Erin Scott, author of the newly released Yummy Supper will be coming to Portland to sign books, offer tastings, and even teach a cooking class (scroll to end of post for details). The location is not 100% gluten-free but her recipes are. We had a chance to ask Erin a few questions about herself and her book. I have my copy on my desk as I plot out which recipes I’m going to make in the next few weeks. Can’t wait!
Dr Samantha: How did you get into cooking?
Erin: I’ve been food-obsessed my entire life. Growing up, my family’s happiness revolved around food: What we were going to cook and eat? Where could we travel to get the best bite? From a very early age, I cooked alongside my parents, who were both amazing home cooks.6 years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and my world was turned upside down. I was devastated by the notion that a lifelong love of food was being taken from me. Ironically this dietary restriction has become a massive gift in my life and surprisingly enough our cooking has become more rich and expansive than ever. We’ve never eaten so well.
Dr Samantha: Where do you find inspiration for your recipes?
Erin: My recipes almost always start with great ingredients: be it a juicy fig from our backyard tree or the first asparagus stalks in springtime. I then think a bit about what might be an easy way to prepare that ingredient without messing too much with its inherent natural deliciousness. Maybe it’s simple steaming, roasting, baking, or sautéing. Then I add some additional flavors and textures to the dish –fresh herbs, toasted nuts, or a squeeze of citrus. Suddenly, a tasty recipe is born out of this improvisation.
Dr Samantha: The photos in your book are so lovely. Have you always been into photography?
Erin: Before I started my blog, photography had been a lifelong personal interest of mine, but a very casual one. My cooking is so inspired by the simply beauty of raw ingredients – be it a bunch of rainbow chard, a pile of nectarines, or juicy ripe tomatoes – that I wanted to share this visual experience with my blog readers through photography. For me, as a visual person with a previous career in fashion and design, it was essential that Yummy Supper have a compelling aesthetic component.
Dr Samantha:And you garden too! Does having a veggie garden inform your cooking?
Erin: Our garden is a source of endless inspiration in our kitchen. We don’t grow enough food to sustain our family, but the backyard is full of great eats – lemon verbena, micro basil, nettles, artichokes, tomatoes, tomatillos, sorrel, kumquats, pears, apricots, strawberries, figs, blueberries, all sorts of lettuces and greens. Every time I step into the garden, I want to snip some tasty herbs or veg and rush back into the kitchen.
Dr Samantha: What’s your key to happiness in a gluten-free kitchen?
Erin: When we stop focusing on what we can’t eat, and embrace all we can~the extraordinary array of ingredients that are naturally gluten-free~there is endless deliciousness to be had!
EVENTS
1. Saturday, September 27th Beaverton Farmers Market: Signing and Tasting 10-1:30
2. Saturday, September 27th The Cakery: Cooking Class- Pages to Plate 6:30
3. Sunday, September 28th PastaWorks (with Powell’s Books): Signing and Tasting 3-5
