Let Me Feed You – Author Interview and Cookbook/Le Creuset Giveaway
April 20, 2019 by Jenny

Photo credit: Janis
Nicolay
EYB: Congratulations on your new book, Let
Me Feed You which not only shares many baked dishes but also
recipes for salads, soups, sandwiches, dinners and more. I had a
quick review of the galley and love it. I can’t wait to have the
book in my hands.
Rosie: Thank you so much! I’m so glad you like
the look of it. I’m really happy with the job we did in creating a
book that not only reflects the way I cook but also the way I
live.
EYB: As you know I am a huge fan of your baking
titles, Butter Baked Goods and Butter Celebrates (review).
Can you tell our members a little about yourself? When did you
first fall in love with baking?
Rosie: I’d be happy to! Hi, I’m Rosie Daykin,
wife to Paul (happily married 30 years this August!), Mum to our
lovely girl India Rose (she’s 26 so do I have to say woman? Eek!),
I’m a baker, author and business owner. I have been a very keen
baker since I was a little girl. I was always whipping up cookies
and cakes for my siblings to inhale! As I grew so did my love for
baking, so much so that in 2007 I opened my own bakery, Butter Baked Goods. We produce what I like to
call nostalgic home baking; cookies, pies, bars, cake, marshmallow
just like you remember from childhood. All of those goodies can be
found, as you mentioned earlier, in my first two cookbooks (Butter Baked Goods and Butter
Celebrates). Both books focus on everything Butter (the bakery)
produces daily and seasonally.
EYB: As mentioned above, Let Me Feed You
tackles recipes for all meals. I find most bakers are also cooks
(and often most cooks aren’t bakers). Do you enjoy cooking and
entertaining? What prompted a book that wasn’t totally baking
focused?
Rosie: As I write in my new book, I refer to
myself as a natural born feeder. (Hence the title of the book). My
love for baking and feeding others really stems from my love for
food. Nothing makes me happier than cooking for family and friends
and I’ve been at it for a long time. It’s my way of speaking and
connecting with the people I love and that seemed a natural thing
to want to share with others in my new book. I’m sure if you only
knew of me through my baking books you might find it odd but those
that know me personally are just as happy when I’m feeding them
lasagna or ribs as they are when I bake them a birthday cake.
EYB: What tips can you share with our members
for entertaining? What makes a gathering special in your home?
Rosie: Oh! I have so many but the most
important of all would be to keep it simple. Entertaining doesn’t
have to be complicated and your guests would way rather spend time
catching up with you than watching you run around the kitchen
trying to complete some labour intensive dish. My approach to
cooking is just like my approach to baking – great quality
ingredients and limited steps in an effort to create delicious and
comforting food.
EYB: What recipes do you turn to time and again
for weeknight dinners? What recipes do you turn to for
entertaining?
Rosie: Weeknights always tend to be a squeeze
given our busy work schedules so anything that I can prepare in
advance or make in large batches to freeze is a huge help. I always
have a couple of containers of Gram’s Spaghetti sauce in the
freezer which I can pull out to defrost before I head to the bakery
in the morning. Turkey Chilli is another favourite for the very
same reason and my Iron Skillet Halibut sounds a little more
special but it comes together in a flash! Dinners with friends and
family usually allows for a little more prep time given it’s the
weekend so I might use that same spaghetti sauce to make my lasagna
or if the weather is a little chilly it’s always a comfort to serve
Beef Stew with Parsley Dumplings. But a general rule of thumb would
tell you that you can never ever go wrong with a perfectly roasted
chicken and I’ve got a great recipe for one!
EYB: Which recipes would you recommend our
members try first from your book? Which recipe is your
favorite?
Rosie: My favourite, how do I choose? I guess
it depends on what I’m craving but pretty much anytime of day a
Cinnamon Doughnut Muffin is a good idea and Chicken Pie checks a
lot of boxes too. My personal favourite for dinner has to be my One
Pot Chicken Parm followed by a big piece of Rhubarb Upside Down
Cake – that would be a good night!
