Lets work to stay warm on this cool day in MN and talk with @AmbitiousKitch about food! Enjoy the conversation!

Good morning Monique! When it comes to food and cooking, what is one of your earliest memories of doing that?

Monique:    Hi Joel! My first memories would have to be watching both of my parents cook with passion. Dad baked and Mom cooked!

Do you remember the first time you made something? What was it and how did it turn out?

Monique:    When I was younger I found it easier to bake; I loved that it was both science and an art.

That being said, I baked a lot of brownies. I’m sure they turned out pretty well, because I always ate them.

Brownies are ALWAYS a good choice! :) When did you decide to start cooking/blogging?

Monique:    During college, I found that it was my passion but I didn’t know how to turn it into a career.

I followed food blogs & thought it would be a great way to share my recipes w/ others. I started AK in late 2011.

Having a passion for what you do is important. Who are some of the people & their blogs that inspire(d) you?

Monique:    I absolutely love the blogging community. I have a passion for brand building & content creation so it’s perfect.

My favorite blogs are @sugarplumtweets & @HowSweetBlog. They’re both incredibly creative and funny!

Other than that my readers inspire me every single day with their comments and emails; they’re amazing!

Cooking is one skill, blogging and photography are other skills. Which one is the hardest to develop?

Monique:    Probably photography. It involves props, proper lighting, and telling a visual story.

But you know, there’s workshops & you can read books. I kind of just wing the whole photography thing & it works out.

When it comes to your own taste, are you more of a sweet or savory person?

Monique:    SWEET, but I focus my blog on sweet delights & healthy bites. I love making recipes healthy, creative, and flavorful!

I see. What are some cooking/baking trends that you are most excited about?

Monique:    I think making vegetables the star in our meals — cauliflower will be huge this year. Popcorn too!

I’m also excited to see flavor-packed chicken make a comeback in restaurants. I think we’ll see a lot of creativity.

Another ever-growing trend is pizza, as brought out in @MNMOmag – http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/March-2013/The-Twin-Cities-Best-Pizza/ … Do you have a favorite?

Monique:    Hmmmm I like to make my own but Pizzeria Lola and Punch are pretty divine.

When you make your own pizza, what are some of your favorite toppings?

Monique:    Homemade mini Hawaiian turkey meatballs, pineapple, black olives, fresh mozzarella, and a good red sauce.

Nice! :) In your blogging/cooking process, does your own appetite guide you, or do your readers more so?

Monique:    Mostly me. I need to put out content and recipes that I’m proud of and I like challenging myself in that way.

What can we expect from you in the near future with your food work?

Monique:    A brand new site, partnerships, and maybe a cookbook. Oh and more recipes of course!

Joel:    Thank you very much for your time and comments today. Keep up the good work in making things look delicious!

Monique:    No problem, thanks for having me! :)

Interview conducted on March 15,2013

Hello, and welcome to today’s Twitterview with local mom, blogger and cookbook author, @FoodforMyFamily. Lets go!

Shaina:    Hi, Joel. Thanks for having me

How’s today going on the homefront?

Shaina:    Good. I’m fairly certain there’s a dip in the pool in the future for the kids. That’s all they do in the summer.

Good plan! :) So share with us a little bit about yourself Shaina. Where did you grow up and go to school?

Shaina:    I started in St. Paul, and then we moved to Champlin. I attended Champlin Park HS, and went to UMN from there.

when my husband Ole was in grad school we moved back to St. Paul so he could ride his bike to campus. Haven’t gone far

I see. When did the writing/blogging “bug” bite you and was food your first subject of choice?

Shaina:    I have wanted to write for as long as I can remember. I have books full of writing all the way through school.

I used to write stories, and I still do. Doesn’t everyone want to write a novel? No?

Food was my one & only blog subject. I wanted 2 encourage people 2 start cooking & caring about what’s in their food.

That’s a good plan. So when did you start your blog and how has evolved over the years?

Shaina:    That’s a good plan. So when did you start your blog and how has evolved over the years?

