Food Blogger Interview: Daytona Strong of OutsideOslo
Dishfolio's food bloggers are a diverse bunch and we
always love to hear about their backgrounds and inspirations behind
the mouth-watering recipes and brilliant food photography. Today we
interview Daytona Strong of OutsideOslo.
With a background in journalism and a lifelong love of good food,
starting a food blog was a natural fit for Daytona. Inspired by her
Norwegian roots, Daytona explores her Scandinavian heritage through
the lens of food at Outside Oslo. Daytona is a professional food
writer and recipe developer, and also a contributing editor of the
Norwegian American Weekly. With food writing as a profession,
Outside Oslo gives Daytona a creative outlet entirely her own.
Who is your foodie hero and how do they inspire you?
It's no secret to my readers that my grandmother Adeline is my culinary inspiration. A lifelong cook, she baked professionally and managed restaurants for years back in the day. Some of my earliest memories goes back to her home, where I'd watch her roll out and bake lefser-a traditional Norwegian flatbread-with her starched shirt sleeves rolled up to her elbows and a smile on her face despite the intense, long, and messy process. It was in her home where I discovered as a child how the simplest raspberry, sun-ripened to perfection, needed nothing other than cream and a little sugar to become the most heavenly and elegant dessert.
To Grandma, good food just happens. There is work involved, to be sure, but that is inevitable, simply part of the process. Having something hearty and nutritious is nonnegotiable. That is something I'm trying to live up to in my own life as well.
Describe your all-time favorite recipe.
As a Norwegian-American food writer, I'm partial to the recipes that reflect my heritage, particularly the ones that come from family members. Only a handful of recipes from my Grandma Agny survived after she passed away, so those are particularly dear to me. I found one of them-bryte havrekaka, Norwegian oatmeal cookies-in an old church cookbook. Consisting of only butter, sugar, oatmeal, and an egg, they're the essence of simplicity and proof that if you start with good ingredients, you don't need to do much to make them shine.
What's the best food photography tip you've learned in the past year?
Master the manual setting-and dial in the white balance. Having studied photography as a teenager-when film was still standard-I knew all about aperture, shutter speed, and other key aspects of the art form, but it had been years since I had put those skills into practice. When I started using a DSLR and putting all of those pieces together, I saw my photos improve drastically virtually overnight.
How many cookbooks do you own and which do you reach for most
often?
I'd say I own a modestly ridiculous collection of cookbooks. By that, I mean that my collection fits in my pantry, but that it also takes up an entire three-foot-wide wall of shelves, top to bottom. When I'm adding a Nordic touch to my cooking, I refer often to either of Signe Johansen's Scandilicious books, anything by Trina Hahnemann, and Kitchen of Light by Andreas Viestad, among many others. Some other favorites include Simply Classic from the Junior League of Seattle, Dinner at My Place by Tyler Florence, and anything from Nigel Slater.
If you had to choose a kitchen tool you couldn't live without, what would it be and why?
A sharp knife is key to virtually all recipes. As many single-purpose gadgets exist, a good, quality knife will do what most of those do-and better. That said, if one has the storage space, I do appreciate having a garlic press, cantaloupe corer, avocado slicer, and hard-boiled egg slicer at my disposal.
What keywords or cooking types would you like to be best known for?
Though the food of Norway and the other Scandinavian countries has generally flown under the radar compared to cuisines such as French, Mexican, and Chinese, I'm excited to see that Nordic cuisine is gaining momentum right now. I aim to show readers how delicious and modern Scandinavian food can be.
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Norwegian Trollkrem (Troll Cream)
Norwegian troll cream is a simple, airy, lingonberry-flavored dessert that's perfect as a filling for crisp cup- or cone-shaped cookies.
by outsideoslo
