Marlys @ This and That's interview
Interview by Lydia
I started my blog about a year and half ago to write down recipes that my husband has shown me of West African cooking. It started just as a personal blog but with the encouragement of other bloggers I followed, I have let others see what I am cooking and baking.
Shortly after I made my fan page on facebook I was invited to join Foodie Friends Friday which has opened the door to other social media to promote my blog. This group has been wonderful and supportive. I also belong to a few other facebook blogging communities that have helped me to learn all about the different types of social media. I attend linky parties and share my recipes on google plus, facebook and pinterest. I also have joined some tribes on triberr which gets my post out on twitter and LinkedIn. My recipes have been featured on other blogs and site which help to increase new readers. Another thing to help increase new readers is to do some guest blogging.
I have always love to try new foods and cuisines. I was lucky enough to travel to West Africa and marry a man from there. I was married there and during the time I was in Togo, West Africa I was able to watch my mother and sister-in-law's cook over open fire and prepare wonderful, tasty meals. After my husband was able to join me her in the States, he has taught me to appreciate African cooking and how to prepare their food.
I think I was born with food in my mouth as I have always loved food. My earliest memories of making food was making fudge. My mother would rest on the couch and tell me what to put in to make fudge. I remember being in awe of her knowing when the fudge was just ready to be put in the pan. She taught me to drop a small amount of fudge into cold water and make it into a ball ~ the soft boil stage. We always have perfect fudge. I have tried over the years to make fudge using a thermometer but it just doesn't work out.. I still drop some in a cup with cold water and move it around with my fingers feeling when it is done.
My mother and my grandmother influenced me. My mother was a great cook and baker and often didn't use recipes but use her touch and her smell. She would put in a little bit of this and a pinch of that and that is often how she would write down her recipes ~ One hand full of this, a pinch of that, add flour until if feels just right. Although my mom was a busy lady with many small children and a job she always had time to make sure we had fresh baking when we came home from school, whether it was fresh bread, cookies or a cake.. I still can smell those when I walk into our family home.
My grandmother continued my love of baking and cooking by giving me cookbooks for my birthday and Christmas. She also handed down many of her cookbooks when as she got older and wasn't able to cook or bake anymore. I love those cookbooks as she has notes of what she changed in the recipes or what she didn't like about a recipes. These are precious memories for me now.
I like to cook with just about everything but will not cook anything with the head still on. My husband like the head of the fish, but I can't cook something that is staring at me. He has to do that himself if he wants the eat the head.
I always have chicken in the freezer so will often make some kind of chicken dish. Throw together a salad, make a quick balsamic vinaigrette and add some chicken and you have a perfect salad or meal. For dessert I love to make cheesecakes, either no baked or baked.
My goal is to increase the number of readers to my blog and to hopeful to start making a profit from it. I would love to write a cookbook with my take on African Cuisine but I knew that will be down the road. I am hoping that the next time we go to visit Togo I will be able to prepare food over there and bring back more knowledge on how they prepare their food over an open fire and without all the conveniences we have here.
Food is a very important part of everyone's life and we need to enjoy what we are eating. To enjoy it we must make things from scratch. From scratch doesn't always mean harder but it does mean better.
We interviewed Marlys @ This and That!
Visit the blog: This and That.
Hello Marlys @ This and That, so tell us...
When did you begin your blog, and what inspired you to start it?
I started my blog about a year and half ago to write down recipes that my husband has shown me of West African cooking. It started just as a personal blog but with the encouragement of other bloggers I followed, I have let others see what I am cooking and baking.
Are you involved in the blogging community - how do you attract new readers?
Shortly after I made my fan page on facebook I was invited to join Foodie Friends Friday which has opened the door to other social media to promote my blog. This group has been wonderful and supportive. I also belong to a few other facebook blogging communities that have helped me to learn all about the different types of social media. I attend linky parties and share my recipes on google plus, facebook and pinterest. I also have joined some tribes on triberr which gets my post out on twitter and LinkedIn. My recipes have been featured on other blogs and site which help to increase new readers. Another thing to help increase new readers is to do some guest blogging.
How did you become interested in West African Cuisine?
I have always love to try new foods and cuisines. I was lucky enough to travel to West Africa and marry a man from there. I was married there and during the time I was in Togo, West Africa I was able to watch my mother and sister-in-law's cook over open fire and prepare wonderful, tasty meals. After my husband was able to join me her in the States, he has taught me to appreciate African cooking and how to prepare their food.
What is your earliest food memory?
I think I was born with food in my mouth as I have always loved food. My earliest memories of making food was making fudge. My mother would rest on the couch and tell me what to put in to make fudge. I remember being in awe of her knowing when the fudge was just ready to be put in the pan. She taught me to drop a small amount of fudge into cold water and make it into a ball ~ the soft boil stage. We always have perfect fudge. I have tried over the years to make fudge using a thermometer but it just doesn't work out.. I still drop some in a cup with cold water and move it around with my fingers feeling when it is done.
Who are your culinary influences?
My mother and my grandmother influenced me. My mother was a great cook and baker and often didn't use recipes but use her touch and her smell. She would put in a little bit of this and a pinch of that and that is often how she would write down her recipes ~ One hand full of this, a pinch of that, add flour until if feels just right. Although my mom was a busy lady with many small children and a job she always had time to make sure we had fresh baking when we came home from school, whether it was fresh bread, cookies or a cake.. I still can smell those when I walk into our family home.
My grandmother continued my love of baking and cooking by giving me cookbooks for my birthday and Christmas. She also handed down many of her cookbooks when as she got older and wasn't able to cook or bake anymore. I love those cookbooks as she has notes of what she changed in the recipes or what she didn't like about a recipes. These are precious memories for me now.
Is there any dish, ingredient or type of food you refuse to cook?
I like to cook with just about everything but will not cook anything with the head still on. My husband like the head of the fish, but I can't cook something that is staring at me. He has to do that himself if he wants the eat the head.
When you have a last minute get together, what are your go to dishes?
I always have chicken in the freezer so will often make some kind of chicken dish. Throw together a salad, make a quick balsamic vinaigrette and add some chicken and you have a perfect salad or meal. For dessert I love to make cheesecakes, either no baked or baked.
What are your goals for your blog? Where would you like to see it in the next year? Five years?
My goal is to increase the number of readers to my blog and to hopeful to start making a profit from it. I would love to write a cookbook with my take on African Cuisine but I knew that will be down the road. I am hoping that the next time we go to visit Togo I will be able to prepare food over there and bring back more knowledge on how they prepare their food over an open fire and without all the conveniences we have here.
Anything else you would like to share?
Food is a very important part of everyone's life and we need to enjoy what we are eating. To enjoy it we must make things from scratch. From scratch doesn't always mean harder but it does mean better.
Thank you Marlys @ This and That for answering our questions and see you soon!
Published by Lydia - 09/01/2013
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