TDC CALENDAR: NOVEMBER 2021
INSPIRATION: THANKSGIVING EXCESS 🦃
We’ve always been a bit jealous of the American tradition for celebrating a huge (and largely controversial) holiday right before Christmas. It’s arguably the ultimate form of self-indulgence, conducted on a national scale.
Inspired by America’s no-holds-barred approach to the last Thursday in November, we decided to go OTT USA style for our November image.
Even better, this was a rare occasion where our photography wouldn’t be used in an advertising capacity. Cue sugar, fast food, smoking, and a general sense of hedonism that would make the Portman Group quake in their boots.
THE DRINK: ALL AMERICAN MILK PUNCH 🇺🇸
1 litre Applejack (Laird’s)
1 litre Cranberry juice
500ml Corn Falernum*
800ml milk
50ml lime juice
Add all the ingredients together except the milk and lime. Boil the milk and add the lime juice, then add this mix to the rest of the ingredients.
Add to a punch/super bag (a jam strainer will also work) and leave until most of the solids have separated. Refrigerate the strained liquid for a minimum of three hours, but preferably overnight, then filter through a coffee filter.
To serve, either pour over ice or add to a punch bowl with block ice and serve to your guests!
*Corn Falernum
1/3 cup of corn kernels
25 clove
4 star anise
150ml overproof rye
4 limes (zested and juiced)
250ml water
125g sugar
Infuse the corn, zest, clove and star anise overnight in the overproof rye. Then strain through a coffee filter. Lengthen with lime juice, water and sugar.
HOW WE SHOT IT 📸
We wanted this image to evoke classic Americana, excess and a sense of living in the moment. We chose rich jewel tones for our table and drapes, then layered in as much glass, colour, texture, and detail as the scene could handle.
Taking a bite of all those McDonald’s Cheeseburgers was an ordeal for poor Josh, but he persevered in the name of art. And for the final flourish, we shot our milk punch in action, layering in multiple splashes created with precision ice cube aim.