Kate in the Kitchen

Writing and food are two of Kate Selner’s most treasured passions. Her Kate in the Kitchen blog is a natural expression of that. Kate doesn’t just share recipes, critique products, and review restaurants. When she writes a blog post, she likes to take a simple meal, a recipe or an ingredient, and tell a story about it. She lovingly gives the food she writes about a voice, a personality, and a life. By profession, Kate is a self-employed personal chef and a certified wine professional. Additionally, she offers nutritional consulting and one-on-one cooking lessons for people who wish to expand their cooking knowledge and understanding. For the next six months, she will also be working the cold food station at the White Bear Yacht Club.

What inspired you to write your first blog post for Kate in the Kitchen?

I needed something to manage the creative output coming from my love for writing. Match that with a passion for food, telling stories and sharing food memories and it seemed logical to chronicle it all somewhere. I started in 2006, and food blogs were fairly sparse then.

What is your biggest challenge for developing new content for your blog?

I like to post ideas that are fresh and different. I’m not a trend follower, and I like foods that are simple and nutritious, and often with a unique twist to them. Sometimes I’ve done searches for a recipe I’d like to talk about, just to see if others bloggers have already worn out it’s welcome. I know for myself that I tend not to linger on sites where a recipe is repeated, so I feel like it’s important to capture one’s attention with something you won’t find on a hundred other sites.

What do you hope readers take away from reading Kate in the Kitchen?

Cooking should be fun, it should be simple and true to who you are. We cook to feed ourselves, but also to express who we are and what the foods mean to us. Food tells us stories, brings out memories and settles into us, becoming part of our days. I like to think that readers of my blog learn to think differently about the foods in their lives, not only how to create them, but how to use food as a means of grounding and guiding us.

What other blogs do you enjoy reading and why? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?

Well, I confess that my blog reader is so chock full of amazing food blogs that I rarely get a chance to clear it out completely. I could list dozens, really but I recently have been enamored with Deliciously Organic with posts about fresh, delicious foods that are loaded with nutrition. Talk of Tomatoes is another favorite because she makes amazing foods that are so simple and pure. Other favorites right now are Bella Eats, The Simple Spatula, The Yummy Mummy and The Kitchen Sink Recipes and I love all of these due to how they weave life and food together in beautiful and delicious ways, not to mention gorgeous photos. I love Kitchen Bite for it’s simple sparse site and beautiful recipes and photos.

Local bloggers that have captured my food love are Cafe Cyan as she makes great vegetarian food, and Scate Bakes, Fork, Knife and Spoon, A Good Appetite and Fresh Tart as they all offer wonderful outlets for recipes, food talk and general food nerdery. I also just love how The Heavy Table highlights and showcases Minnesota food talents.

If you could narrow it down to one answer, what do you love the most about the Twin Cities / Minnesota? Why?

One answer. That’s hard. But I honestly love how the food community is changing and challenging people to look closer at their choices and what they eat, as well as where they eat. I love how there are so many local options, small entrepreneurs who are taking aspects of food and making sure people know how wonderful and flavorful they can be. And there is such a great sense of community and camaraderie because of that. People want to share this knowledge, and get others to understand how good it can be too. It’s not about keeping these gems secret anymore. We shout from the rooftops when something is terrific, and I love that.

What is your biggest blog-related or food-related goal for 2010?

I want to just keep doing what I do, to write about the food that graces my life and plate and hope that it keeps people’s interest. I want to keep exploring foods that nurture us, I want to help people understand the simplicity of well-prepared foods, to continue to share and learn about the local food scene and as always, stretch my own boundaries about food, the understanding of it and the means to which it feeds all aspects of our lives.