Hellooooo! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and a wonderful feast with your family! I sure was stuffing my face silly and didn't want to pass up on three different kinds of dessert after a massive dinner. It was quite nice to take some time off from blogging to spend some time with the family but now that the eating is done I'm ready to get back into it!
This week for Meet My Inspiration, I'm delighted to introduce you to Christine Ma behind Cherry on My Sundae! I can't remember exactly when I started following her blog but I've always been a fan. Christine's got a culinary background from the Culinary Institute of America in California. And when she's not blogging on Cherry on My Sundae, she's catering events or teaching classes - how cool is that?! What I found inspiring about Christine is her approach to food blogging. There's something very genuine about the way she shares which I really appreciate. Sometimes she would take existing recipes and adapt them in an interesting way. And on almost every recipe, she would include helpful tips and common mistakes when handling or cooking the dish. That just goes to show how much she cares about the details, and wants you to be comfortable about cooking in your own kitchen.
There's a ton of great dishes on her blog but some of my favorites are Focaccia Bread, Indonesian Pork Tenderloin, Gouda Stuffed Meatball Sub, and these Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits!
Before we go into the Q&A, don’t forget to subscribe to my mailing list to get more of this blog series right into your inbox in the coming weeks! (Sign up form is on the sidebar or towards the bottom of the page if you’re on a smaller screen).
Here's the behind-the-scenes chat with Christine of Cherry on My Sundae!
1. What inspired you to start a food blog? And when did that start?
I started my food blog a little over two years ago (April 2012) when I was working as a research and development assistant chef. I thought the job was going to be my dream job but instead, it was not what I expected. I found myself bored on most days, trying to find extra work to fill my time. People always told me to start a food blog so one day I woke up and decided today was the day. A little research and a couple hours later, I was up and running!
2. What was the first post/recipe that you published on Cherry on My Sundae? (try not to peek!)
I still remember it clearly, it was lemon ginger pork skewers.
3. If you have to pick 5 words to describe your blog, what would they be?
diverse, helpful, extensive, universal, fun!
4. You post very frequently - bravo! What does your day look like when you cook for the blog?
I always set one day to prepare all the foods for that week. I usually start in the morning, preparing the dish that takes the longest first. I'll typically make 2-3 dishes a week, depending on how easy the recipes are. I try to go grocery shopping the day before just so I have enough time in the morning. Once all the dishes are prepared, the photos are taken. It's important to take the pictures before 1pm at my house because I want to catch the natural light at the best; this also means everything must be done by than. Once the pictures are taken, it's time to eat!
5. What's your favorite style of cooking?
It's difficult to choose since I cook a wide variety of cuisines. Rather than a specific cuisine, I actually very much enjoy baking bread. It's a long process of mixing, proofing, rolling, but the end result is always worth it.
6. I noticed that you're a member of the Culinary Content Network of The Daily Meal. How did you get into doing that?
I was fortunate in being contacted by someone from the Culinary Content Network. They introduced me to the site and the community and I haven't looked back since. It's a great community of food bloggers that share tips, recipes and help each other out when needed.
7. Have you always lived in Southern California? And is there somewhere else in the world that you'd like to be someday?
I was born in Seoul, Korea, but I came to Los Angeles 3 months after I was born so I'm pretty much a Californian. I went to Boston for college and although the weather can be harsh, I loved the environment. I miss Boston all the time, but New York even more. I think when you grow up in Los Angeles, you dream of going to New York, it's our version of the city on the opposite side of the country. I even took the bus by myself on several occasions from Boston to New York just to walk around the streets for one day. If only I could do that now - I would be going every other weekend!
8. What's the most challenging thing about food blogging?
Finding the time. It's difficult to set aside time especially when you're working and that job requires to cook as well.
9. What would you eat as a treat to lighten up a rough day?
Desserts of course! I have a huge sweet tooth and always crave a little something sweet. It can be pastries or chocolate or ice cream, as long as it's sweet and delicious, sign me up.
10. We'll end with some food blogging love. Any blogs or bloggers who you admire yourself?
There are so many fantastic food bloggers out there, it's hard to choose only a few! The top ones on my list are currently Lady and Pups, Lisa and Anna from Garnish with Lemon and Cook at Home Mom.
(Photo Credit: Cherry on My Sundae – Meyer Lemon Pull Apart Bread)
