What I am loving about this series of interviews is how one good blogger leads to another. So we started with Tinned Tomatoes who recommended Amuse Your Bouche and well, here we are meeting Becca. She’s a teacher by day and a blogger by night (and day too – listen to her advice about food photography.) Off we go.
What’s your name? Becca
Where do you come from? I’m from Hertfordshire but I’m currently based in Liverpool.
How old are you? 24
What’s your educational background? Did you leave school at 16 or finish with a PhD? I have a BSc in Psychology from Warwick University, and a PGCE in Primary Teaching.
What’s your blog called? Amuse Your Bouche (www.amuse-your-bouche.com)
When was your blog born? 2011
Sum your blog up in one sentence: Simple vegetarian recipes that anyone can manage and enjoy regardless of their cooking ability.
Why did you start your blog, where did you think it would lead? I used to spend ridiculous amounts of time reading other people’s food blogs (actually I still do) so one day I just decided to start my own! I never dreamed that I’d love it as much as I do, or that it would become such a big part of my life.
Name 3 blogs you like: I read all sorts of blogs – there are so many that I could mention here but I’ll go for Oh My Veggies (www.ohmyveggies.com), Peas and Crayons (www.peasandcrayons.com) and Kalyn’s Kitchen (www.kalynskitchen.com) because of the fantastic veggie recipes they provide.
What’s your most popular blog post? My most popular post is my recipe for veggie burrito bowls (http://www.amuse-your-bouche.com/veggie-burrito-bowls) – I guess my readers love Mexican style food as much as I do! They also have great taste, because that recipe was seriously tasty.
How often do you check your blog stats, truthfully?! Multiple times a day. It’s an obsession!
What’s your biggest kitchen disaster? Pretty much every time I try my hand at baking, something goes wrong – it ends up raw inside, or burnt on top (or both), or the middle sinks. I blame my oven entirely!
What’s your advice to fledgling food bloggers? Keep at it! It can be really demoralising at first when it seems like nobody is reading, but things will pick up if you stay consistent. Also, always, always use natural light for your photos. I can’t believe I didn’t figure this out sooner.
Is there anything you’d have done differently? I think I would have had higher standards for myself right from the start. Now I only post a recipe if I truly love it, but when I first started I’d post anything even if the recipe wasn’t perfect.
Blogging high? I went to a ‘creative sandwich event’ run by Warburton’s a couple of weeks ago which was pretty fun – literally a day spent making sandwiches with other bloggers! It was great to meet people with the same interests, as I’ve never really had much opportunity to meet other food bloggers before.
Blogging low? To be honest I don’t really feel like I’ve ever had a true ‘low’, since I’ve enjoyed every second of it. It definitely was a bit frustrating at first though, when I would put hours into a recipe and a post, and only about twenty people ever looked at it!
Who inspires you? I love reading the really well-established blogs written by professional bloggers – I find the income reports on Pinch of Yum (http://pinchofyum.com/category/making-money-from-a-food-blog) so inspiring, because even though at the moment I can only dream of the success that they have earned, it’s encouraging to know that it could be a possibility one day.
Do you have a day job? Yes – I’m a primary school teacher. I only work part-time though, so I have plenty of time left over to work on my blog.
What keeps you awake at night? Nothing – I’m one of those lucky ones who can fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time? Ideally, blogging and doing freelance food writing and recipe development full time. Realistically – who knows!
What would be your 3 desert island items? My laptop, a great recipe book, and a never-ending supply of cheese.
What advice would you give to your schoolgirl/boy self? Stop worrying so much.
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