Interview with Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest
You may be surprised to learn that Tieghan Gerard, whose delicious, hearty recipes have garnered over a million followers, only goes online two to three times per day. Her passion is in the kitchen — nestled in a log cabin up in the mountains of Colorado. We admire Tieghan for her pursuit of elevating the everyday in the simplest of ways.
Our brand new Pursuit of Coziness Set includes her bestselling cookbook, Half Baked Harvest Super Simple, which you can now pick up in our shop.
Read on to learn more about Tieghan.
Where do you call home?
I live up in a little mountain town in Colorado.
What are you listening to right now?
I’m loving podcasts these days. The Second Life is one of my favorites.
Last thing you cooked?
My weeknight Thai Chicken Meatball Khao Soi and Avocado Brownies for my Instagram stories.
Last tool or utensil you purchased for your kitchen?
A tablespoon size cookie scoop and I can't believe how much I actually use it. Very useful tool!
What made you fall in love with cooking?
I fell in love with cooking because of how I could make people happy by creating something that they found especially delicious. It is my favorite thing to do. And seeing readers recreate those recipes is the best.
Can you remember the first thing you ever cooked?
Yes! It was chocolate chip banana pancakes for my mom. To this day, I'll still make them for her when I can.
What is your favorite unlikely pairing with olive oil?
Right now, I am really into baking with olive oil. I just made a Lemon Poppy Seed Cake using olive oil instead of butter and it's one of my favorite cakes!
Cooking challenge: you can have any three ingredients and a bottle of Brightland, what do you make?
Toasted sourdough bread served warm and rubbed with olive oil, topped with fresh burrata cheese, and fresh, seasonal fruit or herbs, and flaky sea salt.
How do you manage your screen time in this day and age when so much of our careers is tied to our screens?
I try really hard to limit my screen time to just once in the morning, once midday (unless it's a crazy busy day), and once at night. If I didn't limit my time in front of a screen, I wouldn't get anything else done. Limiting my time is a must.
Favorite hobbies outside the kitchen?
I live for my morning hikes and spending time with my family. I am very, very simple and love chill time.
Describe your ideal Saturday afternoon.
It's so simple. I take my little sister shopping and spoil her all afternoon long! I love spending time with her and I don't get to do it nearly enough!
What are your three favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration?
@tezza, @ariellecharnas, and @hannahbronfman
Advice or tips for anyone out there who dreams of doing what you do?
Set aside your fears aside and just start creating. The hardest part of anything is starting, so just start and then do not stop. I've been working on Half Baked Harvest for over eight years. I’ve gotten where I am with slow and steady growth, consistency, and a love for what I do. The passion and drive have to be there.
