Food blogger Greg Henry of Sippity Sup! cooks ups fresh and inspired meals in his West Coast kitchen. Part of the LA food blogging scene, his blog takes readers on a delicious holiday to a place where fat grams disappear in the sun and everyone eats their green vegetables! His blog is a world of slow-paced food and fast paced prose. Greg is one of the judges for the Horton Brasses Contest happening this month. Check out his encouraging words on home entertaining. Greg does not hold back. Although I’ve found his blog to be a source of great inspiration for vegetarian meals, he strongly positions himself on top of the food pyramid in this interview. It will be interesting to read the comments on this one!
When filling out forms, what do you list as “profession?”
Dreamer!
You’re an omnivore. Many of my readers are vegetarians. Why should they stop by your blog and check out the posts?
I am not a vegetarian. I am not a vegan. I certainly respect people who make those choices, but I simply do not understand why they would choose to do so. I am not the kind of person who chooses to limit myself. I am not a “live by a strict and narrow set of rules or die” kinda guy. I am far too young (and always will be!) to say, “Oh, I no longer need those experiences. I am happy with just these experiences.”
However, I am also smart enough to know that people who choose to be vegetarian or vegan probably have a whole set of reasons for choosing it. And interestingly, these reasons probably have nothing to do with what I see as the limitations of these choices. While I would not say this makes me stupid. I’ll admit it may make me uninformed.
That said, ironically, we eat vegetarian or vegan 2 or 3 nights a week. While I would never get on the “no-way, no-how” train, or jump through convoluted hoops to force some dish to be vegan, I do believe there are health benefits to limiting the amount of meat you eat. So there are many choices for the vegetarian or vegan to consider at Sippity Sup. Because to me, there are so many beautiful foods and recipes I want to experience that just happen to be vegetarian or vegan. Especially in Indian cuisine (which really interests me). These foods and recipes are perfect just the way they are. Why would I limit myself from eating them? I wouldn’t, nor would I jump through convoluted hoops just to add meat to them.
You live in L.A. where the food truck trend is in full force. Do you have a favorite?
Don Chow: Mexican/Cinese Fusion
Nom Nom Truck: Vietnamese
Flying Pig: The Pig and all its gooey parts
What is the biggest mess you’ve made in your kitchen?
I regularly host blogger pot lucks at my house. Despite the fact that most of the dishes are created in the blogger’s own kitchen and brought in, they always manage to make a collassal mess. Not that I mind, because I am of the belief that a neat cook is not to be trusted. They must have their minds on things other than the food.
Recently you hosted a dinner party full of various L.A. food bloggers. I saw the pictures of your elegantly set table. I think every person at the table had a DSLR in hand, outfitted with a macro lens. What’s it like to host a dinner where all your guests are food bloggers? How does it differ from entertaining non-blogging guests?
I have a rule in my “real life”. It’s simple. No Cameras At The Table! I don’t bring mine to restaurants and I don’t photograph my meals at home during dinner time. I see blogging as a part of my life (and only one aspect of it). To keep the boundaries I have a blog schedule and try to stick to it. I also have other rules that help keep my blog from becoming the center of my life. That said, I break ALL my rules for my blogging buddies. Because blogging is what we have in common and I would not want to stiffle anybody’s creativity.
How often do you entertain at home? What is the most important element of throwing a successful dinner party?
We entertain easily once a week.But not always with a traditional sit down dinner party. Though I do love those too. I live in Hollywood. I work in the entertainment industy. Entertaining is an expected part of the program. Frankly I can’t afford to pick up restaurant tabs every time I am with colleagues. But I can throw a mean dinner party, pool party, popcorn, casual cocktail party… Parties in the desert or parties in town. People seem to really appreciate the change of pace. Trendy restaurants jammed with beautiful people has a certain allure. But a smartly planned party can be just plain special. Even the mist jaded fashionista can appreciate them. I guess I just answered the second part of your question, because the most imprtant thing about entertaining guests is to entertain them in a way that reflects who you are. That goes for entertaining at home or taking clients out to dinner. I can’t tell you how many times people have said to me “Oh, Greg I could never have you to my house! I could never compete with your cooking>’ I always so. “So don’t compete. Do something you love. Choose something you are great at. Be it a mountain hike, a surf lesson, or your Grandma’s meatloaf. Everyone has special things they can share with friends.”
