Jo's interview

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Interview by Laurence

We interviewed Jo!

"It's not a perfectly-cut piece of cake that gets the appetite going but the icing dripping down the sides, or a few crumbs that have tumbled onto the plate. Dishes that look like someone has spent half an hour arranging it just don't do it for me I'm afraid."

Hello Jo, so tell us...

When did you begin your blog and what inspired you to start it?

I was walking in town one day when I saw a lady eating a shop-bought pasta salad with a plastic fork. She was rushing through the bustling crowds, gulping back each mouthful, presumably on her way back to work. I wondered if we should all just slow down with our food and enjoy it rather than treat it purely as fuel, so wanted to create a blog that encouraged people to do this. I also became interested in the psychology of food and why some foods make us feel better than others.

If you could go back in time, what is the one piece of advice you would give your younger self as they started out on your blog?

Not to be so obsessed with statistics - to begin with I was monitoring blog statistics 2 or 3 times a day - but although stats are important in telling you who's reading your blog, I soon found that as long as you're producing interesting recipes and content, the statistics look after themselves. I wish I'd spent all that 'stat monitoring' time in the beginning just blogging - it would have been a lot more fun!

What is your favorite dish of all time?

It used to be pasta, but nowadays I can never resist a good Chinese style stir-fry. I love fried brown rice with beaten egg, chicken and veggies with a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil. It's cheap, simple to make and really soothing eaten straight out of the bowl with a spoon.

Your photos look fantastic, in your opinion what makes a dish beautiful?

Before I take a photo of a dish, I like to have a good look at it, turn it around and choose the angle that looks the most appealing. It's not a perfectly-cut piece of cake that gets the appetite going but the icing dripping down the sides, or a few crumbs that have tumbled onto the plate. Dishes that look like someone has spent half an hour arranging it just don't do it for me I'm afraid.

Do you have a secret weapon in the kitchen?

My silicone spoon - it wipes all the sauce from the pan so it ends up on your plate and not in the washing up! I use it to make stews, stir-fries, cakes and all sorts. That, and my slow-cooker - I'm cooking with it a lot more these days, it's such a versatile piece of equipment, cooking stews, whole cuts of meat and cakes.

What is your earliest memory involving food?

Making jam tarts with my mother at the kitchen worktop - I must have been about 5 years old. That year she made me a birthday cake of a train made out of mini swiss rolls and chocolate buttons - we still talk about it now!

Are there any chefs that you admire in particular?

I love Nigella Lawson for her simple approach to cooking and also Nigel Slater - his garlic, greens and ham baguette is really easy to make but incredible! I've tried quite a few Jamie Oliver recipes over the years too and have a few of his cookbooks - I think he has encouraged a lot of people to get back in the kitchen over the years, which is good.

Are you involved in the blogging community - how do you attract new readers?

I've written sponsored posts for some blogs and joined quite a few link up parties, which helps attract new readers. I've taken part in blogging challenges like Forever Nigella and Random Recipes too, which is good for getting you out of your comfort zone and sharing your results with others. And it's good to be active on Twitter and Facebook - I always like to receive comments and tweets from readers.

Thank you Jo for answering our questions and see you soon!
Published by Laurence - 17/08/2013

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