Some questions people have asked on the site, some that I’ve been asked in person, some that haven’t been asked at all but I thought you might be curious about anyway.

If you have a question that is not answered here, feel free to leave it in comments below or shoot me an e-mail at 30poundsofapples at gmail dot com.

What’s with the name of your blog?

30 Pounds of Apples actually resided in my fridge last October after not one, but two trips to apple orchards to pick my own apples. It stands for me as a symbol, of sorts, of my first steps in trying to make the most of a seasonal harvest that could benefit my table for months to come.

 

How do you decide what recipes to make?

I look at lots of recipes in cookbooks, on other food blogs, on recipe collection website, and in the box of recipes I’ve been eating my whole life. I’m interested in making most of them. As is probably also true in your kitchen, though, what I ultimately decide to cook is usually the resulting answer of many questions. What is in season? What am I craving? How much time do I want to spend cooking? What sounds fun? Which ingredients do I have? Am I cooking for one, two, a party? Usually, something gets made. Or maybe we just go to Chipotle. But I do have a long list of things that are on the docket, it just takes time to get to them all.

 

Does everything you cook make it to your blog?

Definitely not. Sometimes I try a recipe with the intent of blogging about it, and I hate it. Other times, I make a recipe, it turns out well, the photos are done, but the topic or ingredient is no longer relevant to what’s in season or the conversation I want to have. Or, I take the photos and the recipe is totally relevant, but the photos are awful. It happens. I have dozens of folders on my computer of raw photos, some of which are just biding their time, some of which should just be scrapped and re-taken.

 

It’s fun to watch the seasons change in the graphics on your site. Who designs those?

That would be my dear friend Sara, the creative mind behind S. Danford Creative. She was one of the first people I went to for a reality check when I decided to start this blog, and she has donated her time, her creativity, and her brilliant skill with the mouse to design the happy little tree logo and all its friends. Follow the site throughout the year, and you’ll see the seasons come and go in 30 Pounds Land as well.  I never cease to be amazed by her work and dedication. Like her work and looking for a designer for your own project? Feel free to reach out!

 

What do you use to take your photos?

I shoot with a Canon Xsi (I bought mine used) with a 50mm f/1.8 lens. It’s a great camera for a great price. For close-up shots, I spin on one of three Hoya close-up filters, a far less expensive option than a macro lens (yikes!). This is my first digital SLR, and it gives a lot of bang for the buck.

 

Did you take classes to learn to cook?

Mostly, no. Unless by classes you mean helping in the kitchen and the garden from a very early age. I learned the basics from my parents and grandparents and have spent countless hours reading, hunting for tips online and in cookbooks, and experimenting. The closest thing I have to formal training is a seven-year-stint of 4-H cake decorating classes. More on that later.

 

Are you a health nut?

Short answer: not the way you think. I believe in vegetables and whole grains, but I also believe in cream cheese icing and biscuits. My nuttiness is more about sourcing food as locally and sustainably as possible, which not only yields a healthier you, but a healthier planet and a healthier local economy. It’s a win win (win).