Name: Jeannette Ordas
Blog name: Everybody Likes Sandwiches
Where were you born? London, ON
Where are you living now? Vancouver, BC
Why did you start your blog? This blog started way back in February 2005. I wanted a way to document the meals I was making in my tiny kitchen. Previously, I had published my own 'zine & I had a few different online journals, but this one seems to be keeping me on track for the long haul.
How did you decide on your blog name? I really had no clue & starting my blog was a middle of the night idea, so when I started filling out the form on Blogger (my original platform) I had to pick a name. I had an old vintage kids cookbook on my desk so I flipped through it and out jumped the phrase "Everybody Likes Sandwiches". I've hated the name ever since. It's a pain in the ass to remember and type into a browser, plus my blog isn't about sandwiches and I'm not even a huge sandwich fan.
What do you blog about? Everybody Likes Sandwiches is about making good food simple. I hate complicated directions and finicky recipes and I try to keep things relatively healthy and affordable. I also love the challenge of "making do" which means not running out to buy a certain ingredient or letting food go to waste. What can I say, I'm lazy and cheap! I substitute ingredients, dig around my cupboards and I have fun creating something delicious out of seemingly meager beginnings.
What post are you most proud of and why? Hard question. Some posts I love because the recipe was so dang good, for others it's because my photos really surprised me at how well they turned out, and sometimes it's because I was especially honest with what was going on that day or week and it really struck a chord with my readers. But I think the one I liked best was the one where I tried to teach my dad how to cook. My dad doesn't read my blog but I had based the post on an email I sent my dad. I wanted him to try more in the kitchen than making oatmeal or eating a few tomato sandwiches. In the end, he made the recipe, loved it but he still gripes about the difficulties of cooking. Oh well.
Which post do you wish received more love and why? Uh, all of them?
Which post’s success surprised you and why? My mom died 2 years ago and I wrote a post shortly afterwards. I wrote it for me so that I wouldn't forget all the emotions I was feeling and also because I just felt like I had to talk about it. It's pretty raw and honest and not the thing you'd expect on a food blog and maybe because of all that it's been my most commented-on post.
What is one (non-kitchen) gadget you can’t live without? My iPhone! I hate talking on the phone, but it's opened me up to the world of Instagram, easy wi-fi access when traveling, and it's easy to plug into my small kitchen speakers so I can listen to podcasts while cooking and cleaning. I'm in love with it.
What is one kitchen gadget you can’t live without? I recently picked up my mom's old Le Cruset pans and pots that she received as wedding gifts. These are the pans we used to cook with growing up and are pretty irreplaceable to me.
Favourite food, care to share a recipe? A cheeseburger is probably my favorite, but I usually go out for one. A good medium-rare steak though, I can do at home. I don't really have a recipe, but I document the simple process for a slow oven roasted version in this post.
What else should we know about you that may or not be in your “About Me” page? I was going to note that I'm a picky eater, but I think that's actually on my "About Me" page. But it's true. I hate bananas, melons, jello - anything with a weird texture and bland sweetness. I also swear like a sailor & have a juvenile sense of humour.
What makes your blog unique? Readers have often told me that they feel like they know me and see me as a friend and I think that's because my blog is a good representation of who I am. Plus, my recipes are down to earth and crazy delicious.
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