Maripel, a River Daughter Who Cooks from the Heart
When you talk with Maripel about her blogging beginnings, you quickly understand it's a story about sharing above all. Before launching her blog, she participated in a cooking forum where she learned a lot, but also where she loved sharing what she knew. "What I loved about blogging was that I could share my discoveries, but also my experience, and sometimes even my flops," she explains with honesty. A few bloggers from the forum encouraged her to start, and that's how La fille de l'anse aux coques was born. The blog's name doesn't come from a special recipe or any cooking technique. It's the story of a woman. Maripel trained as a teacher and left the workforce several years ago. She's from that beautiful region of Quebec that borders the St. Lawrence River. "I'm a river daughter," she says simply. The river is her refuge, her place of contemplation. It's her inner peace that transforms into culinary creativity.
Now let's talk numbers, because Maripel doesn't count her hours but she invests quite a bit. About 15 to 20 hours a week, that's time most people can't spare. But when you love something, you don't keep count. And what she loves is really varied. Salads, first of all, and quite a lot of them: over 700 recipes under her belt! Soups too, which she makes every week, and homemade treats she generously offers during the holidays. If we're talking about a healthy obsession, it's roasted peppers, her favorite ingredient. And for tools, she swears by her microplane, which she calls essential. Her inspiration comes from her cookbooks, other blogs, and even shows like MasterChef Australia where she's constantly learning. "I'm not a chef, but I've been cooking for a long time, and I'm still learning today," she says. It's that benevolent humility that makes all the difference.
Maripel cooks simple, welcoming food, with dishes that overflow with vegetables and nourish both body and heart. One of her greatest sources of pride? A quiche with fiddleheads and Oka cheese, showcasing typically Québécois products. Fiddleheads are ostrich fern shoots, a treasure found nowhere but North America. This recipe perfectly sums up her philosophy: use what you have, honor your region's bounty, cook good food without pretension. Her comfort foods? Soup or her savory chili. And when asked where her love of cooking comes from, she tells stories of childhood memories. Her mother made tartes by the dozen, with fruits from the garden or those her father brought home: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb. The last tart was always made with the leftover dough and filled with dates. "I loved all my mother's tartes, but I had a preference for her date tarte," she recalls fondly. She even inherited the enormous bowl her mother used to prepare her tart dough. That's how passions are passed down from generation to generation.
Today, Maripel continues to publish new recipes for as long as she's able. Health issues have forced her to slow down in recent years, but her desire to share remains intact. Her advice for those wanting to start a blog? "You simply need to be passionate about cooking. You can't count the hours." And her culinary dream? To travel to France and Italy to discover the regions and their gastronomic specialties. A fine ambition for someone who's already explored over 700 salads!
Curious to learn more? Head over to La fille de l'anse aux coques. You'll find simple, welcoming recipes, and above all, that wonderful human warmth that makes cooking even better.
Comments (2)
Merci beaucoup!
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