Wednesday, October 4, 2017 // The Statement
8B
V I S U A L S T A T E M E N T
Z I N G E R M A N ’ S P A E L L A
Green beans are then added to the pan.
Shrimp is sauteed in olive oil in a large paella pan over mesquite .
Green beans and chicken are sauteed in the pan.
A tomato and saffron based sauce is added to the mix.
Dry bomba rice is added to the paella pan.
Chicken stock is poured into the pan, and the paella is left to simmer without stirring.
The finished paella is presented before it’s let to rest for ten minutes.
Photos by Max Kuang
On September 24, I took a trip to Zingerman’s Deli to witness the making of
paella, a traditional Spanish dish. My first sensation when photographing paella
was intense heat — in part because I was standing under the sun without cover,
but also because I was standing two feet from a burning charcoal grill. But as the
fresh shrimp, bomba rice, seasonal vegetables, and saffron were added into the
round paella pans, I no longer thought about the heat. Instead, I thought of the
flavors and smells rising from the grill. I made the mistake of photographing on
an empty stomach, and — yes — my mouth was watering the whole time.