When did you first get asked about doing a cookbook, and did you say “yes” right away?

Shaina:    My editor at HCP first contacted me in June of ’11 It took me about a month to decide that it was the project for me.

So how did you come up with the topic/subject for your cookbook?

Shaina:    It was based off some work I had done for a freelance contract. It was a cute idea, and no one had covered it yet.

The appeal for me was more reasons to stock up on cute jars. ;) I love glass.

Congrats on being published! #DesertsInJars – book.  Have you started a book tour yet?

Shaina:    I have! I’ll be adding dates & information here so you can see where I’m headed! http://bit.ly/MZbLBn  #dessertsinjars

And thank you! It’s been a lot of fun, and I hope/plan on doing it again soon.

Will writing cookbooks then lead you to doing less blogging?

Shaina:    On the contrary, I intend to transition to focusing more on my site & writing the content I want out there for others.

Joel:    Well that’s good! Thanks for your time today and keep up the good work with writing about food!

Shaina:    Thank you both for having me!  cc: MNMOmag

Stephanie Meyer is a true socialite when it comes to food and entertaining. She does writing and contributes her high quality photography to several food blogs, such as the Food & Wine blog with friend and Travel Channel star, Andrew Zimmern, to Minnesota Monthly magazine’s TC Taste blog, and to her very own food blog entitled, Fresh Tart.

In 2011 she took it upon herself to organize a group of bloggers called the MN Food Bloggers. They encourage, assist and support each other as well as spotlight local restaurants, cooking styles and various dietary focuses in eating and cooking. In Part 1 of her interview, Stephanie talks about her family, modeling and how she developed her photography skills. (Part 2 on WED and Part 3 on THU.)

In Part 2 of her interview, Stephanie shares what the focus of her blog is, how life as a person on a Gluten-Free diet has been for her and then she concludes by talking about her experience in organizing the MN Food Bloggers group.

In Part 3 of her interview, Stephanie shares what her favorite kinds of restaurants are, what inspires her blog postings, where she enjoys eating outside of her home state of Minnesota and then ends with talking about how Social Media has really changed her life.

Good morning all! Welcome to today’s @MNMOmag Twitterview with #DaraCo blogger/contributor, @reetsyburger. Lets roll!

To start with @reetsyburger, tell us a little bit about your background. Where did you grow up?

Marie:    I grew up in a small(ish) town near Milwaukee, West Bend.

What kinds of things interested you as a child and what did you want to be when you grew up?

Marie:    As a kid, I just HAD to be a chef. As a young adult, I wanted to be a writer. Later, I got the civil service bug.

I loved cooking in my mom’s kitchen (when she wasn’t looking) and making up Pogoball routines to top 40 jams.

So what were some of your first jobs, and what formed your interest in food, especially sustainable food?

Marie:    I worked at a pizza/sandwich shop in high school and college. I learned that I was too short for commercial kitchens.

As a kid, I watched cooking shows more than cartoons – mostly on PBS. My mom was -and still is- an urban homesteader.

Mom’s urban garden fed a family of 8 with plenty to spare. We feasted all summer while we canned and packed soup jars.

It wasn’t until I was hired by the @SAREProgram that my interests in food, writing, and civil service converged.

Interesting. So your childhood really influenced who you are today. :) How did you get connected with #DaraCo?

Marie:    I started blogging in 2005. I moved to Minneapolis in 2006, and was charmed by the food scene, so I blogged about it.

At some point, @DearDara must’ve started reading my blog because in 2010, she emailed me. I was pumped.

I can imagine. So what would you say are the main topics that you cover for #DaraCo with @MNMOmag?

Marie:    Every day, farmers, ranchers, and chefs in MN develop innovative strategies to produce and distribute food .

Great! To close, what do you hope your blog moves people to do?

Marie: I hope it will help bring more attention to all the great producers and chefs in MN who care about sustainability.

Joel:    Thank you very much for your time today with #MNMOtv. Have a great week and keep up the good work!

