Imagine everything in the world of cooking that is real, whole, natural and beautiful. Now name it Hortus Cuisine. Because that’s exactly what we did for this month’s FFI feature. Valentina Solfrini is the writer, photographer and editor of Hortus Cusine – a blog that not only shares natural cooking and stories of her Italian heritage in a modern era, but was also named the 2014 Saveur Editor’s Choice Best New Food Blog Winner.
For Valentina, buying in season, and buying produce from our specific countries in which we live is the most important thing. She’s also this month’s Feature Food Innovator.
Can you briefly tell us how you came to do what you do?
It was an ensemble of things. I needed to change my diet because of some health issues, I wanted to make sense of the confusing food ideas I had while traveling between Italy and the US, and I was getting sick of studying as an illustrator and needed a new way to express my creativity. Web design, photography and food magically collided, and Hortus was born.
Can you share where you find inspiration online?
Oh, tons of places! Blogs, obviously, but it all seems to come down to Pinterest at some point. I have three boards I love where I pin all the recipes I want to make at some point.
I see that your blog features a lot of natural food photography. It’s very organic. Why is that?
I live in Gradara, a wonderful village in the Italian countryside. We have fruit trees and a veggie garden, and I like to deliver the idea of a kitchen that is in tune with the mood of what surrounds me. I love the seasonality we get to experience, and I’d love for my blog and work to reflect the colors of nature. The dark setting I use aims to recall the paintings of the old masters that fill many of Italy’s historical buildings.
That’s beautiful and so artistic! I love how you integrate history into your stories. How has your specific history with food influenced what you cook in your own kitchen?
I was born and raised in the Italian countryside, then moved to New York – one of the busiest and most frenetic cities in the planet, then came back to Italy. Experiencing such different eating styles greatly influenced my everyday cooking. From Italy, I learned to cook with fresh, in-season, quality products, while in NY I learned to pair these things with cuisines from all around the world.
What’s your most memorable food experience?
I am lucky I have many! But I’ll never forget the Bibimbap I had on my last day in Los Angeles with Josh from The Culinary Bro-Down and a friend who came with us to Vegas for the Saveur awards. I felt like there was an entire life summed up in that bowl. It just felt happy.
What’s the first thing you do when you are coming up with a new dish?
I try to nail the exact measurements (and I think I still fail a lot at that). Cooking for an American audience is very different that cooking for Italians: we hardly strictly follow a recipe (unless it’s baking) and nobody measures out the salt. Now I have to make sure I convert everything to cups, too!
Ha! That sounds like quite the process. It’s amazing to see the cultural differences (and similarities) around food… So then what’s the last thing you do?
Well, the photos! I want to make sure everything works well before finalizing things.
What’s one thing you just can’t live without in the kitchen?
Extra virgin olive oil, hands down. I believe that one of the reasons why Mediterranean cuisine is one of the best in the world is because of those droplets of gold.
Definitely agree. The finishing touches can make or break a dish. What’s the one thing you CAN live without in the kitchen?
Vegan ‘meat substitutes’, whatever that is. But I do enjoy fresh tempeh and fresh tofu, in the really rare occasions when I can find them.
And margarine. The world needs to stop that. Seriously.
Do you have any food or ingredient obsessions?
Even though I do not use them much for my blog, as they are not a big part of Italian cuisine, I love spices so much! Especially spice mixes – everything from curries, to ras el hanout and cinq épices. Spices were the best discovery in my little daily cooking universe! Italy has its own spice mix too, called ‘La Saporita’, and I want to try and recreate it.
Is there anything you refuse to cook with or eat?
Margarine and Lard. Which is funny, since here in Italy it is easy to find great quality lard and it is actually a good ingredient for cooking. I hate margarine with a passion, and lard, well… I have bad memories of my grandma deep-frying stuff in lard, and it smelled really, really gross.
What’s the most interesting or important thing in your food world right now?
I know it may sound obvious, but seeing how produce behaves in accordance with the weather, moon shifts and seasons is still one of the most fascinating things I can witness in the world around me. Harvests change so much from one year to the other, depending on what nature decides to do. This ‘biodynamic’ approach to my cooking is still the most important part of my daily meals, and I feel lucky I can live so close to this concept.
Have you ever had a “WOW!” or “ah-ha”moment with food or in the kitchen?
Many, especially after I started exploring veganism. Working with vegan recipes is the most fun I’ve had in a while – it is problem solving at its finest. My best ‘wow’ moment was probably the discovery of seeds and nut butters.
Those ARE good. And versatile! What’s been the hardest (and most valuable) lessons you’ve ever learned?
That you can’t reach everything and you are not good at everything. Once you dive deep into something that excites you, you run the risk of wanting to work with everything and everybody and lose focus of what is really important. Learning to prioritize can smack you in the face, but it is crucial that we all go through this phase. Prioritizing also means learning to take time off for yourself and enjoy some off-work time.
Every night we recommend a dinner idea for our audience with a drool worthy photograph. What’s your go-to dish for your supper?
My Sicilian Inspired Couscous is one of my favorite meals ever. I change the vegetables according to the season. There’s all the taste and nutrition you could ask for, and it’s just the perfect meal for me. I am also looking forward to trying this in ‘cauliflower couscous’ version.
That looks amazing Valentina! We also have a series where people tell us about the last meal they’ll ever eat (if given the option, of course). What would be your last meal ever?
Pizza. Because pizza. With tons of grilled vegetables on top.
Can you name some people who are making innovative moves or doing something different?
Jamie Oliver comes to mind first. I am usually not all over the big chefs, but his campaign to promote healthier eating throughout American and to British kids is absolutely remarkable and I support it fully. Being able to use your power and notoriety to do something good is wonderful. In his TED talk – which I encourage everyone to watch, he unloads a truckload of sugar on the stage to give the idea of how much junk kids at school eat. Priceless.
What’s the one thing you would tell someone who is inspiring to follow in your footsteps?
Never settle for something you are just content with.
Be curious – whenever you realize there is something you don’t know, go look for the answer.
Don’t rush into anything: growth and improvement takes time.
Avoid negativity, but welcome criticism, both positive and negative. When dealing with negativity, always try to understand where the person who criticize you is coming from; More often than not, people pour out their frustrations on the internet, but do not actually want to be mean.
Embrace positivity, but never dilly-dally in the joys of your success. Use this verve to keep going forward!
Find Valentina Solfrini : Hortus Cuisine | Pinterest | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
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Keep Eating! Keep Innovating!
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