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Interview with Food Blogger Margaret Doughney

  • Blanca Valbuena
  • May 31, 2011

Margaret Doughney is the brain and soul behind the blog Savory Sweet Living. If you love a good food blog, you should definitely check it out. Margaret shares candid stories (like the fire in her condo complex), delicious recipes (Coconut cauliflower soup with seared sea scallops and cilantro oil comes to mind) and her pictures are simply decadent. She took a few minutes to tell me a bit more about herself, her passion for food and her thoughts on the world:

FriendsEAT: Where did you grow up.

Margaret Doughney: I was born in Hong Kong and spent the first twelve years there then immigrated with my family to the U.S.

FE: What inspired you to start a food blog?

MD: I started my blog when I enrolled in culinary school a few years ago.  My intention was to document my school experience.  However I underestimated how difficult it was to work full time, attend school at night and keep up with a blog; therefore, I really didn’t start until after I graduated and completed my internship.  Now my blog is a place where I could be creative, test recipes and share them with everyone.

FE: What field of food does your blog focus on and why?

MD: I find inspiration in seasonal, fresh and organic ingredients.  I love all types of cuisines, but as I get older I find myself wanting to learn more about Asian food specifically Chinese cuisine.  I create recipes and make dishes that are Asian inspired but palatable for the western audience.

FE: What is a typical day in your life like?

MD: I do have a full time job so my typical day would be spent in my office.  I also try to read as many food-related articles as possible throughout the day to keep informed about what’s going on in the food industry.  I try to update my social media sites, build relationship with other bloggers, promote my brand and my website as much as possible. When I’m inspired with an ingredient and want to develop a recipe, I spend a lot of time doing research and in the kitchen testing the ingredients.  After the tasting and finalizing a dish comes the photography and the writing, which I must confess, are not my strong points.  And did I mention all the household chores I have to do on a daily or weekend basis. So it’s a process, a blog post may take me longer than some other food bloggers since I only have limited time to get it done.

FE: What was your childhood kitchen like?

MD: I  was not allowed in my kitchen much when I was young.  I think because of the Chinese culture, kids in general are not encouraged to be in the kitchen.  We were only told to study and do well in school so my childhood kitchen was a mystery to me.  I only know that it was a place where my grandmother would make amazing food for all of us to enjoy.

FE: What is your kitchen like now?

MD: My kitchen is where I spend most of my time when I’m home.  Since school, I became more organized so it definitely helps when I’m doing prep for dishes for my blog.  It is a working and social kitchen as I love to cook and entertain.  Though I could definitely use some updates.  I would love to have more counter space; an additional oven would be amazing.  If I were to stay at my current home I hope to have a newly renovated kitchen within the next year.

FE: What type of people read your blog?

MD: I belong to a food bloggers’ community so I think or at least I hope a lot of other food bloggers read my blog.  I think a lot of foodies I meet on twitter read my blog and of course family and friends keep up with it as well.

FE: What comes to mind when you hear the word bacon?

MD: Who doesn’t love bacon?  Though when I hear bacon I don’t necessarily think of the cured meat.  For me, Pork belly comes to mind because it is something I grew up eating, mostly red cooked.  It is a dish that my family loves to eat and prepare during every festive celebration.  I’m glad to finally see that many are getting to know the deliciousness of this cut of pork and just not in its cured form.

FE: What is your favorite restaurant and why?

MD: I have many favorite restaurants, so it’s hard to name just one.  I like family-owned restaurants, small intimate local places where you walk in, people know you by name.  I also love fine-dining places with celebrity chefs where the service is top-notched and the food is amazing.  If I have to choose one, I’d probably choose the place where I did my internship which is Annisa in NYC.  It was my first and only experience working on the line in a restaurant.  There was so much to learn.  I was impressed with the components and creativity that went into each dish.  Anita Lo, the chef and owner, is so talented and warm.  The energy in the kitchen and the synchronicity of the line cooks during service were amazing to witness.  It was probably one of the hardest things I did, and it left a huge impression.  I gained a lot of respect for the people in the restaurant business and the consistency of the delicious food that came out of that kitchen is probably why Annisa is my favorite restaurant.

FE: What is your favorite ingredient and why?

MD: Fresh herbs are one of my favorite ingredients because it could really add depth to a dish.  Currently I am a huge fan of ginger; I love the flavor and the subtle spiciness of it.  One of my favorite condiments is ginger and scallion sauce.  I also love pickled ginger; it’s delicious to add on top of fried rice and noodle dishes.

FE: What is your opinion of the current state of Foodtertainment?

MD: I am a fan of many of the food programs and competition shows.  They all have great information to give to the viewers and I look at it as more as fooducation than foodtertainment.  However it does give the illusion that the restaurant business is such a glamorous life.  I just want people to know that like every industry, it takes hard work, sometimes even back-breaking hard work to achieve success in the restaurant or food industry.

FE: What do you think is the future of food blogging in the next 5 years?

MD: I think food blogging will become increasingly popular especially with all the food bloggers conferences and communities being organized.  Food is an essential part of everyone’s lives so it’s natural for everyone to want to talk about food and take pictures of food.  I think there will be more interactive blog sites and instructional video blog sites in the coming years.

Interview with Food Blogger Margaret DoughneyFE: Would you like to give a shout out to the best joint that no one has heard about?

MD: Yes, my food coming out of my kitchen.  The people who tasted my food could agree that I make delicious food and my place is the best joint that no one has heard about.

FE: What do you think is the most important issue facing foodies today?

MD: I think everyone should know where their food comes from as the saying goes, you are what you eat.  What you put in your mouth could have great affect on your health.  I think we also need to educate children to eat healthier.  I think teaching kids about food when they are young and cooking with them are keys to childhood obesity.

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