Marie:    Thanks for having me. That was my first twitterview!

Today’s Food-Friday Twitterview guest is @nutrionisteat (Emily Dingmann). Should I tell her that I just ate corn dogs. #confession :)

Emily:    HA!

Q – #1    So @nutritionisteat, where did you grow up, go to school and what was your 1st job as an adult?

Emily:    I grew up in Baraboo, WI (small town) and came to the twin cities to attend the U of M! Go Gophers!!

My first job (well, and only so far) has been working with French MEadow Bakery in Marketing. I wanted to work

in the natural foods industry

Q – #2    I see. So what did you major in at the #UofMN, and what got you interested in marketing?

Emily:    I graduated with a degree in Nutrition. I’ve loved food for a long time now.

hospital work wasn’t for me and i loved and believed in natural foods so wanted to work in that business

FMB was perfect for me. local, natural, organic foods! I didn’t realize I was into marketing until I was into it

but now I love it! (And I’ve turned into a computer/internet nerd!!) :)

Q – #3    Well, your passion for the food will definitly come across in the marketing. In addition to marketing, do you blog?

Emily:    YES! I started a blog about 2.5 years ago (www.anutritionisteats.com) which is all about food, nutrition, health and me!

I’ve met so many great people online and off (like you!) it has been so much fun and I never expected to love blogging

as much as I do! I have learned a lot in the last few years!

Q – #4    Be sure to go to the @MNBlogCon if you aren’t already. Had you liked to write before that you did blogging?

Emily:    I’ve always enjoyed writing, but never thought I’d be doing it as much as I do now!

Now I’m a fully obsessed blogger! I’ve also really gotten into photography, although I still have tons to learn!

Q – #5    How do you come up with things to post about?  Is cooking or shopping at a farmers market ever discussed?

Emily:    Sometimes topics just come to me, sometimes ppl ask questions or I’ll share my daily eats/routine with readers

I’ve def done posts on the farmers market – but haven’t gotten a chance to attend as much as I like to this summer. :(

I just love the vibe at farmers markets, nothing better!

Q – #6    What are some things about nutrition that you feel people don’t understand or know about?

Emily:    I think a lot of times ppl focus on what they CAN’T have or DO if they are living a healthy lifestyle.

I like to focus on the foods you CAN enjoy and that all foods have their place. I’m a regular at @Bulldog_NE. :)

Now is the time to enjoy the MN Fair! (and walk around A LOT!!) Ha.

Q – #7    Lets find out some of your FAVORITE(S) – Restaurant(s), store(s), comfort food, farmers market and vegetable.

Emily:    OOoh! Favorite restaurants: 112, Alma, @Bulldog_NE . Stores? I love @thewedge coop, whole foods, covered for clothes

I live really close to MillCity Farmers Market so that is my fave to visit and favorite vegetable of the season is kale!

comfort food for me is wine and cheese. my favorites!

Q – #8    Do you feel that because of our geographic location and 6-month winters, that Minnesotans miss out on healthy foods?

Emily:    It depends. winters now don’t mean living on meat and potatoes. we can get veggies year round

they may not be the highest quality (tomatoes?!) or as much fun as going to farmers marketbut it is definitely do-able!

As with anytime of the year, you need to make your health a priority! I teach this to kids every summer @campendeavor

Q – #9    It is tougher! :) To close, what professional or personal goal do you hope to achieve in the next year or 2?

Emily:    Well, I’m getting married on 9/17 then moving to California! Two big personal life changes and both very exciting!

Q – #10    WOW!!! Okay, getting married AND moving are big things. CONGRATS! To what area of CA and do you have work there?

Emily:    Thank you! We are moving to LA and working on the job situation. :)

@JoelECarlson:    All the best to you in your NEW life adventures! Thanks for taking time for #jectv. Enjoy your weekend! :)

Emily:    Thank you SO much for the opportunity. So much fun, hope you make it out to the fair! :)

Welcome everyone to the Food-Friday Twitterview with my guest @RiaMathew. Set your timer to 1hr and lets get cooking! :)

Q- #1    To start off with, where did you grow up, and what was life like for you there?

