"Don't eat it - - " I said, and the startled hands of my dining companion jerked away from his plate, "let me take a picture first." He breathed a sigh of relief and I repositioned the plate for better lighting.

Dining with a food writer takes some getting used to. Unsuspecting dining companions are often caught off guard and occasionally chastised for their haste. Sometimes I feel badly for the uninitiated and apologize, "Sorry, I might need this pic for a post."

Their grief aside, shutter-happy blogger behavior inevitably leads to a vast photo stream of culinary documentation. A nostalgic food diary; an account of where you've been, what you've eaten, and who you ate it with.

But, not wanting my companions patient suffering to go in vain, every #foodiefriday Hot From The Kettle will post a few relevant and interesting food photos from the earlier week.

This week, we're taking a look at some of the new dishes from Chef Zod Arifai's new tasting menu at the acclaimed Restaurant Blu in Montclair.