Successful New Zealand food writer Emma Galloway learned to love fresh, healthy and delicious food growing up in a creative wholefood-loving family. Emma's passion shines through in her book, My Darling Lemon Thyme. I talked to Emma about food, life and her new book.
WHAT A FABULOUS TITLE FOR YOUR BOOK ... WHO CAME UP WITH IT? Thank you! The title is taken from my food blog, mydarlinglemonthyme.com, which I started back in 2010. It is actually my daughter, Ada, who should be thanked for the name, though. I used to call her "my darling Clementine" (after that funny little childhood song), but as she was only about 3 at the time, she got confused one day and called me my darling "lemon thyme". I started my food blog a couple of months later and the name seemed just too perfect not to use.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR UPBRINGING I grew up in the tiny surf town of Raglan on the west coast of the North Island. At a time when many families were buying their first microwave ovens and tucking into ready made meals, we were living an altogether different life. My family lived in a wooden house my Dad built, we collected rain water for drinking, grew our own fruit and vegetables and made things like yoghurt from freshly collected goat's milk from a farm at the end of the winding gravel road. My parents provided us with food as it's supposed to be - fresh from the earth to the kitchen, seasonal, nourishing and delicious. It is this philosophy that natural, whole food should also be flavoursome, fun and easy to prepare that I've carried through to my own little family's life, since we first learnt of our food intolerances.
WHO WAS YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN YOUR LOVE OF COOKING? My parents for sure. Seeing them grow the fruit and vegetables we ate, and watching Mum prepare the most beautiful vegetarian feasts out of the produce, is definitely what sparked my love of cooking. We were very blessed to always have beautiful food on our table. The time and energy my mother put into preparing nourishing food made from scratch is what drives me to do the same for my own two children.
DID YOU EVER WANT TO BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN A CHEF? There was a brief moment during my last few years of high school where the plan was to go to art school, but I got a job working in a local cafe the summer before that last year at school ... and the cooking bug took hold! I have entertained the idea of studying Ayurvedic medicine on more than one occasion, too. One day I would like to learn more, even if only for my own personal growth.