Ria:    I grew up in a coastal town, Kannur,in the southern state of Kerala,India. Life out there is very different from here. If you

want to cook locally,everything is available there, but globally,you will have to source your ingredients from other places.

If not for that, my hometown is a beautiful town filled with beaches, coconut trees, historical places and lovely people!

The nature is beautiful and the local food is exotic!

Q – #2    After you finished school, did you attend University? How did you end up coming to Minnesota?

Ria:    After high school, I did my bachelors and masters in a metro called Bangalore. I moved to Minnesota with my husband, Jobin

after our wedding in Feb 2010. I knew I would be moving to another country and I was very excited about every single thing I

would get to experience here! Being a foodie, it was mainly food. All the things I read of and dreamt about were available

here! Starting from cream cheese to sour cream, everything was new to me. I was just like a kid in a candy store every time

we went to a supermarket. Not that things have changed now, it’s just that I have learnt to be a bit sober because I can

always come back to the store for more! In my town, we always had to stock up :) It’s hard to let go of certain old habits :)

Q – #3    What are some of the places you like to shop for food? Any particular farmers market or co-op that you prefer?

Ria:    We usually go to either Cub or Rainbow for our regular grocery shopping but sometimes we go to the Nicollet Mall/Mill City/

Lyndale farmers market. For the Indian groceries, we usually go to Little India on NE Central Ave and also Pooja Grocers on

Lyndale farmers market. For the Indian groceries, we usually go to Little India on NE Central Ave and also Pooja Grocers on

694 and Central. We shop at Lunds & Trader Joes for specific products like their snacks and juice.

Q – #4    Lots of options! Lets now shift to your blogging, what kind of food topics or recipes do you cover?

Ria:    I love having options,Joel! So when I started food blogging, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into. It was my

little brother who introduced me to it. I started off with my favourite Chocolate Biscuit Pudding riascollection.blogspot.com/2011/05/re-vis… as the

as the first recipe. I thought of it as my online diary for storing recipes. Later, when I started reading other blogs,

knowing what they do, I realised my food blog can be seen by others as well! So I decided to blog more on a regular basis.

So now it covers everything I cook at home. It could be Curries,Biriyani’s,Indian pickles,Indian sweets, Cookies, Cakes,

Desserts etc! I am also a part of many blogging groups so I try to participate in it every month, so those recipes are also

featured on my blog.

Q – #5    How long have you been blogging, what’s it called and how did you also get into photography?

Ria:    I have been blogging for the last 2 years and 8 months. My food blog is called as Ria’s Collection, the name I gave for my

recipe diary. In the beginning, it was just random pictures but later I realised the importance of having a recipe

with a good photograph of the dish. So I started paying attention to what I do, how I do it etc. Slowly, I got to learn a lot

about food photography. Last Christmas, my husband gifted me my first ever dSLR camera and I have been having a lot of fun

with it.

I have lots more to learn about food photography which I think I will, eventually!

Q – #6    You Favorite(s): Restaurant, store (retail), comfort food, spice/herb, area of MSP or MN and cookbook.

Ria:    Restaurants: Spill the Wine (love their Gnocchi), Kabobs (for their Biriyani), Loop (Meatloaf Sandwich), Zelo’s (Pollo

Balsamico Pizza), Stores: American Eagle,Saks 5th Avenue,Nordstorm, Macy’s for clothes. For kitchenware I love Kitchen Window

Le Gourmet Chef & Cooks of Crocus Hill. Comfort food:Piping hot rice gruel (Kanji) and Kerala Fish Curry riascollection.blogspot.com/2011/03/meen-v…

Spice: Garam Masala since it has a mix of all my favourite spices. Herb: Cilantro & Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Area of MSP : Uptown – Lake Calhoun area.

