About

About Jean at Delightful Repast
As a freelance writer specializing in food, weddings, etiquette and entertaining, I've written for many magazines and newspapers as well as the Web. Jumping into the world of food blogs, I started Delightful Repast in February 2010 to share my favorite comfort foods. 

Though I'm an omnivore, recipes developed in the Delightful Repast “test kitchen” include gluten-free, nondairy, vegan and vegetarian as well as dishes that reflect my heritage (half English, half Southern) and eclectic tastes. I am available for recipe development; writing assignments; product reviews; and food-, wine- or tea-related travel reviews.

What is the origin of the name of your blog?
My husband is very polite and humorous, often simultaneously, and has said to me after nearly every dinner I've ever made for him, "Thank you for the delightful repast." How could I name my food blog anything else!

I chose the subtitle A Tradition of Comfort Food with Flair because I was born into a tradition of good food, the product of a father who, having grown up on a monotonous diet during the Depression, spared no expense when it came to food and a mother who was an inspired cook with "perfect pitch," able to taste any sort of dish and recreate it.

How would you describe your food?
The short answer would be: comfort food with flair. I love classic comfort food prepared with care and the finest ingredients. Beautiful presentation is important. It adds immeasurably to the enjoyment of a meal. 


I use as many local, seasonal, organic ingredients--as natural and minimally processed as possible--as I can. My recipes are not the "open a can of this and a package of that" sort. And "doctoring up" a mix is not my idea of baking. (Not that there's anything wrong with that; I just happen to enjoy the process as much as the result.)

Where do the recipes on Delightful Repast come from?

On the rare occasions when I will post a recipe that is not my own, I will give credit where credit is due. Nearly all the recipes I make and post are my own original recipes. If you like a recipe (or photo) of mine and would like to mention it on your blog or website or anywhere, please be sure to give me credit and make a link to the recipe (or photo) on Delightful Repast.

How is the blog supported financially?
I am a freelance magazine and Web writer, and the blog is something I do in my nonexistent spare time as a free service to others who love food. If it is pertinent to the post, I will sometimes mention a favorite piece of equipment, book or other product, with a link to that item on Amazon.com. If you purchase something from Amazon through one of my product links, I receive a small commission that does not cost you. So if you enjoy Delightful Repast and need to make a purchase, please start your shopping through one of my links.

Why do your recipes call for "dip-and-sweep" measures of flour? Isn't the flour supposed to be spooned into the measuring cup and leveled off?
One should always measure flour in the way that is specified in a recipe or cookbook. Bakers measure flour several different ways; the most accurate way is by weight, not volume. The weights of a given volume of packed versus scooped versus sifted flour varies substantially. 


A "dip-and-sweep" measure is a measuring cup I've dipped into the flour canister and taken care to see does not have any big air pockets (but without tapping it or pressing it down) and then swept across the top with a straight edge. In the case of unbleached all-purpose flour, a "dip-and-sweep" cup weighs about 5 ounces. All my recipes are based on that measurement method.