Since fall is upon us, I thought this would be the perfect time to share my Fall Harvest Salad with Maple Sesame Crunch recipe from Pass the Plate with you. It was one of the two recipes I planned on sharing on my Good Morning America segment this week, but we never got to it. You can watch the GMA segment here. There’s a whole chapter in the cookbook focusing on salads which I hope inspires you to enjoy eating more veggies. I want to thank Emily nunn from The Department of Salads for sharing this recipe on her Substack. You can Find the recipe here
photo by Nico Schinco
photo by Nico Schinco
I can’t believe my cookbook Pass the Plate has been officially out for 3 days! I’m writing this letter in the midst of my book tour, which has been such a joy so far! Chatting with you in real life made me reflect on all these past years, from where things started in Romania, to where things are at now.
I can’t wait to see you on my upcoming tour stops:
I feel like things are surreal at the moment because things like this aren’t supposed to happen to someone like me! Like many important moments in life, words fall short for me. Food is my language and recipes and videos are my canvas of communication.
I grew up in a small one-bedroom apartment in Transylvania, where our living room couch doubled as my bed. I loved cooking so much from an early age it became an obsession. Watching so many British and American cooking shows is how I learned to speak English. I dabbled in cooking but never dreamt I could make a living in food so I went to college for computer science. I didn’t like it but thought it was my escape from poverty and opportunity for a better life. So, I reluctantly and stubbornly persisted ahead. I got an internship working at a car company programming car-parts but became even more depressed! It was like a part of my soul was dying.
Then I learned about an exchange program in the US where I could work at restaurants in a resort town. There were 7 of us girls sharing an apartment and I was working 2 sometimes 3 jobs getting maybe 4 hours of rest every night but loved every moment of it. Well not every moment, like cuts and burns in the kitchen or crying at times in bathrooms after being yelled at.
Still, I got to work in food and loved it so much I returned the next year. Then I began posting more of my recipes online. I carved a corner in my tiny balcony where I would shoot outside, even in the middle of winter. My tripod was a thrifted shower chair with holes so I could shoot photos from above and my light diffuser was a thrifted umbrella. Sometimes my mom would put on a jacket in the freezing winter to help but most of the time I had a rusty old mop to balance the umbrella.
That balcony is where some of my most popular recipes were filmed. I was always embarrassed to share the behind the scenes because I was afraid I wouldn’t be taken seriously with what little I had. Looking back now, I’m more than proud to share this to hopefully inspire you to make the most out of what you have and embrace your dreams! Somehow, with these few things, I was blessed because you found me. It’s because of you I am able to write this chapter of my life and live my cooking dream.
Today, after all these years, I am officially a cookbook author! My cookbook Pass the Plate is finally in stores!!! I’m full of mixed emotions, joy, self-doubt, fear, anxiety, love, and appreciation. I’m a little scared! In spite of everything I have accomplished. At times, I’m overwhelmed feeling love and support from so many of you when you share the recipes with me. I can’t respond to all of you but know how much it means to me! I wish I could give you a hug and say THANK YOU! Thank you all so much!!!
Love, Carolina
These few days before books are released and the first week are crucial for the book’s success, so if you consider preordering, I would be so grateful! I added some links for you below.
Your support is why I can continue doing what I love and provide you with fun, delicious recipes. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! If you can’t buy the cookbook, you can still support me just by making these recipes and sharing them with your friends. Having people make my recipes is what drives and inspires me, I can’t thank you enough for being here!
את מלכה! אוהבים אותך ❤️
i wish you were coming to portland! i love you and admire you so much! shabbat shalom 💗