Pon De Ring

For anyone not familiar, let me introduce you to the best donut in the world, the Pon de Ring, aka. the Chewisty. Well, it’s my favorite at least. They are delicate, soft, perfectly chewy donuts that you can easily pull apart into smaller bite size pieces. Available in a number of varieties such as chocolate, strawberry, or green tea they are not as sweet as many other donuts and don’t sit as heavy in the stomach.

They were inspired by a chewy cheese bun originally from Brazil called pao de queijo which uses tapioca as a starch to create its distinctive soft, chewy texture. I have actually tried these cheese buns which share the same texture but have a totally different taste to them. Obviously, the donut version does not contain cheese. I have also read that some alternate recipes use rice flour in place of tapioca to achieve the slightly chewy texture.

They are sold by Mister Donut in many asian countries under the Pon de Ring name and at Dunkin Donuts (in Asian regions) under the Chewisty name but are very similar in quality in my opinion. Both chains started out in the US. Mister Donut was a spin off created by one of the original founders of Dunkin Donuts and through time ended up being bought by the same parent corporation as Dunkin Donuts which is when they started to disappear throughout the US as they started to turn into Dunkin Donuts. Once Mister Donut was sold back into the Dunkin Donuts family they started to spread to Asian markets through local franchises using the name. The Pon de Ring was launched in 2003 in the Asian market to wide acclaim.

It seems a crime that these are not sold in the American market because they really are quite extraordinary and anyone with the chance to try one, do yourself a favor and don’t pass it up! From time to time I think to myself that surely someone out there has a recipe at least a little similar but I have yet to find a good one.

50/50

Most of those who have been following along here for a while know that I enjoy shooting both digitally and with film cameras. Both can be rewarding in their own ways and many of us have strong opinions of which we prefer. These days I carry my camera bag with me everywhere I go with no exception. In it you will usually find my Hasselblad, OM-2n, XA2, and the body of my 5D. I leave the OM lens adaptor on my 5D making it all to easy to pull out the body and swap lenses with the OM-2n when I want to switch things up.

How do I decide which camera to shoot with? It’s almost as simple as you knowing what lens you want to use, but the thought is extended when I consider the film inside each camera and the behavior of each. More often than not I reach for a film camera. These days I use my OM-2n the most, followed by the 5D and last but not least, my personal favorite, the Hasselblad.

Using film has nothing to do with being trendy. It’s a format in the same way digital photography is a format. Painters use different paints, sculptors use different raw material, and photographers use different lenses, bodies or types of film. It’s not just a matter of keeping up with technology, it’s simply a different paint, or material of which to create with.

Film still yields an unrivaled dynamic range, warmth, and a unique, beautiful way to capture life. Digital gives us ease of use as an entry point into the medium and an easy sense of accomplishment (which can ultimately leave you getting burnt out quicker). I notice many photographers that got into photography through digital means who end up looking to film as a way to further develop themselves as photographers. Sometimes it takes time to develop an appreciation of the nuances of using film when modern day tech seems to push so heavily against analog because of the constant pressure to develop and the latest and greatest digital camera system.

This weird push and pull for or against one format or another is unfortunate because there is clearly room for both. Any talk of film “dying off” is unheard of to me and it’s disappointing because a negative attitude toward film is not only absolutely pointless but drives the overall social mentality that paints it in a seemingly outdated way as if it is somehow redundant now that we can mimic the feel of it on a computer. It’s like drinking orange flavored sugar water instead of real orange juice.

Film isn’t dated, it’s very much alive and well. Against what you may believe after reading about Kodak’s financial state, they openly admit that their film division is still profitable despite the other parts of the company faltering, and they are certainly not the only film maker of the world. Shooting with film is not just for hipster kids or overly romantic shooters like myself. It’s for any photographer that wants to broaden his or her palate and as always I encourage anyone on the fence to give it a chance. Not only by trying it but by not talking down on the idea simply because your personal needs or taste does not align with what it gives you at this moment in time.

One nice example of someone giving film a chance is my good friend David who hand coded the new site design here on 50ft. He had been shooting with a modest DSLR for a few years now but recently decided to give film a try after being surprised by the results of using a borrowed rangefinder. He has been shooting with a Nikon FM2 lately and I love what he has been capturing with it. Looking back on his old photos it’s hard to believe its the same person shooting them. I think the switch has renewed his focus and spirit in looking for interesting things to shoot. You can see them on his Flickr stream here.

Well, I set out today simply looking to share a new desktop but here we are discussing film again and I’m sure it won’t be the last. I shot the above photo on the floor of a coffee shop a while back when I had first bought this lovely OM-2n. I thought the black and white tiles would make for a fun desktop image. Enjoy!

Browny 70

I have had this sitting on the back burner for a long while now. I was never quite sure whether or not to use it but after a mini survey I had a couple of readers say yes to a food focused desktop. I have a couple around actually but thought this would be good because who doesn’t enjoy a good waffle from time to time?

This was taken near Seoul at a local bakery that doubles as a coffee shop which is also a café, a little of everything really, but all delicious. It’s called Browny 70 and YoungDoo actually designed their website and did some photography work for them last year. At any rate, this amazing plate of food had oranges, bananas, ice cream, brownies, shaved almonds, and of course ,waffles. A refreshing snack. I liked this photo of it as opposed to a more direct shot because of the anticipation drawn from her hand and fork as she moves in to start eating. To download this tasty desktop simply use the links found below.

50ft Radio Volume Six

Welcome back to the latest edition of 50ft Radio. This time around I originally set out to make a mix for the winter with a touch of a holiday feel but it evolved like these always do and ended up being a mix of ambient music. Most of what you will hear here is piano driven but ventures into left field exploring ambient music. There are both newer discoveries and old favorites that seemed to fit in well. I still feel like its a great mix for the winter, all instrumental, great for a study session or a quiet evening with a good book. I hope everyone enjoys it!

I get a fair amount of questions about how these mixes are made with the enhances cover art and chapters. I simply use GarageBand and use the podcast format to add chapters, artwork, and links. It’s super easy to put one together and a lot of fun.

I have the next one already underway and it will contain a lot of music that I could never manage to fit into other mixes but its taking shape nicely and will probably start releasing these as a monthly series. As with the other mixes here I ask that you not re-distribute these in any way shape or form. Enjoy it responsibly. If you find music you love then, please support the artist by buying a record, shirt, or going to a show. They cant keep doing what they do without it. These mixes were created for the love of music and helping artists gain exposure to new ears not just senseless sharing. Its important to me and I thank you for your understanding. Enjoy!

You can find a zip file with the mix and track listing here. (track listing only)

Heading Home

A couple of days ago I was invited out to San Francisco and so here I sit downtown in the city trying to decide what to do for lunch today. I wanted to get a new radio mix up this week but due to my last minute travel I decided to wait until I was back to get that up for everyone. I did want to at least share something else this week so I decided to dig back through the archives for fresh wallpaper to share.

I ended up looking through photos from my last time in Seoul and came across a few nice shots that I have set aside to slowly post here on 50ft. First up is this shot taken while walking home down the side of the mountain in the middle of Seoul. On its peak rests the Namsan Tower landmark which we had been exploring in the afternoon. I couldn’t resist the beautiful light coming in through the trees. It’s wonderful to have places so quiet in a city as large as Seoul but there are a number of wonderful places like this to discover both in and around the city. I can’t wait to go back in a couple of months!