Blue Plate Special 2 (Burger & Fries)

Summertime... when our thoughts naturally turn to (what I like to call) the triple R's; Rest, relaxation, and recreation! What's a better meal to enjoy this time of year, than a burger & fries combo?

My favorite way to prepare & enjoy a hamburger combo meal like this is dining al fresco.... You know, picnics in the park, and backyard barbecues, that mouth-watering moment of biting into my favorite gastronomic delight: a great big juicy, sizzling hamburger (grilled medium rare, of course with just a hint of pink meat inside, and those lovely grill lines across the outside of the burger) fresh from the grill -- that's what Summertime's all about! .....and of course, what's a barbecue burger without some crispy, crunchy salty french fries to go with it?

Add some fresh lettuce, pickles, a sesame seed bun, (you can throw that bun on the grill for a minute as well, to just slightly toast it, and give it that yummy CRUNCHY texture when you bite into it), add salt, pepper and ketchup (and any other condiments of your choice) to taste, and there you have it --my "Blue Plate Special 2" - "Trompe L'oeil style".

The biggest challenge for me in this piece was creating the "shadows" being cast by the food. The way I did it was, I used a glaze in a darker shade of blue (than the shade used for the plate) and basically just made my "light source" coming from the left, so the darker area shadows are on the right. I do believe these shadows really give depth and add to the (3 Dimensional) Trompe L'oeil feel...

This piece was created on a 15" round wooden decorative charger plate. For those that don't know, a charger plate is an elegant and underused element of a place setting. Also known as a chop plate, service plate or underplate, a charger plate is usually larger than a dinner plate but smaller than a food-serving platter. (Again, this one is approx. 15" round, and wooden).

This piece was unfortunately created too late for the "In the Kitchen" (Food & Art) ebsq show, but not to late for the "Better Late than Never" show in December!

I signed it on the back, and it is varnished for protection and enhancement of color.

Some of the colors I used are napthol red, pthalo blue, permanent green light, yellow ochre, burnt umber and glazes including yellow, and burnt sienna.

Thanks so much for looking and Bon appetit!