Black Pepper and Coffee's interview
Interview by LaurenceWe interviewed Black Pepper and Coffee!
Visit the blog: Black Pepper and Coffee.
Hello Black Pepper and Coffee, so tell us...
When did you begin your blog and what inspired you to start it?
I just started my blog this summer 2013 as I want to motivate myself to experiment more in the kitchen, eat healthily and develop my photography skills (I'm also doing an onlline photography course in my spare time). In a moment of pure madness I signed up for the Brighton marathon in April 2014 so the next few months will be dedicated to training hard and having a healthy lifestyle, on the plus side this means I will be burning a LOT of calories and I'm looking forward to eat delicious food without feeling guilty!
In your wildest dreams, where is your blog going to take you as it develops?
In my wildest dreams I would either set up my own business or work in the food industry, in summary a complete change of career meaning I would be able to dedicate my time to something I am passionate about - food!
I also hope to interact with other bloggers from all around the world and exchange recipes, food experience. I am very curious about food and love nothing more than trying new ingredients or a new combination of flavours.
Are you active in the blogging community? Have you met any interesting people through your blog or has it brought you to new places?
I am still very new to the blogging community but I am hoping to meet other bloggers who live in London, or even better meeting bloggers in their hometown if I'm travelling. I love travelling and the first thing I check in guidebooks is the food section, where to go, the best restaurants in town, food markets, food shops, etc.
I haven't been travelling in the UK as much as I intend to so it would be great to interact with other UK bloggers too.
Do you have a secret weapon in the kitchen?
An open mind and an insatiable curiosity combined with a big appetite! I keep buying new ingredients and my kitchen cupboards are never empty. I love trying out new flavours and often improvise, I just go with the flow - the only problem is that it can be difficult to recreate a recipe!
During your time in Japan, what were the dishes that you discovered and loved the most?
So many but here's a little list :)
- Omiyage: local sweets that you bring back from a trip and share with your friends, colleagues etc.
- Green tea (matcha) flavoured sweets/chocolates etc.: Starbucks matcha frappuccino, matcha kitkat etc.
- Curry bread (カレーパン): a doughnut filled with Japanese curry sauce filled.
- street food takoyaki: grilled balls of batters filled a small piece of octopus.
- street food yakimo: oven-roasted sweet potato.
And also all the restaurants dedicated to one speciality: okonomiyaki, grilled eel, yakitori etc.
What is your earliest memory involving food?
Trying out coffee for the first time! I must have been 12 and tried a splash of coffee in a mug filled with hot milk: I just remember the delicious smell of coffee and loving the taste of it - I have been addicted since then!
Are there any chefs that you admire in particular?
I love Michel Roux Jr (and he is a marathon runner, even more inspiring!), Theo Randall, Gordon Ramsay (another marathon runner!) but I also admire some bloggers such as Makiko Itoh (http://justbento.com/), Pascale Weeks alias Scally (http://scally.typepad.com/) who are such an inspiration. Some of my friends are also very good cooks!
You are originally from Switzerland, would you say that the British have a good idea of what Swiss cuisine is or not at all?
Not really but to be fair Swiss cuisine isn't very famous and apart from chocolates, Gruyere cheese and Movenpick icecream, we don't export many products abroad. However I believe Swiss cuisine has something in common with British cuisine: it's all about unpretentious, comfort home food! Swiss cuisine combines influences from Germany, Italy and France and each region has its specialities so there is a whole world of food to discover besides cheese fondue and chocolates! This article is a good introduction to Swiss cuisine.
For those living in London, there is a Swiss restaurant called St-Moritz in Soho (on Wardour street).
Which Gourmandize recipe would you recommend? (if none take your fancy add your own and share it with us!)
Sorry I haven't had a chance to try a Gourmandize recipe as yet (I promise I will!), so I would recommend trying out http://blackpepperandcoffee.wordpress.com/
Thank you Black Pepper and Coffee for answering our questions and see you soon!
Published by Laurence - 01/10/2013
If you are a blogger, a chef, working in the food industry or have a website about food and cooking, and you would like to share with our community, please contact us!
We would be happy to feature you on our site.
Comment on this interview