Name: Jennifer Barnaby. But you can call me "Tabby."
Blog name and URL: "Gustia" http://gustia.net
Where were you born? Ottawa, Canada
Where are you living now? The Principality of Monaco (since 1999)
Why did you start your blog? Gustia is actually my second blog. My first blog, The Auntie Times, is the digital version of a newsletter I wrote for my nieces, nephews and friends went I first left Canada. I realized that I had far more foodie adventures than Auntie adventures so I started Gustia as a way to share the those too.
How did you decide on your blog name? Gustia is a word I cooked up myself. The passionate and animated way that Italians here use the word "Gusto" (taste) stuck in my head and then I changed the ending to "ia" to feminize it. French and Italian speakers here understand it and It's very searchable on the internet. Oh, and everything else seemed to be taken.
What do you blog about? Whatever or whomever inspires me from a foodie perspective but only if I feel passion for it. I also post an occasional recipe.
What post are you most proud of and why? I'd have to say my recent post called, "Pow Pow your Dinner."
It was inspired by the recent horse meat scandal. The post is about the simplicity and tradition of raising and hunting animals for food in small villages in Italy. I'm proud of it because the topic and photos are a bit edgy but it inspired comments that encouraged me to write in a more profound way.
Which post do you wish received more love and why? My post about honey that HSH Prince Albert of Monaco produces in Monaco from the small apiary he had installed on top of the Numismatic Museum.
You can't buy his honey anywhere, it's for his own use, but the Prince gave a dear friend of mine a jar and she gave it to me. I thought that the Prince engaging in the current trend of urban beekeeping in the most densely populated country in the world would be interesting for readers but it had under 30 hits. I'm still scratching my head!
Which post’s success surprised you and why? Definitely "Earn Danger Pay. How to Trim a Spiny Artichoke."
It received more hits than any of my other posts. I never would have guessed when I wrote it that so many people needed to know how to trim a spiny artichoke!
What is one (non-kitchen) gadget you can’t live without? My new iPhone 5. It's been glued to my hands since the day it arrived. I run the battery down twice a day.
What is one kitchen gadget you can’t live without? My 2200W "T-fal Vitesse" electric kettle that boils water in under 2 minutes. I love Europe's high voltage appliances.
Favourite food, care to share a recipe? Desserts made with lemons. The nearby town of Menton holds an annual lemon festival and every year I post a new recipe using Menton's exceptional lemons. This year, its a lemon pudding made with fresh, home-made almond milk.
What else should we know about you that may or not be in your “About Me” page? I didn't know how lucky I was to have grown up in Canada with Canadian values and perspective until I emigrated. I've become the most patriotic Canadian I know.
What makes your blog unique? Gustia is more of a food writing blog, not primarily a recipe blog. I post about the culinary experiences I have or food themed things I discover wherever I travel. I like to toot the horn for exceptional chefs, shops and products, that others may find of value, all from a Canadian, vegetarian foodie's perspective living abroad.
Follow Gustia on Twitter @GustiaFood
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