EYB: Who would you say inspires you? Chefs,
friends, cookbook authors?
Rosie: Inspiration for me has always been a
visual thing and the very reason I find travel so important.
Whenever I’m feeling uninspired I know it’s time to get out of town
lol. Architecture, gardens and art are just a few of the things
that I need to fill me up creatively which influences how I feel
and approach my cooking and baking. The inspiration I find from
other people, friends and cooks is always rooted in their kindness,
humour and work ethic. I love and respect anyone who isn’t afraid
to do all the hard jobs and laugh along the way. I think this is
why I try to incorporate so much levity in my writing. A little
laughter makes every task easier and helps keep everything in
perspective.
EYB: As cookbook lovers here at EYB, we need to
know: Do you have a cookbook collection? If so, how many? Which are
your favorites? (If you have a photo of your collection – our
members love peeking at author’s shelves?)
Rosie: Do I have a cookbook
collection? Oh boy, do I ever. But given the horrific state of my
bookshelves there is no way I’m sending you that photograph. But I
have included an image of some of my very favourites that I seem to
return to again and again. The only one missing is the Fanny Farmer
Cookbook, which was the first cookbook I ever used as a child
but long gone now. As I mentioned above, because I am a very visual
person some books I may never cook from but aesthetically I find
them very informative and instructive whereas other books are
really about the text and recipes. A book that does both for me is
a real winner!
EYB: What’s next for you?
Rosie: Given the general chaos in my day-to-day
life it’s hard too plan to far in advance. Running the bakery and
the marshmallow wholesale business keeps me so busy and when I’m
writing a book or doing promotion it only adds to the madness but I
love it. I have also just done a collaboration with a wonderful
company called The Sleep Shirt in the creation of a Rosie Daykin x
The Sleep Shirt capsule collection of sleep wear in a variety of
blue stripes because if you’re read the book you know I’m all about
a blue stripe! This has been a really exciting and different
project for me that I hope others will enjoy. If you’re curious
head toThe
Sleep Shirt for a look. Part of the proceeds from the sales
will be going to support A Purposeful Rescue, the senior dog rescue
society where we found our dog, Pickle. A cause near and dear to my
heart!
Special thanks to Rosie’s publisher, Appetite by Random House
for providing three copies of Rosie’s book in our giveaway below
and to Le Creuset for providing one 3 1/2 quart braiser in Sea Salt
to one grand prize winner in the US.
The publisher is offering three copies of this book to EYB Members in the US and Canada. One prize winner in the US will also win a gorgeous braiser from Le Creuset. Two of the entry options are to answer the following questions in the comments section of this blog post.
Which recipe in the index would you try first?
Which color at Le Creuset is your favorite?
Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. For more information on this process, please see our step-by-step help post and this forum post. Once you log in and enter your member name you will be directed to the next entry option – the blog comment. After that, there are additional options that you can complete for more entries. Be sure to check your spam filters to receive our email notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on June 4th, 2019.
Categories
- All Posts (6940)
- Antipasto (2135)
- Author Articles (247)
- Book News (935)
- Cookbook Giveaways (983)
- Cookbook Lovers (257)
- Cooking Tips (109)
- Culinary News (299)
- Food Biz People (552)
- Food Online (791)
- Holidays & Celebrations (272)
- New Cookbooks (149)
- Recipes (1500)
- Shelf Life With Susie (231)
- What's New on EYB (133)
Archives
Latest Comments
- eliza on What foods do you look forward to the most for each season?
- kmwyman on Rooza by Nadiya Hussain – Cookbook Review and Giveaway
- Maryd8822 on The Golden Wok – Cookbook Giveaway
- Dendav on Danube Cookbook Review and Giveaway
- sanfrannative on Rooza by Nadiya Hussain – Cookbook Review and Giveaway
- darty on Danube Cookbook Review and Giveaway
- Atroyer7 on Danube Cookbook Review and Giveaway
- demomcook on What foods do you look forward to the most for each season?
- demomcook on Danube Cookbook Review and Giveaway
- Darcie on How cookbooks can help build resilience