hello, my name is

Fiber of 28 Cooks has created a Behind the Apron round-up so that food bloggers could post a photo of themselves “…revealing as much (tastefully, of course) or as little as you want. Introduce yourself, show us your family, do whatever you want.” And because I love taking photos of myself and talking about my life in a public forum, I’ve decided to participate. So here I am!

Besides not being able to decide on what photo to pick, I need a new haircut and I’m not wearing an ounce of make-up and I’ve got on a silly dollar store necklace…but I’m in my lovely “Chinatown Orange”-painted kitchen with some of my little vintage tins behind me. I live with my husband in a 450 sq. ft. apartment in Vancouver, BC, in the heart of Strathcona, Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood. Our little ‘hood borders Chinatown, the Downtown Eastside, Gastown, the Port of Vancouver and various industrial wastelands and I love this neighbourhood for its history, diversity and community kinship.

I started cooking and baking when I was just a kid helping out my mom in the kitchen. When she started working full time, I was the one who had all our meals ready on the table when she got home. I learned to love playing around with ingredients and recipes and cooking became less of a chore and more of something that I actually looked forward to. Later on when I became a vegetarian (for 10 whole years!), cooking became not just a way to feed myself, but it helped to form social bonds and friendships. I loved to cook for friends and was always encouraged by their oohs and ahhs. When I started publishing my own ‘zine, I made sure that besides comics, record reviews and personal musings, it also included a food column. What can I say, food and cooking and how it relates to my little world is definitely a huge part of my life.

My name is really Jeannette (and not Kickpleat…but for the sake of this blog, we’ll keep it so) and I’m really glad that people read this thing and comment and tell me that they’ve made the recipes I’ve created here. Thank you.

11 comments to “hello, my name is”

  1. 1
    Joanne   January 30, 2007 at 5:25 pm

    Interesting stuff!

    Some neat tidbits about you I never knew…of course!

    Great looking kitchen. I can tell you take a lot of pride in it.

    I, too, started baking desserts as a kid but not to such an extent as you – making meals for the whole family! Wow!

    I was a vegetarian too, but only for 2 years. Then I moved to a country in Europe that loves their meat…and I reverted back.

    Cool – I always wanted to work in a record shop as a teen but never did.

    A surprising revelation about your own ‘zine. Now that’s impressive 🙂

    And, I also enjoy taking photos of myself, just so I can determine what sort of “cosmetic work” needs to be done one day when I win the lottery.

    heh heh 😀

  2. 2
    Nicole   January 30, 2007 at 7:08 pm

    I very much enjoy your blog kickpleat. I’ve made many of your recipies and appreciate all the photography you include, even if I’m sometimes disappointed that mine don’t look as pretty as the picture. Thanks

  3. 3
    MamaSutra   January 30, 2007 at 9:38 pm

    I’ve been lurking for a while, but wanted to tell you that I love your blog and the terrific recipes. Lately I’ve been making some of them with my 2 1/2 year old daughter, because she loves cooking and baking. We’ve recently had the double chocolate cookies, the chocolate zucchini muffins, and I think we’ll make gingerbread muffins tomorrow. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe wealth!

  4. 4
    Anita   January 31, 2007 at 7:04 am

    A regular at your blog…it was good to know a little bit more about you!

  5. 5
    Leslie   January 31, 2007 at 5:47 pm

    I’m a newb here, but so glad I found it. Great stuff! Keep it up! 🙂

  6. 6
    kickpleat   February 1, 2007 at 1:37 am

    thanks joanne!

    nicole, i love hearing that people make my recipes!

    the pleasure is mine, mamasutra!

    thank you anita!

    mrbunsrocks, love your bunny! and thanks for the greeting.

  7. 7
    cinderelly   February 2, 2007 at 9:46 am

    i am de-lurking…i like your blog, i have it on my favorites. i only realized today that you have the other also! the sandwiches (and everything else!) always look so yummy!

  8. 8
    Scott at Real Epicurean   February 5, 2007 at 1:02 pm

    Isn’t it a strange trait that we all feel the need to apologise for our appearance when we post a photo!

    Trust me, you have no need.

  9. 9
    Chris   February 5, 2007 at 5:39 pm

    Jeannette, great blog! I love checking it out – and knowing more about you makes it that much better!

  10. 10
    Brilynn   February 5, 2007 at 6:22 pm

    Somehow I missed this post first time around, but I’m glad to be seeing it now!

  11. 11
    kickpleat   February 8, 2007 at 7:26 pm

    thanks for de-lurking, cinderelly!

    thanks scott! it’s a bad habit of mine…sigh.

    awww, thank you chris & brilynn!

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