Meet Sommer from A Spicy Perspective

Lately, we’ve been adding a little extra spice to our lives with regular visits to Sommer Collier’s award-winning blog: A Spicy Perspective. Visit A Spicy Perspective to find all kinds of delectable recipes for breakfast, desserts, healthy eating, holiday favorites, main dishes and more.

We’re especially big fans of Sommer’s how-to section where you can learn anything from how to cut avocados to how to flash freeze. This section is a life saver for novice cooks looking to broaden their kitchen know-how.

Recently, we had a chance to catch up with Sommer and walked away with tips, tricks and insights into the wonderful brain of the self-described resident cookery queen!

What inspired you to become a blogger?

I was teaching cooking classes and needed to get my recipes online for my students. It grew from there.

Favorite food to make:

Asian dishes and homemade ice cream.

Favorite trick of the trade when it comes to cooking/baking:

For baking, I buy new leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder every couple months. They go flat really quick. Always having a fresh box is like baking with insurance.

One piece of advice you would give to novice cooks:

Fresh herbs make any dish better.

What is the hobby you don’t get to do nearly enough?  

Paint

What’s your biggest food splurge?

It would have to be cheese. I sometimes buy local artisan cheeses at the farmers market that could break the bank, but are worth every last penny.

Biggest food flop:

I’m a notorious bread burner. I think I inherited that from my mother.

The quote you live by:

All things in moderation.

What’s the most common questions you get from your readers?

They usually have to do with making substitutions in baked goods. I try to explain to them that cooking is like art in the sense that it’s somewhat free form. But baking is chemistry. Every measurement and ingredient matters to get the results you want.

There are so many choices out there when it comes to food. It’s easy to be overwhelmed. How do you choose the food that is best for your family?

I simply try to find the freshest and highest quality ingredients that are made in our area.