Food Blogger Interview: Kimberly Killebrew of The Daring Gourmet
Today we interview another of our
amazing Dishfolio food bloggers: Kimberly Killebrew of The
Daring Gourmet. Listen in as she talks about what inspires her
world cuisine blog, her concerns about food sources and GMOs, and
how she's striving to de-mystify the cooking process for her
readers with great photo cooking instructions.
Tell us about your food blogging goals: What are they? How are you accomplishing them?
To de-mystify certain dishes and make them accessible to cooks of all stages by providing helpful information and step-by-step photo instructions. To bring world cuisine to my readers' dinner tables and inspire and appreciation of world cuisine and different cultures and traditions. To create and provide top quality, kitchen-ready recipes that anyone can duplicate in their own kitchens. To inspire people to challenge themselves - not only their cooking skills, but their palates.
Of innovative cooking ingredients you've tried, which was
the hardest to find or use?
Certain spices - not hard to use, but challenging to know what to do with them. And certain spices can primarily only be found online for purchase.
Who is your foodie hero (cook, photographer, or taster)
and how do they inspire you?
My mom. She's a phenomenal international cook who raised me to love cooking from a very young age. I remember her putting me to work browning the ground beef at the age of four. I loved cooking with her and being helpful around the kitchen. She's my personal cooking mentor. We continue to swap recipes, ideas, and enjoying good food together.
What's your go-to literary tool and how does it make your
food blog successful?
My focus is the food itself. I don't spend a lot of time on drawn-out stories or things unrelated to the food. I bring the food to the forefront and like to inspire people to try it. I want them to look at the pictures and think, "Oh my! That looks delicious!" and then to read through the description and instructions and say, "Hey, I think I can do this. I'm going to cook/bake this!"
What ethical food issues
get you talking with your friends and family?
I'm growing increasingly concerned about where our food comes
from. Now that I have children I'm even more particular.
Here in the United States we live in a country of great
abundance. For example, I live in the Apple State
(Washington) where we grow more apples than we know what to do
with. Yet just the other day when I went grocery shopping I
reached for a jug of apple juice only to find that the apples it
was made from came from China. Although the U.S. has banned
certain pesticides and herbicides, we import produce from countries
that continue to use those very substances. I'm also
concerned about all the GMOs. Mother nature has been
producing vegetables and grains for eons. I'd rather leave
produce and grain production in her very capable hands and stop
using our hands to manipulate her blueprints.
What's the best food photography tip you've learned in the
past year?
Lighting. That's the ultimate key. You can turn a very humble dish into something amazing looking by having the right light. Or, you can turn what looks utterly amazing and gourmet into something very unappetizing by having poor lighting.
How many cookbooks do you own and which do you reach for
most often?
My husband would love this question! I own over 350
cookbooks and every time I get a new one my husband groans. I
primarily use them for inspiration to ignite new ideas for recipes
I want to create. I also just enjoy sitting down and flipping
through them just for fun. I'm notorious for taking a stack
of cookbooks with me any time we take a road trip. I love
just sitting back and reading cookbooks, making notes, planning and
scheming new recipe creations.
What's next? How will you make yours the best food blog in
town?
By consistently producing delicious recipes. I don't post anything that I haven't tried, tweaked, and re-tweaked to perfection. And if I don't personally like it, I don't post it.
Contact us to find out how you can participate as a food blogger interviewee for Dishfolio to promote your profile to our readers!
Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
The ultimate peanut butter sandwich cookies with a nutella, marshmallow, cream cheese filling!
by daringgourmet
Chocolate Deception Cake
You'll never guess this deliciously decadent cake is made with 100% whole wheat flour, honey, buttermilk, and 2 whole cups of zucchini!
by daringgourmet