Name: Jacquee Stephens
Blog name: I Sugar Coat It!
Where are you living now? Toronto, ON
Why did you start your blog?
I was never one to spend much time in the kitchen growing up and cake decorating wasn’t even on my radar, until about three years ago. Out of curiosity, while at the check-out in my local craft store, I signed up for a beginner’s decorating class and the rest is history. I started my blog to chart my progress from novice to…
How did you decide on your blog name?
I secretly put a little brown sugar on just about everything I ate when I was little - EVERYTHING! It’s a miracle I wasn’t an obese child with a mouthful of cavities. This led me to the name “I Sugar Coat It!” I am happy to report, I am still cavity-free! My hips, however, have grown up.
What do you blog about?
Baking, cake decorating, how-to’s, recipes, tips, tricks. I’d like to incorporate some of my other interests, namely sewing and interior design, but then my blog would appear even less focused than it currently seems.
What post are you most proud of and why?
That would be my Lavender Rose French Macarons. It was my second try at macarons and they were perfect and quite popular. It has been one of my highest ranking posts since I started the blog.
Which post do you wish received more love and why?
My Gastro-Entomology Lavender Honey Cupcakes post. Because it’s got rap, big butt bees decked out in gold, cool kick-ass dragonflies, bad humour… Do I really need to keep going?
Which post’s success surprised you and why?
That would be my Ranunculus tutorial. I was even more of a sugar flower novice when I made the video and I thought no one cares about an unknown and how she made some amateur-looking flowers. I was wrong!
What is one (non-kitchen) gadget you can’t live without?
My iPad. It allows me to travel with hundreds of books and thousands of songs in my little purse. My life would be pretty dismal without the written and sung word.
What is one kitchen gadget you can’t live without?
I am tempted to say my KA stand mixer, but I’ll go with oven. Because raw cake batter is no fun to photograph. But I guess that’s more of an appliance than a gadget, so I’ll revise that to my kitchen scale. I learned the value of using one in a baking arts course I attended in 2012.
Favourite food, care to share a recipe?
I’d say tofu gets a bad rap, but you can do so many interesting things with it. Who am I kidding? DARK CHOCOLATE! Even more so when paired with orange. Feel free to click right here for some dark, delicious decadence.
What else should we know about you that may or not be in your “About Me” page?
I am rather shy and guarded, which is often mistaken as snobbish or unfriendly to others. Also, I sing - a bit of an Ella/Nina hybrid I’m told - but that may just all be in my head. Oh, and I think selfies are the epitome of narcissism. Hey, you asked!
What makes your blog unique?
Me! Or at least I’d like to think so. There is no other me (parallel universe excluded), so no other blog is written in my voice. It may not be great, but it’s mine!
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I love Jacquee’s blog. She is a very talented lady who shares her beautiful creations with wonderful photos, great tutorials and as you can see from this interview, an unmatched wit. She is one of the bloggers I follow that I hope to meet in person one day. Great interview!
Oh Paula, you sweet, sweet woman. I do hope to meet you some day. Thank you for all your support over the years. xx
Oh, those lavender macaroons … that photo just drew me right in. Lovely!
Hello Paula, Your Lavender Macarons are really beautiful, and the fresh lavender is a lovely touch. You did a fantastic job on the cookie itself. Deflating the egg white is the trickiest part of the process. You’re clearly very talented. I just made Lemon Macarons and posted it on my site. If you have a moment, please come visit me at http://www.thefinercookie.com. Continued success to you!