(page 46) NOVEMBER 2015
THE REAL DEAL BY LEAH VANDEN BOSCH
Name: Fran Hill // Hometown: Colome, South Dakota // Age: 45 // Specialty: Currently, Peach Salsa
Submitted images.
FRAN HILL
Fran Hill is a food blogger who, ironically, lives in the middle of a food desert. With a population of less than 300 people, there is no grocery store in Colome. Hill's original idea of writing a family cook book eventually evolved into her food blog, On My Plate, where she shares countless recipes that will leave you feeling hungry, with a little bit of her life sprinkled in between.
What gave you the idea to start a blog? Fran Hill: My original plan was to put together a cookbook for family and friends as a Christmas gift. I collected recipes throughout the year, taking pictures of each one, but some time went by and I still hadn't been able to put together a cookbook, so I considered blogging as a platform to share the recipes I had set aside. I joined South Dakota Magazine in 2011 as an online contributor, where I post to their website twice a month, so that's taken up a lot of the time I set aside for writing, but I'm getting back into my personal blog, On My Plate. What gives you inspiration for a recipe? FH: It's all about moderation. I'm going to find recipes that have shortcuts and use convenient foods, but I'll include ingredients that are wholesome and fresh from the garden as well. I don't believe there is anything “bad” - it's all about balance. There's usually an ingredient I want to use in the kitchen, so I'll find a recipe for it. Very rarely are my creations completely my own. I'll adapt something to what I have on hand and according to my family's taste preferences.
A lot of the recipes I share are seasonal to what fresh ingredients I have available to me throughout the year. Do you grow your own ingredients? FH: I have a garden, where I grow a lot of my ingredients. I typically grow tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, peas, beans, squash, and zucchini. I do a lot of canning as well, making my own pasta sauce and salsa. I'm not able to make quick trips to the grocery store, so I like to stock up. We have lambs on our farm, and every spring I have to feed a hungry shearing crew that works long hours. I've learned to start preparing for that season now, putting away canned goods throughout the fall. How do you interact with your readers? FH: My blog has always been food-based, but I like to share a little bit of my life along the way. I typically include a story from something that happened on the farm or with one of the dogs. I substitute teach as well, so if there's a funny moment I'm able to share, I'll write about that. I like to find a way to connect my story to the recipe I'm posting. I use all of the social media sites – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. I'll have readers comment on a blog post or e-mail me with a question about a certain recipe. It's exciting to get feedback from someone saying they tried my recipe and loved it. What do you most enjoy about cooking? FH: My recipes are ideas. You don't have to follow them to the exact measurement. If you don't like an ingredient, cut it out. If you love something I didn't include, throw it in. Cooking is supposed to be fun. It's personal to your tastes. If you try something, and it doesn't turn out great, oh well. There's always another recipe. Visit Hill's blog, On My Plate, at my-plate.blogspot.com.