I just read your 2009 post on iceberg lettuce. I shamelessly admit that I’ve been a fan of the lettuce since 2005, yet do remember it as the bane of my youth. Can you think of any other produce that’s gotten a bad rap from mis- or over-use that deserves a resurgence in popularity?
I am constantly shocked by people dislike of beets. I mean I honestly have trouble not grabbing them by the shoulders and shaking some sense into them. Beets may be my favorite vegetable…
You cook on a Lacanche range. What were you cooking on previous to the Lacanche? Was there a learning curve? Do you speak French? TELL US!!!! What is it like to cook on a LACANCHE!?
When we bought this house there was a commercial gas range. ^ burners and a ton of BTUs. I believe it was from a now defunct comapany called American Range. If the ovens had been more dependable I would have kept the range through my remodel. But it was more than 20 years old and some of the gas jets were clogged in the ovens heating unit and the heat was very uneven. Which may have been a good thing because I love my Lacanche. But there certainly was a learning curve. The ovens are tiny by American standards. They are designed to cook one thing at a time and to cook it perfectly. The walls are close to the food and this makes a very even radiate type of heat. Je parle un peu de français. Juste assez impressionner mes amis…
In a previous life, you worked as a photographer. Not a wedding photographer. Not a school photographer. But a bona fide Hollywood photographer. What are the similarities and what are the differences in shooting starlets and shooting food? Which is easier to work with?
No Comment (that’s just sooo Hollywood, huh?).
If you only had access to one fresh herb for your next 10 meals, which would you choose and why?
Mint. Especially spearmint. I use it to replace basil often. It grows like mad. I always have it around and it has an herbal quality that is very versatile. But remember I said spearmint. Not peppermint. Peppermint has too much menthol to work in just anything.
What cooking adventures are on your horizon for the upcoming summer?I am going to Norway to on a culinary tour in June. It is hosted by Travel Norway and designed to promote tourism in that country. I am going to cover the trip from my food centric POV. Get ready for lot’s of terrific sustainable seafood, and I hope some reindeer recipes too.
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f you trace the IP I would not be surprised if it originated locally ;)
I didn’t feel the guy you interviewed was rude to anyone…..he seemed to embrace all eating lifestyles…..even said he ate vegetarian/vegan meals….this person that left the comment is not cranky…..this person is NASTY!!! Why be a hater!!?? I liked the interview just fine!!
Some vegetarians are just soooooo bitchy. :p
Wow. Hope that didn’t hurt your feelings. Not cool.
That was quite “attacky” You just interviewed him and you asked him why vegetarians should read his blog. And he answered. Now we are free to make our own opinions and read it or not.
I’d say the comment was pretty darn snarky. I’m not a vegetarian… I love seafood but not meat. However, I love good vegetarian recipes and incorporate much of it into my daily cooking. To me, the point of reading food blogs or watching food shows is to get inspired in your own cooking. So, I’ll allow my heathen self to continue reading/commenting on whatever I please even if the poster on your blog feels that’s disrespectful to their beliefs.
my favorite part : a neat cook is not to be trusted
What meaty bullshit! Sab, I cannot believe you published this on your blog. I am outraged. Why would you publish an interview with someone promoting meat eating! And that Rudolph jab at the end is just the icing on the beef-cake.
Is this a vegetarian food blog or what? I don’t care if you want to interview meateaters, but why promote someone who is not respectful to vegetarians.
What a dumbass interview!
Why the hate? Haters go home!