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The SITS Girls

The Secret to Success is Support

A Spicy Perspective

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Sommer from A Spicy Perspective is a mother to two little ones and a cook to many. Her site is going to leave you craving some seriously tastey looking meals! Consider that your warning and proceed with caution!

What inspired the title of your blog?
After hunting for just the right title, a friend reminded me of a funny situation in which a waiter once said to me, “Spicy food for a spicy personality.” We’ve been laughing about it ever since! I do like to cook up spicy food, on occasion. However the title refers to a need for spice in life. A Spicy Perspective offers easy and artful recipes, plus spicy or thought-provoking stories.

What would you do differently if you were to start your blog over today?
This could take a while… Blogging requires a serious amount of learning. I feel like I still learn something new every week that I wish I had been doing all along. First off, I would have started my site on WordPress, instead of having to move everything over a year later. Second I would have taken a photography class BEFORE starting. I’ve loved the learning process, but sometimes I look back at an older post the cringe at the pictures. Third, I would have asked a million questions about what elements of social media were worth my time. Fourth, I would have posted pictures of my family from the get-go. It took me a long time to get comfortable with that.

What is your ultimate goal for your blog?
Originally I started the blog to have all the recipes from my cooking class online. My students were constantly emailing me when they lost their copies and I thought a site with catalogued recipes would make it easier. After I started, I quickly realized the blog could have a life of its own. I still view A Spicy Perspective as a learning resource, but also feel like it’s a creative outlet for me, and it has become a great little side-business. My goal is to stay open-minded as opportunities present themselves and see where it takes me.

In what ways have you benefited from blogging?
It’s therapeutic to blog. You offer a little piece of yourself to the world every time you post. Maybe they love I, maybe not. But either way, it increases your capacity to put yourself out into the world, free of fear and insecurity. Blogging has also helped me rediscover my love for writing. Sometimes your passions get lost (for a time) in motherhood. Blogging has given me a new sense of self, and reminded me that although my family is TOP priority, there is more to me than “mommy.” Also, let’s not forget the fantastic new friends you make that actually understand this crazy online world you live in.

Can you share a recipe that brings you the highest reviews from family and friends?
That is tricky! My husband’s family is Hungarian so I might have to say authentic Chicken Paprikas is everyone’s favorite.

Hungarian Chicken Paprika:  But friends that eat with us often always ask for Cioppino.  As far as desserts go, we are a shortbread family and my Dulce de Leche cookies are a continual request from friends and family alike.

Other popular posts from A Spicy Perspective:

Fresh Focaccia Loaves: “You can buy decent focaccia at the bakery, but NOTHING beats homemade bread!”

Asheville’s Curate: “The Pupil becomes the master.”

Asian Beef and Bok Choy Salad: “I opened my bottle of fish sauce and was slapped in the face with a pungent reminder that things are not always as they seem.”

About Tracie Nall

Tracie lives in Arizona with her husband, teen daughter, and more books than her shelves will hold. She spends her days writing and editing. Many of her words end up on her blog, From Tracie. Find Tracie on Twitter @FromTracie and on Instagram where she takes pictures of things that are yellow.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  9. Michelle says

    Your pictures are beautiful! I want to take a photography class, too…I bet it helped tons! I completely agree that blogging can be therapeutic. Heading over now to check out some of your recipes 🙂

  11. Lindsay White says

    I love to cook and love food blogs! I really can’t get enough of them. Keep up the great work and look forward to following. Congrats on the feature!

    Lindsay

  12. Jamie G says

    I’m now starving.
    Your kind of cooking is right up my alley. I’m bookmarking your page and making meal plans accordingly

  15. Aubrey Anne says

    This makes me laugh!! I just recently got called “Spicy” by a waiter (blogged about it) on my birthday. So funny! This looks like something I’m going to love, glad to have found you!

  16. Craftwhack says

    How beautiful your photos are! I want to try to make something from your blog this weekend- my dad is visiting. Sheesh- who needs cookbooks anymore….

  21. Swizzlestickmama says

    Yummy! I love food blogs. Really love them! I just love food! Can’t wait to check it out!

    And if anyone is reading this and wants to come over to HELP ME! with a little problem, I would greatly appreciate it. Really don’t know what to do here…and would love some advice! I’m about to go crazy pregnant lady on my two neighbors, and reeeeally don’t want to do that.

  27. Amanda : Grace & Gusto says

    I love cooking blogs, and this one seems fantastic! Can’t wait to check it out.

    “…it increases your capacity to put yourself out into the world, free of fear and insecurity.” Couldn’t have said it better myself. Every time I hit the Publish button, my heart flutters a bit. Thanks for letting me know I’m not the only one who feels like blogging is intensely personal, regardless of what you write about.

  28. Shannon from 'Mynewfavoriteday' says

    Everything looks yummy and your photography class paid off! I would also be curious about your social media comment, perhaps you should write a post on that, I think you might have lots of takers:) Happy SITS day to you and I feel like I need to go cook something!

  29. Life In A Pink Fibro says

    Love the look of this site! I’m always looking for new ideas to feed my family, and I’ve been feeling a bit bored with it all lately, so this will be great. I’m with Susan though – more details on Sommer’s fave social media would be great!

  30. Susan in the Boonies says

    Spicy food for a spicy personality reminds me of a visit to a Japanese restaurant in town, where the chef at our table if anyone wanted that super hot spicy mustard, and everyone turned it down EXCEPT for my shy, retiring sister, and the cook winked at her and said with his Japanese accent, “Oooooooohhhh! Hot -ah- Mamaaah!”
    (We loved that!)

    I’d be interested in knowing WHAT social media Sommer finds to have been most helpful! Sommer, if you’re reading this, please follow up on that one for me.

    I think your pictures are amazing, and I’m really looking forward to checking out your blog! Fun!!!

  34. Jessica says

    I agree that blogging helps you remember you have a self outside of motherhood. Great interview and delicious photos!

  35. The Lucky Wife says

    Yay! Always love features of fellow foodies. My husband and I co-author, and we just had the discussion about “putting yourself out there.” He was talking about the first time he hit “publish” and sat back with kind of this nervous feeling of… well, it’s out there now.

  41. M says

    Oh I love MILD spice….cant handle the hot stuff…

    Stop by to see how a little child can chagne the world!

  44. OMG! Yummy says

    Dare I say all her photos and food look YUMMY! Nice to read a food blog as I am busy cooking for the upcoming Jewish Holiday (yes my oven is on even as the temperature breaks into the 90s!)