(Time as luxury. This is third in a series of projects studying time: one, two, four, and five.)

I bake awesome tarts. All fruit and herbs are from my own garden and my neighbours' and friends' gardens around Los Angeles.



This venture is less a baking business and more about the ritual of preparation and serving of a tart. The current cupcake craze is removed from the process of leisurely enjoying a baked good: two or three quick bites on the move and they are gone. The tart on the other hand requires time, and presentation of the fruit as well as the tart itself. The order and method of layering the fruit and the selection of stands to display the arrangement require more thought and time. Then there is the ritual of serving a tart: the hesitation of cutting through a beautiful object, the care in not crumbling the crust, the utensil for serving and plating the piece. This is followed by the eating of the tart, which also requires a plate and a utensil so the delicate crust does not fall apart, and before divulging and tearing it apart, one visually takes in the piece. All these steps, the ritual, extend the time of the experience, making the act of having a dessert, a luxurious one.

Photography by Christopher O'Leary.