Dan from Platter Talk's interview
Interview by GitanjaliWe interviewed Dan from Platter Talk!
Visit the blog: Platter Talk.
Hello Dan from Platter Talk, so tell us...
What inspired you to start your blog, and what is the philosophy behind it?
I was inspired to start this site by my love of food, photography, and writing. Three things I have been passionate about for my whole life.
Are you involved in the blogging community - how do you attract new readers?
We are associated with several other food bloggers, on social media. There exists a wonderful network of like-minded folks who share a similar mission and passion about good food and passing it around the virtual table.
Where do you find your culinary inspiration?
Both Scott and I grew up in large families where the mom (and some sibs) ran the kitchen. I think our inspiration is drawn primarily from those who came before us.
Do you have any tips on feeding such a large family (of boys with ravenous appetites, I imagine!)
Simple and good tasting food is key. If the flavor or texture isn't right, the boys will have little do do with it. They are our most honest critics. By the same token, we stress sound nutrition and do our best to steer them toward healthful eating and dietary habits and choices.
What is your earliest food memory?
Sitting around our kitchen table in the farm house in which I grew up. We ate all three meals as a family and it's been almost 50 years but I can still recall where everyone sat.
Do you have a secret ingredient, a product you use a lot that is unexpected or that helps you save time?
I love olive oil. I use it to saute, I use it in marinades, and among other things, I use it in my pizza dough
recipe, inspired by Mario Batali. I've found that it lends it's own unique flavor, it's a wonderful medium in which other ingredients meld or "get to know each other," and I love consistency and texture it lends to my pizza crust - arguably the best things that come out of my ovens.
Is there any dish, ingredient or type of food you refuse to cook? Or anything that you refuse to eat?
I can't eat liver. I grew up with parents who ate it frequently. In fact, my dad loved chicken livers as much as anything. I've tried, (once) and I just can't get it down.
What are your goals for your blog? Where would you like to see it in the next year? Five years?
I like to communicate through Platter Talk. I like to think that the reader is a guest at our table and as such is invited to taste something that comes from our kitchen and thereby from our hearts. I would love our audience to continue to grow over the next year and beyond and in five years I expect Platter Talk to be a household name.
My worst food flop was...
Oh boy. Fortunately, I haven't had many. There is nothing worse than serving homemade pie to dinner guests and it is more suitable for a soup dish than a pie plate. I've had that happen to me, more than once.
Anything else you would like to share?
Platter Talk has offered a rich and rewarding opportunity to collaborate with my husband Scott and our six boys in a constructive activity. We work hard on the site and we always end up eating very well, partially as a result of our efforts. In a household of eight guys and two dogs, it doesn't get much better than that. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here and get links to all the happenings of the preceding week: http://eepurl.com/0P9p5
Thank you Dan from Platter Talk for answering our questions and see you soon!
Published by Gitanjali - 09/02/2014
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