CLAUDIAINPIZZALAND is the instagram account of Claudia born in 1996 and raised in the province of La Spezia between the Cinque Terre and the Gulf of Poets, with a passion for cooking, photography and pizza.
Here is our interview:
WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND YOUR BLOG?
Snapping pictures of my food before eating it has always been almost a must for me (even if it must be annoying for those who have to wait for me to start eating). I’ve always kept those pictures on my phone; every once in a while, I liked to go back to them, remembering how good that cake or that pizza was, and at some point I thought “why not share my love for everything delicious (and pretty) with the world through the socials?” – and that’s how “claudiainpizzaland” came to be. The photos I publish now are very different from those I took with my phone, but I haven’t lost my habit of making people wait for me to start eating!
WHAT SPARKED YOUR PASSION FOR COOKING?
To be completely honest, I don’t really have an answer to this question. I don’t remember a particular moment in which I realized that I had a passion for cooking, I think it was just kind of born with me, and then it was encouraged by my grandma. I always used to stay with her while she cooked and, whenever I had the chance to help her (for example, by giving gnocchi their typical shape), it was the most fun game ever.
ARE YOU MORE OF A COOK OR A PHOTOGRAPHER?
I’ve always been really into both cooking and photography, but it’s by merging these two passions that I really found something that I love to do and that truly makes me happy. I love taking pictures, I love cooking and making up recipes, and I want to keep doing both things without having one of them prevail over the other – after all, I think that they are two passions that go together perfectly.
WHAT ARE THE THREE SECRETS TO TAKING GOOD PICTURES OF FOOD?
The first “secret” to taking good pictures of food is the light: finding the right one isn’t an easy nor a quick task. I recommend trying different places in the house until you find the right one, and then make that your fixed spot. The second secret is rather obvious, but should not be overlooked: pictures of food must whet your appetite! The food must look good and be tempting, so don’t be afraid to add little elements to make it look even tastier – and remember: always take pictures of things that you would like to eat. The third advice is to do A LOT of practice. Try to take pictures every day, especially in the beginning, because honing your skills really is the thing that separates nice pictures from pictures that charm who sees them.
WHAT’S YOUR MOST SUCCESSFUL RECIPE?
Of all my recipes, the one that got most comments is the chocolate biscuits with pistachios crumbs – a very simple dessert, but it always makes an impression! In my family, though, my most successful dish is the pizza: I’ve spent years adjusting the recipe until I found the perfect one for us. I’ve also recently discovered a passion for braiding dough in elaborate ways on my tarts, and those pictures are actually among the most successful on my blog!
WHAT’S THE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN DISH YOU LOVE THE MOST?
As you can probably tell from my name, my one true culinary love is the pizza (which I eat almost exclusively Margherita). I could eat it every day and never get tired of it, but that’s not all that I love about it: I find its preparation a very relaxing, almost cathartic, moment. I also have a strong connection to the typical dishes of my beloved Liguria – for example, the focaccia, or the farinata (or the focaccia with the farinata: certainly not a light dish, but one that you have to try for yourself!)
DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW PROJECT FOR YOUR BLOG?
I have so many projects in mind that I always have to carry a notebook with me to jot down ideas as soon as they come to me! I surely would love to write more recipes, and, on the photography side, I’m experimenting with the “dark and moody” style, which is much different from my usual light approach.
WHAT’S YOUR DREAM?
I’d love to have the chance to publish a cookbook with my recipes and my photos – but if I have to dream big, I’ll admit that my own tv-show would be incredible. For now, though, I’m happy to focus on my blog and see a constant improvement both in my cooking and in my “food photography.”
