The ‘Meet….’ series gives you a glimpse into the inner workings of some of my all time fave peeps, cheffing superheroes and foodie friends. I ask the same ten questions and you get their heartfelt responses.
As an adult, I can eat ice-cream for breakfast and legally drink (which is pretty rad) but sometimes….. CONFESSION….. I just want to colour!
Active meditation, relaxation and de-stressing are the buzz words folk use to explain this super trend, and friends, I agree. I am not one of those reckless free styling doodlers, so books with complex, incredibly detailed scenes that often take hours to finish are perfect for this Derwent pencil wielding perfectionist. Enter….. The Foodie’s Colouring Book, this beauty includes a combination of some of my very favourite things – Food, Recipes and Colouring. The pages are filled with delicious foods that you get to decide how the finished product looks, beautiful recipes that include coloured pictures, culinary quotes, a quiz, chatty cooking advise and interesting facts about food too. The art is fun, kind of cartoonish, and there is a variety of complex and simple pictures for whatever mood you are in too.
Wanna know more? Check out my cheeky interview with Alicia Freile, the designer and co-author of The Foodie’s Colour Book, and be sure to enter the competition to go in the draw to win The Foodie’s Colouring Book Poster Pack that includes 2 giant posters, 3 small posters to colour and display + bonus recipes to cook.
What inspired you to create The Foodie’s Colouring Book?
The co-author of The Foodie’s Colouring Book, Jess Lomas, and I had worked on countless cookbooks together over the years. She’s an editor and author, while I am a designer and ‘sometimes’ author. As the buzz surrounding adult colouring books escalated, we discussed wanting to work on an adult colouring book together and quickly recognized that there was no colouring book in the market dedicated solely to food, dining, and culinary pursuits. So we jumped on our idea fast, pitched it to our publisher (Wilkinson Publishing in Melbourne), hired up-and-coming illustrator Haylea Bridle to create the artwork, and suddenly, the book was underway!
Tell us a little about your foodie journeys, are you a chef by trade? Do you work professionally in kitchens or the food industry? Professional eater?
I’m not a chef or even close, though I have had my share of restaurant jobs over the years. To be honest, none of them kept me too long. I have an unfortunate tendency to drop things, walk into walls carrying trays of food, and generally wreak havoc in the kitchen.
However, I have worked as a book designer focusing on cookbook design for about 18 years and I absolutely love it. I’ve gotten to design a huge variety of cookbooks for the Australian, UK, NZ and US markets and I feel I’m the luckiest designer around to get to do this. Some books include the New York Times bestselling Sneaky Chef series, James Beard Award Winner ¡Ceviche!, Martyna Angell’s The Wholesome Cook, Craft Beer and Food, The Cast-Iron Skillet Cookbook, and so many more.
Does your signature dish or favourite foods feature? If yes, what are they?
I’m a very keen baker, and definitely made sure we had a lot of desserts featured in The Foodie’s Colouring Book. However, the book does feature a full-colour recipes section, with photos, all of which are courtesy of my talented co-author Jess Lomas. I asked her if her favourite recipe made the book and she answered with an emphatic YES! She points to the ‘Let’s Date Cake’ which is super-simple and quick to make, yet a real crowd-pleaser!
Do you do the cooking at home?
I split the cooking duties with my husband who, honestly, is a much better cook than I am. However, I handle all of the baking at home and that includes all of our bread… I make two artisan crusty loaves every week. Plus I’ll make a cake, quickbread, or crumble or two per week to satisfy the sweet cravings.
When you just want to make something simple, quick, and delicious, what do you prepare?
Homemade pizza! I make whole-wheat crust and New York style sauce (stored in the freezer for quick use) plus a good selection of vegetables, a few herbs, and mozzarella to top it off. 
What is your fave breakfast?
Avocado on toast, plus a smoothie jam-packed with fruit, oats and Greek yogurt. And coffee. Always coffee…
What are your go to places in Canberra for an excellent foodie experience?
I love Rubicon for a really nice dinner out, Sweet Bones for my cupcake fix, King O’Malley’s for great pub food, and Grease Monkey for an epic burger!
What is your favourite page in The Foodie’s Colouring Book? And why?
I’d have to say I have two favourites. One is the donuts page and it’s a favourite for me because it’s intricate and can be made so bright and colourful. The donuts are a mixed variety but do repeat after a while, so you achieve that ‘zen colouring experience’ that people seem to love in this popular hobby.
The other favourite is the Freak Shakes page, which is actually called Monster Shakes in the book, as we already had something for F (and the book is in A-Z format). These shakes are just so intriguing, you can’t look away… and they are great fun to colour! I like that we were able to get a Canberra icon into this book, and even better that the Freak Shakes phenomenon is spreading overseas. I’ve had several American friends share news of Freak Shakes on their side of the pond lately… it’s gaining momentum and that is exciting to see.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring three things, what would they be and why?
Coffee, because I love it (and if I don’t have it I get a wicked headache). A copy of The Foodie’s Colouring Book, and a set of coloured pencils… because let’s face it, I’ll have some time to kill on that island!
If you were to invite a famous person to your house for a meal (any meal) — who would it be, what would you prepare, and why?
Oh, how intimidating! Well, I’m going to choose someone who is no longer with us. Author Peg Bracken of The I Hate to Cook Book, which is one of the most hilarious things I have ever read and has some really fun recipes. I just adore her book, even though I don’t hate to cook… it’s a great social commentary on the lives of American women in the late 1950s and early 1960s. What would I prepare for her? An Australian lamb roast, of course… because who can resist Aussie lamb?!
Enter to WIN 1 of 3 The Foodie’s Colouring Book Poster Pack that includes 2 giant posters, 3 small posters to colour and display + bonus recipes to cook!
***** You can enter every day until the competition closes *****
****THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED, THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR ENTRIES!****
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!
Ala S. Beck D.
Elissa S.
The Foodie’s Colouring Book and The Foodie’s Colouring Posters are found in most newsagents across Australia and New Zealand. Also in some Dymocks flagship locations in the bigger cities. In the US, books and poster packs are available at Barnes & Noble and Sam’s Club. In the UK, they are available at WH Smith and Tesco. You can purchase The Foodie’s Colouring Book online here, here and here. And The Foodie’s Colouring Posters here, here and here.
I’d love to know, have you joined the adult colouring craze? And if you could turn any food into an illustration to colour, what would it be?
