Portrait of a Gourmand – Helen of Tartelette blog

As mentioned a while back, our Portrait of  Gourmand series is finally here. We’re proud to highlighting Helen of Tartelette.

The food blogging world knows her as Helen, from Tartelette blog- a delicious and stunning blog filled to the brim with gorgeous photographs of pastries and desserts. She’s a professional pastry chef who left the restaurant industry, unsure of what her future held. Helen continued to create her love of pastries on her blog, where she’s a triple threat: creator of beautiful pastries, fantastic photographer and stunning food stylist. The success of her blog has led to a cookbook due out in Fall 2009. Leaving the restaurant industry was a wise decision after all.

We’ve been fans of Helen’s blog for quite a while now, but we were finally fortunate enough to meet Helen through Jaden, of Steamy Kitchen. Jaden invited us to attend a food blog bash in Asheville, NC and Helen was also on Jaden’s list. Lucky for us, because meeting Helen is to love her. She’s insanely funny and witty, which proves why her loyal readers continue to return to her blog. It’s a feast for the eyes and soul.  As if we couldn’t already tell by reading her blog, once we were lucky enough to see her live in action, it was insanely obvious that she is one all around bad-ass chef.  If you haven’t met her yet, take the time to enjoy her site.  She is special.

Update: Helen’s cookbook entitled, “Start with Sugar” has an anticipated release date of Christmas 2009!

Helen’s blog: Tartelette

Helen’s Twitter: follow @SweetTartelette

If you could have one big finale meal, what would your final feast be?

“Hands down my grandmother traditional Moroccan couscous (the whole dish not just the grain) because it got everyone together, family and friends, all helping and laughing and spending the day getting it ready. Chopping all the vegetables, cutting the mutton, chicken, cooking the couscous and chickpeas, grilling the merguez sausages, and making her harissa extra spicy. Sitting together and passing around all the bowls and plates. A cacophony of sounds and voices and then silence. Bliss. It was the best flipping awesome couscous in the world and we got everybody to agree, shut up and eat!!” – Helen

Portrait of a Gourmand - A gourmand is simply, someone who takes pleasure in food and eating.  This is a continuing photographic series of gourmands, from all walks of life. There are many gourmands that inspire us in profound ways that make us think about food differently. Through these portraits  essays we  share fascinating individuals with all of you. Unleash your inner gourmand.

Also on Portrait of a Gourmand:

• Amy, of LA Weekly Food Squid Ink
• Todd, of White On Rice Couple
• Helen, of Tartelette

Follow us on Twitter for Portrait of a Gourmand updates – @WhiteOnRice