In this interview, we talk with Hannah Kaminsky, owner of BitterSweetBlog. While her primary focus are recipes, it would be an understatement to say Hannah writes a food blog. BitterSweetBlog offers so much more than recipes. Read our Hannah Kaminsky interview to find out more!
1. How did you start your website and, most importantly, why?
My blog, BitterSweetBlog, actually began life as a craft blog; I wanted my own space to share about my latest knitting, crochet, sewing, and beading projects, rather than clog up a popular craft forum I was then a part of.
Eventually, I began to experiment with writing my own recipes, and regard them as their own sort of “craft.” Before I knew it, the food became the main feature!
2. What recipe do you like to cook the most?
I can’t say I have one favorite, but the recipe that I make most often is my Sri Lankan-Inspired Curry. It was such a common meal that I had been making for years that it took a long time before I even thought to share it, so I was surprised at what a hit it became.
Source: Bitter Sweet Blog
3. Which is your favorite kitchen tool?
Unoriginal, I know, but there’s nothing more important than a sharp knife for any cook, amateur or professional. You need to break down those tough vegetables somehow, ideally without breaking through your own skin. Maybe I go a bit overboard with a half-dozen different knives, but I like to think that I’m just well prepared!
4. Which is the best cooking tip you’ve ever received?
This is more about baking, but the same could also be said for salt when it comes to cooking: Don’t rely so heavily on sugar for your desserts. Since I started out baking more than cooking, I realize now that I often used sweetness as a crutch, rather than seeking greater substance. Too many of my earliest desserts were just sweet instead of flavorful, or so sweet that any additional flavors got pushed aside.
5. What does a healthy meal mean to you?
A healthy meal is one that I can walk away from feeling fully satisfied; full but not stuffed, balanced, and energized.
Source: Bitter Sweet Blog
6. Which chef has inspired you the most?
Celebrity chefs don’t do much to excite me, but there are a number of brilliant minds out there doing incredible things in the culinary scene.
Grant Achatz, for example, is unparalleled in his creativity. He doesn’t allow any previous cuisine define his menus, fully respects and pays homage to his ingredients, and yet doesn’t take himself too seriously. There’s a certain whimsy to his dishes that invites the diner to genuinely enjoy the experience.
Yotam Ottolenghi is a genius with vegetables, with an innate sense for seasonality and flavor pairing. He’s not a vegetarian chef and yet wins over countless omnivores with his plant-based cooking.
I’m also incredibly inspired by Amanda Cohen for her brilliant and unbelievably creative dishes at Dirt Candy, which served me possibly the best meal I’ve eaten this year.
7. Which is your favorite ingredient?
I always have a jar of miso close at hand. It’s my favorite “secret” ingredient for adding depth and umami to a wide range of dishes, and even some desserts!
Follow Hannah’s stories on Instagram and Twitter. We also highly recommend Hannah’s portfolio website, www.hannahkaminsky.com, where you can check out her deliciously lush photography!