If you follow The Recipe Exchange on Flipboard, you know that there’s a sunny presence who emanates a love for good food. Please meet Jay Wadams, our second Food Writer in Residence. (Our residents share their expertise on Flipboard, assist with community engagement, and consult on the quality of our content.)
Jay hails from New Zealand but has lived nearly half his life overseas. He’s a cook, photographer and creator who concocts and thoroughly tests recipes at daysofjay.com. He’s also the author of two cookbooks, “Tasty” and “Simply Summer.” It was a pleasure to learn more about him and his zest (ba-dum-tish) for food.
Where does your passion for food come from?
My passion for food definitely started with my grandmother. Nana Fay famously had a sweet tooth, and I often cook from her much-loved, splattered and stained cookbook. My family guards her legendary pickle recipe with our lives! Of course, feeding my husband (aka my number one fan or critic, depending on the day) keeps me inspired on a daily basis.
What are your favorite cuisines and why?
I have four:
German: I love the food from my adopted homeland. I’ve learned so much from immersing myself in the local culture as well as from my German family. It may be famous for schnitzel and beer, but I promise you there is so much more.
Cypriot: I lived for several years on the beautiful island of Cyprus. The island is a fascinating melting pot of food from all over the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant, and combines Greek and Turkish cuisine. It’s also the home of everyone’s favorite squeaky cheese — halloumi — and is supposedly the birthplace of cauliflower. Who knew?
Thai: Thai food has so much going for it. Everything is so amazingly fresh and powerfully flavored. There is always something new and delicious to eat.
British: I’m a child of the British Commonwealth. While British food may seem stodgy to some, for me will always be comfort food, full of childhood memories.
What is your favorite city for a culinary adventure?
Bangkok, which has to be the most food-obsessed city in the world. It has fresh food and different flavors on every single street corner. The legendary wet markets have an incredible range of ingredients, perfect for cooking up a storm at one of the many cooking schools. Speaking of which, a one-day cooking class in Bangkok, preparing traditional Thai food, is absolutely unmissable.
What is your favorite foodie event or festival?
The Taste of London in Regent’s Park in June. So many of the English capital’s great restaurants come together, which is a true foodie experience.
Munich’s Oktoberfest! The most famous beer festival in the world is in my city. It is about so much more than just beer — it’s a celebration of the Bavarian culture and way of life. We eat so much food during the festival that it is more of a “feast” than “fest!”
Sydney’s Night Noodle Markets: Many people don’t realize how food focused this city is. With such a melting pot of different cultures, Sydneysiders are amazingly open to embracing food and flavors from other lands. The Night Noodle Markets every October are a highlight of the culinary calendar.
Who are the voices that you turn to for recipe inspiration?
It’s a little bit of a cliché, but Julia Child is always such an inspiration for so many of us home cooks. The wonderfully no-nonsense M.F.K Fisher (If you haven’t read “How to Cook a Wolf,” do so immediately!) has such a powerful and unique voice. The endlessly creative British cook Nigel Slater combines the most unusual ingredients into delicious feasts. I’m also an enormous fan of Sydney-born chef Bill Granger. Every recipe in his books is appetizing and achievable for the home cook.
What is your go-to, absolute favorite cookbook?
Oh, this is the hardest question! I have a huge cookbook collection, and one of my greatest joys is browsing through them. I often turn to a beautiful cookbook by fellow New Zealand cook Annabel Langbein called Simple Pleasures. It’s all about cooking with the seasons and the bounty of nature. Her ideas completely gel with how I cook in my own kitchen.
What are the five things you couldn’t go without in your kitchen?
A good food processor: When you cook as much as I do, anything to speed up the process (and reduce washing up!) is a lifesaver. I use mine to make pastry, pasta dough, chopped vegetables for bolognese, sauces or even mayonnaise. The list is endless.
Digital scales: I am positively evangelical about this. Measuring with cups is fine, but if you want reliable recipes that work every single time, then using a scale for accuracy is the only way to go. Trust me, once you get into the habit of weighing ingredients, you’ll never go back.
One proper sharp knife and sharpener (I know this is two, but they go hand in hand): A good solid chef’s knife and a knife sharpener are absolutely essential. Trying to prepare food with a blunt knife makes cooking a chore, and you’re more likely to injure yourself.
A carbon steel frying pan/skillet: They’re the ultimate non-stick pan if seasoned properly and will last a lifetime. They’re also non-stick with no nasty chemicals, so you can get them really hot for searing meat and vegetables.
An enameled Dutch oven: Dutch ovens are the ultimate all-rounder. They’re not just for braises and stews; they are brilliant for bread, pot roasts or even baking cakes!
What are some tips you have for other foodies who want to make the most out of Flipboard?
Engage, engage, engage! Flipboard isn’t just somewhere to store ideas; it’s a place to interact with others who share your passions. Flipboard has some of the most engaged and knowledgeable readers around, so ask questions, learn and make friends with the amazing Flip Family. Of course, the more you follow, the more you’ll see! Start with The Recipe Exchange and Flipboard Foodies (and me, of course!)
Tell us about your own curation approach and what we can expect to see on your profile.
Like a lot of cooks, I am a real magpie. I’m always collecting shiny, beautiful ideas that inspire me, and Flipboard allows me to curate these into stunning Magazines. I love to share articles and ideas that spark conversation. Bouncing off others on Flipboard is one of the parts I enjoy the most. In my Magazines, you’ll find recipes from my website and cooking inspiration from different cultures and parts of the globe. We all have so much to learn from each other, and that’s what makes Flipboard so exciting.
What didn’t we ask you that we should have?
Haha! My guilty secret: “What do you eat when you are by yourself?” After cooking, thinking, dreaming and writing about food 24/7, nothing beats a simple toasted cheese sandwich — my desert island food. If I had to live off nothing else, I could eat a good sharp cheddar cheese on toasted bread for the rest of my life.
Don’t forget to follow Jay on Flipboard to get a steady stream of recipes, inspiration, party food ideas and more.
— Jessica Jordan, community and marketing lead, is contributing to The Recipe Exchange