Cookbooks: my Mom’s handwritten cookbook which she gave me after our wedding, Modern Cookery by Thangam E. Philip &

Modern Spice by Monica Bhide.

Q – #7    That’s awesome! To end today, what advice would you give to people considering becoming a food blogger?

Ria:    Believe in yourself and do what you love! You may not become a star over

night but if you have the passion in you , it will take you to many wonderful places!

@JoelECarlson:    Thank you very much for your time and participation today. Stay dry and cool this weekend!

Ria:    Thanks Joel! You have a fun weekend!

@JoelECarlson: Hello everyone! Time for a Food-Friday Twitterview with food blogger @JoyEstelle. Set your timers to 1hr and lets go!

Joy: Hi! (waves at monitor)

Q – #1    So @JoyEstelle, where did you grow up, where did you go to school and what was your 1st job?

Joy: I grew up mainly in Grand Rapids, MN, my first job was working for my mom at her flower shop

I went to school there – did post secondary at the community college there before moving to the Cities at age 18

Q – #2    I see. So how did you get into blogging/writing, and especially about food?

Joy: I’ve always been a writer that was my big dream growing up. I wrote & wrote but never attempted to sell my work

At the same time, my family is pretty food centric. Lots of foraging, hunting & ceaseless discussions about food

n 2005, fed up w/what I called ***** food experiences I started my blog to share the good or humorously bad meals

Last year I hooked up w/ City Pages Hot Dish blog after leaving my day job in advertising. I’m now writing full time

Q – #3    Since 2005, has the overall quality of food and service in the Twin Cities improved in the restaurant world?

Joy: I think the quality of ingredients has improved. I’m a big fan of local, sustainable, seasonal cooking.

More so, I think the quality of diners has improved. I love how passionate pple have become about what’s on their plate

Q – #4    Are there certain styles of restaurants or certain types of cooking that you enjoy the most over others?

Joy: I adore so many restaurants around town from the stalls @MidtownGlobal to Meritage or @labellevie_vie

I also love me a good dive bar. I highly recommend Skinner’s Pub in St. Paul. I met my husband there

Oh & Little Szechwan -I love them.I typically like restaurants that put a little love in the food. It’s not an easy biz

I totally spelled that wrong Szechuan

Q – #5    It’s about the food presentation and the presentation of the food by the staff right? What is a current trend you see?

Joy: It’s about the care of the food. Microwaved, brown pre-packaged goo isn’t food. Apathy on a plate s/b discouraged

Food trend, like everyone I’m enamored w/the food trucks. @smack_shack to @128cafe to @forknroadtruck they all kick

Plus the Legend of Zelda-like thrill of having to track down your lunch makes the meal like a little adventure

Q – #6    To your FAVORITE(S) – Comfort food, store, local chef, nat’l chef, vegetable and cook book author.

Joy: My dying dinner wish is for my mom’s roast chicken & not to have to share the skin w/anyone.

Fave store would probably be a tie btwn Golden Fig & @MSmarketcoop

Local chef – I can’t pick. We’re so lucky to have such talent in this town. Plus, I need these guys to return my calls

National chef is hard I guess, David Chang – right now. That’ll change tomorrow, so fickle.

Veggie of the moment is definitely ramps & the cookbook I’m devouring is a James Beard I picked up at an estate sale

Q  – #7    To end, what advice would you give to newbies used to chain restaurants, but now want to experiment some?

Joy: Start local-check out the indy restaurant in your backyard.  Seems like each neighborhood has a gem hidden in their midst

Be adventurous & have fun. Every menu-even the haute cuisine spots will have something familiar to offer

Last bit, introduce yourself & get to know your local restaurant workers. They’ll take good care of you.

Oh – and if you want more specific recommendations, just visit or email me @ Eating the Minneapple! #jectv (okay, really done)

@JoelECarlson: Good suggestions @JoyEstelle! Thank you for sharing some of your life and your time with #jectv. Have a great weekend!

Joy: Absolutely, thank you so much for having me! Everybody have a great weekend, eat well!