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Food Blogger Interview: Veselina Zheleva of Vessys Day

VeselinaZheleva-Vessy'sDay-portrait Dishfolio is a foodie's heaven where the best and most talented food bloggers congregate and share their unique and delicious recipes! Today we're interviewing Veselina Zheleva of Vessy's Day! Her food blog, which has been translated to Bulgarian and English, features easy and not so complicated recipes that anyone can follow and prepare for their friends and family!

Tell us about your food blogging goals: What are they? How are you accomplishing them?

I started this website just for fun, cooking only during the weekends, or late at night, since I have a full time job during the day. Then it kind of grabbed me, and became an inseparable part of my everyday life. I admit that cooking is my passion and hope one day to make it a career. Nothing is permanent, so I am just enjoying cooking and photography at this time.

Of innovative cooking ingredients you've tried, which was the hardest to find or use?

It is hard to find real saffron around Sofia. I had to order a couple of grams online, which I just tried a few weeks ago for the first time. The meal was absolutely amazing - Garlic shrimp with saffron sauce and buttery pasta.

Who is your foodie hero and how do they inspire you?

New York photographer V. K. Rees! Her work could be described with one word - art. I am addicted to her photographs and explore them very often - it is my daily inspiration.

What's your go-to literary tool and how does it make your food blog successful?

I believe photographs are the most powerful tool, when promoting a recipe or product. I try to improve my food photography skills with every new recipe, which I am shooting. I believe that it is more likely one to prepare a recipe at home if they have a good set of mouth-watering photographs, as they speak better of the recipe, than any description.

What ethical food issues get you talking with your friends and family?

The biggest and I guess most pressing issue, I have been lately discussing with my friends, is the unnatural food that surrounds us. Nowadays chemicals are the main substance of food, the meat, and the fruits and even in vegetables. Food products are so seriously filled with chemicals, in order to provide them with a certain look, that kids grow beards and breasts at the age of 8-10.

Buy organic!

Describe your all-time favorite recipe.

Chocolate mousse! White, milk or dark chocolate - it does not matter, as far as the chocolate is good quality, because the taste of this dessert depends mostly on the taste of the chosen chocolate. With just one bite you can taste every ingredient in this dessert. It's light, yet rich and full of flavor.

As for the preparation - chocolate mousse is not very much time consuming dessert and it is quite easy to prepare, as long as you find the perfect recipe and learn to cook egg yolks.

What's the best food photography tip you've learned in the past year?

VeselinaZheleva-Vessy'sDay-food I have learned so many things about food photography, but probably most important is that, as natural light is the best for photographing food, it could be easily replaced with good quality photography lamps, which give you the power to control the lights and the effect you want to produce.

How many cookbooks do you own and which do you reach for most often?

I can't count them! I have many books and tons of magazines, I buy every week. To be honest I don't have time to read them all, and I reach out to them only for a certain recipe, tip or spice advice. Nevertheless, currently I have one favorite - "Barbeques Techniques", Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby, but the odd thing is that the book is all about meat and seafood and not about desserts. If I thought, one day I would have a favorite book, I would always presume it would be about cakes and sweets.

If you had to choose a kitchen tool you couldn't live without, what would it be and why?

The rubber spatula! This simple tool is just a life saver! After the first time I used it, I ran to the store and bought a couple of more rubber spatulas for me, close friends and family, and I continue to promote it, as if I invented it.

What's next? How will you make yours the best food blog in town?

I have a long list of new photography tips I want try, which will help me achieve the great mouth-watering photos that encourage my followers to continue preparing and sharing my recipes.