Everyone’s waiting for something. This is always true, but it feels maximally true right now—now that spring is coming, and relief from [insert your least favorite pandemic stricture here] may be just a vaccine queue away. Whether what you’re holding your breath for is a specific event, or a more undefinable sense of change, anticipation lies heavy in the air this month.
You know one thing I’m waiting for? Dinner parties! Now that the CDC has declared it’s OK for fully vaccinated people to socialize indoors with other fully vaccinated people, as well as with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe Covid-19, a cook’s thoughts turn to what to serve on such a happy occasion. While I’m not quite ready to put a dinner party date on my calendar yet, to pass the time I am doing some serious fantasy-menu-planning, with help from Trivet Recipes:
Remember appetizers? These turkey-bacon-wrapped smoked jalapeño poppers, from Elle Jay at Home, look like a fun one.
As the centerpiece of a modern/casual/light dinner get-together, I’d be delighted if somebody served me a smoked salmon and avocado rice bowl, like this one by Sudachi Recipes, a Trivet Recipes newcomer (welcome!)
More traditionally, chicken piccata from The Perks of Being us is crowd-pleasing, both fancy enough for party food but simple enough to make as home cooking.
A couple of eye-catching desserts include these arrestingly presented African beignets with raspberry sauce and pineapple, from Magali Mutombo of Blue Fufu—also new to TR—as well as an epic chocolate custard ice cream, with a rich, eggy base, from former Trivet newsletter featuree The Gelato Life.
Someday, we’ll sit at sidewalk tables at restaurants, drinking cool drinks and eating food we didn’t make ourselves. But before that (maybe long before?) we’ll have our near and dear ones into our homes, and feast with them, and it will be awesome.
This week, we’re talking with Catherine Zhang, a young pastry chef based in Australia, who shares her creations at her eponymous blog, as well as on Instagram and YouTube, and whose Asian-influenced traditional desserts we’ve featured multiple times on the Trivet Recipes Instagram, because they are pretty hard to resist. Catherine became known to the world through Australian reality baking TV show Zumbo’s Just Desserts, after competing on the show’s second season—and finishing in first place.
1. Hi, Catherine! When and how did you start blogging?
I started blogging at the end of 2019, a couple of months after Zumbo’s Just Desserts aired in Australia. After appearing on the show I wanted to have a platform where I could share the desserts I created as well as the tips and tricks behind them. My Instagram platform was slowly growing and I thought having a blog would be the best way to showcase the behind-the-scenes of all my creations.
2. For those of us outside of Australia and New Zealand, what is Zumbo's Just Desserts? Would a comparison to The Great British Baking Show be appropriate?
I would say that The Great British Baking Show is a great comparison! It is similar in that contestants have to create baked goods in correlation to a theme; however, Zumbo’s Just Desserts takes it up a notch. The show, like its name, is all about desserts. Beginning with ten contestants, we undertake a new challenge every episode to impress judges Adriano Zumbo and Rachel Khoo. The bottom two then go into a “Zumbo Test” where we have to recreate one of Zumbo’s creations. Zumbo is an incredible pastry chef who is known for his complex and unique desserts, and his creations on the show are no different. Each episode is full of fun, interesting, and difficult desserts!
3. How have things changed for you since your appearance on the show?
The biggest change for me was having a platform where I could share my desserts and creations with such a wide audience. As the show was also aired on Netflix, I gathered a following from all areas of the world and have been able to connect with so many people.
4. You're 21—enviably young to know your passion in life! Why desserts? When and how did you know?
I have always been a food lover, whether that be baking, cooking, eating, or just looking! Growing up, I was always the baker, constantly baking cookies, cakes, or anything sweet. Between cuisine and desserts I chose the sweet side because I feel like it gave me a lot more space to be creative. A large part of making desserts is the aesthetics, and that made me fall in love with the process even more.
There was a turning point when I discovered that making desserts was what I wanted to do in life, and that was during the filming of Zumbo’s Just Desserts. I always loved baking, but it was more of a hobby. I never thought I would be able to turn my passion into a career. Being on the show pushed me past my limits and challenged my capabilities. I created desserts I had never even dreamt of, and that was when I knew I had to pursue a career in pastry.
5. Were you blogging or putting out other baking content online prior to Zumbo? How did they find you?
Before Zumbo’s Just Desserts I had a small Instagram with my close friends and family where I shared a couple of cookies and cakes, but nothing like what I am doing now!
I remember I was with my mum at a dessert exhibition one day when we came across casting for a baking show. My mum encouraged me to apply for the show, and after a couple of interviews, I was in!
6. You're up on multiple platforms now, with over 57,000 Instagram followers, and a YouTube channel, Catty Cakes, that you launched last year. Is content creation your full-time job now? What have you learned through growing your online presence so extensively?
I would love to make content creation a full-time job; however, I still have a long way to go. The more that I dive into the community of blogging and content creation the more there is to learn. When I first started, I thought it was as simple as uploading a recipe and a couple of pictures. Little did I know the hours of recipe development, photography, editing, writing, and SEO behind every blog post, video, or Instagram caption. I’ve learned so much, whether that be through online courses or trial and error; however, my biggest takeaway is the hard work behind it all. No matter what it is, as long as you put in the hard yards, you will do well in whatever you pursue!
7. What do you hope the future has in store for you, in terms of baking?
I hope to grow my platform so that I can reach an even wider audience. This past year I have learned a lot about myself and how I view baking in my life. I found that my passion lies in the creativity of making desserts; coming up with new recipes and creating stunning products. As a result, I want to better my blog and online platforms so I can showcase even more creations.
8. Your recipes have a recognizable style, which you describe on the blog as “cakes and desserts with a hint of Asian inspiration.” How do you come up with ideas? How do you develop a recipe?
Growing up in a Chinese household I was exposed to a lot of Chinese flavors, which play a large role in my recipe inspiration. However, on top of that, I love Asian culture and cuisine in general, whether that be Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. I love reading recipes, watching dessert content, and being immersed in the world of baking, so inspiration is all around me!
When it comes to developing a recipe, it is important to work with the audience. This includes looking at current food trends, the season, upcoming holidays and the produce available. When I have a rough idea of what my viewers would like to see, I add my flair to it! That could come in the form of an Asian flavor profile, the method I use to create it, or the way I present it. The possibilities are endless, and that’s why I love developing recipes!
Find Catherine at Catherine Zhang, or on Instagram or YouTube. You can also check out her profile and recipes on Trivet Recipes.
In closing, this one’s pretty location-specific, but the praise of an inexpensive sandwich is something we can definitely get behind. Also, it’s a good idea for a thread. Also, I wish I knew where to get a really good bánh mì around here (that’d be Baltimore, in case you know).
See you in a couple weeks,
—Katherine