Blossom To Stem

Welcome! My name is Mary Kasprzak and I write and take the photos you see here on the app. Blossom to Stem is a blog chronicling my experiences with food. It features recipes, cooking techniques, baking and pastry projects, and other things of culinary interest. The name was inspired by the nose-to-tail movement, but instead of focusing on the whole animal, the focus is on using the whole plant. Though I used to be a vegetarian, these days I’m an omnivore. I generally prefer my diet to be local, sustainable, organic, and vegetable-heavy, but more than any of that, I want my food to be delicious.I was an editor for ten years before I decided to turn my focus toward my writing. I became interested in the pleasures of a shared meal in college when my friends and I would be the last ones in the dining hall, laughing and arguing and trying so hard to be worldly and sophisticated. I became interested in cooking after college, when it became a creative outlet and personal pursuit. While I’ve circled the food world showing wine racks at a trade show, slinging fruit at a farmers market, managing the library at a culinary and hospitality management program, I’m self-taught when it comes to the kitchen. I’ve learned from books, blogs, television, friends, and plenty of trial and error.I strive to push my cooking skills further and take pleasure in sharing that knowledge with others.I live with my husband, Dan, and our dog, Inka, in Chicago, IL.