Blogger of the Week: London Bakes

As you know, we love sharing our favourite food blogs with you and this week's blogger of the week London Bakes is a stunning example of why we love them so much - beautifully shot photographs of mouth watering food. And even better, although all the recipes look sinfully indulgent, they are made using natural, healthy ingredients, what more could we want!

We've had a chat with Kathryn, the author of London Bakes, about the inspiration behind her delicious recipes and lovely photography. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and your blog

My name is Kathryn and by day, and often by night, I’m an accountant living and working in London.  My blog, London Bakes, documents my adventures in cooking and baking with simple, natural and seasonal ingredients.  I love using whole grains and healthy fats, like olive oil and nuts, to create decadent treats that are much better for you than they taste like they should be.

What inspired you to start writing it?

I discovered the world of food blogs a couple of years ago when looking for a good brownie recipe.  Immediately I was captivated by some of the blogs I discovered and inspired by the stories that they told.  Eventually I decided that I wanted to do more than just read about food; I wanted to write about it as well.  One afternoon I decided to just go for it; I picked a name and started blogging.

Describe the sort of recipes you like to make and experiment with

The more recipes I make and create, the more I realise just how much I love simple recipes that really make the best of their ingredients, particularly seasonal fruit and vegetables.  I have absolutely no artistic skills and get bored very easily so complicated recipes with lots of steps are definitely not for me! 

What 3 foods couldn’t you live without and what can you not stand?

At all times, my kitchen contains a good stock of olive oil, lemons and chocolate.   I’m not sure quite what I would make with just those three ingredients but I’m sure it would taste good.  Maybe. 

I used to be an incredibly picky eater and although I’m getting better, I still struggle with bananas. Neither the taste nor the texture is at all appealing!

If you were planning a dream dinner party what would you cook and for whom?

I should probably name some erudite celebrities that I’d want at my dinner party but, in reality, I can’t think of a better way to spend the evening than with my old university gang.  When I’m entertaining, I much prefer spending time with my guests than being stuck in the kitchen so I would probably make something like a lasagne or a roast chicken that I can just stick in the oven and forget about.   For dessert, something classic like a lemon tart or a chocolate cake always goes down well.

What are your favourite things about writing a blog?

To be honest, I love everything about it (apart from the washing up).  My absolute favourite way to spend a Saturday morning is baking up a storm and then styling and photographing my creations.  I’ve also realised just how amazing and supportive the food blogging community and I loved connecting with so many different people through a shared love of food.

Has blogging made you think differently/changed the way you approach food and are you more experimental in the kitchen now?

Food blogging has definitely pushed me to think of new flavour combinations and to try new techniques.  More than that, however, it has really changed the way in which I think about food.  Although I didn’t eat that badly before I started blogging, I didn’t eat that well either - food blogging has shown me that it’s possibly to enjoy food more than I ever thought was possible.  I’ve made some big changes to my diet since I started blogging to move towards a more natural and healthy diet, albeit one that still has plenty of room for cake and biscuits. 

And finally what should all our readers make when they get home tonight?

I tend to work quite long hours but I love the fact that I can get home and, within an hour, have a batch of warm gooey homemade brownies in front of me. 

Kathryn will be sharing her wonderful recipe for Olive Oil and Walnut brownies later in the week, but in the meantime you can check out more of her recipes at londonbakes.com.