June's interview

Interview by Lydia

We interviewed June!

Visit the blog: June Hersh - Eat Well-Do Good.

See profile page and recipes

"I would love to know that I have taught at least one timid cook not to fear food prep. After all, it's just a meal- how wrong can you go."

Hello June, so tell us...

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

I began writing the blog after I published my first cookbook, Recipes Remembered. The experience was very profound and I learned much from having tested so many diverse recipes. I just needed to share what I felt were interesting food facts, tricks and techniques. The blog evolved from there.

How many hours per week do you spend on your blog?

Not enough. I took a hiatus from writing the blog because book talks related to Recipes Remembered has me traveling across the country. I did a stint on QVC this past winter and the prep for that was very time consuming. Now that I am back in the kitchen testing recipes for Simple, Simpler, Simplest I will take to the keyboard and be a better sharer.

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

I am not, but should be. I am a fan of so many blogs that impart info, find new avenues in cooking, tempt me with great recipes and interesting finds. I suppose I am a Fields of Dreamer type person, build it and they will come. I hope readers find me, but I do tweet and use instagram @junehersh so that's my nod to PR

What is your earliest food memory?

I grew up in an eclectic cooking family. Within our Jewish household I had influences from both Ashkenazi ( Eastern European) and Sephardic ( Spanish in origin, Greek culture). It was a flavor explosion. I remember rolling matzo balls with my mother's mother for Rosh Hashanah dinner and then making traditional matzo meat cakes a Sephardic Passover dish with my father's mother. The idea of preserving food memory and keeping alive, whatever your traditions are, impacted me and certainly shaped my food perspective. I like to think of myself as a food archivist, a role I certainly played in Recipes Remembered where I interviewed more than 80 Holocaust survivors and wrote their stories and recreated their cherished food memories.

Which of your recipes would you suggest to readers for a perfect meal?

Roast chicken hands down is my absolute favorite go to meal. It is the standard I judge a good restaurant and a dinner I am always proud to serve. I don't think I ever make it the same way twice. Surrounded by garlic, bathed in lemon or simple sea salt and fresh cracked pepper- it never disappoints.

If you could be a contestant or guest on any cooking show what show would you choose?

I play along with Chopped every time I watch it. I have been known to throw myself a curve ball in the kitchen and challenge myself to take 4 disparate ingredients and whip up a meal. I find the show fast paced and always unexpected and a great way to test your metal in the kitchen. I would probably, however, want to win Next Network Star. After each book talk I fancy myself on air, instructing millions how to spatchcock that chicken or preserve a lemon- it would be a hoot to actually have a large audience and feel I am teaching new cooks some old secrets.

Is there any dish, ingredient or type of food you refuse to cook?

I have bucked the trend with South Asian cooking. While I love the tang of Thai basil, the flavor profiles are not suited for my palate. I sometimes add lemongrass to a fish dish but ask me to use fish sauce and I would sooner cook with old gym socks

Who are your culinary idols?

My father would have to be my personal culinary idol. He could turn a simple chicken in gravy to a Sunday supper with flair and panache. A good cook uses instinct and my father has an authentic palate and can single out a spice or know just what to add to a sauce. At 86 he is a gentleman farmer, creates eggplant parm right from the garden and dazzles us all year long

What are your goals for your blog? Where would you like to see it in the next year? Five years?

I'd like to see it populated with more entries this year and in five years I would love to know that I have taught at least one timid cook not to fear food prep. After all, it's just a meal- how wrong can you go.

Anything else you would like to share?

I believe in a philosophy; Eat Well-Do Good. Recipes Remembered was written as a charitable project. It has sold close to 20,000 copies and has raised considerable funds and awareness. I have yet to keep a penny from its proceeds and that's alright by me. We all have a chance in life to use our skills and talents to make a difference. My path was cookbook writing and I hope that I can continue that trend with the next book whose proceeds will benefit dystonia and Parkinson's research. I'm not a saint, but I do write cookbooks with a charitable flavor and hope to do so for years to come.

Thank you June for answering our questions and see you soon!
Published by Lydia - 08/15/2013

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