so creamy. I”m obsessed it's the best thing ever.
ETU WOODEN boards
Etu makes amazing cutting & serving boards.
The wooden Palate Chop Block
They do gorgeous ones.
atelier saucier NAPKINS
This is a great female founded local company. I have a variety pack of napkins and I just love them.
H&M Washed Linen Tablecloth
Hot tip - H&M has affordable 100% linen tablecloths and they’re really nice! They’re perfect for when you have people over and want a nice table set up.
hedley & bennett Apron
I use Hedley & Bennett aprons. The company is female founded. I have one of their masks that matches my apron.
The Little Market Basket
I bring The Little Market bags to the farmer’s market.
Some of my pantry staples are Seed & Mill Tahini, New York Shuk spices and Jacobsen Sea Salt
Everyone needs multiple kinds of salt. I use Jacobsen Flakey Sea Salt on top of my cookies, my challah, on roast potatoes - I put it on everything. If you’re say making pasta and need to salt water, you want their Kosher Salt for that. I love them all.
I use Tehachapi Grain Project flour for all of my baking. They preserve and grow heritage organic grains which are naturally drought tolerant and low in gluten.
Decor & Bedding
PRINTS BY Aliza J Sokolow
Merci Sheets
Merci’s French linen sheets from Paris are the best. They ship to the US. I love them.
— As told to Carte