Following Masterchef, Alice Zaslavsky got vocal! Now she is a food literacy advocate; resident culinary correspondent for ABC News Breakfast; author of Alice's Food: A – Z and In Praise of Veg; and creator of a free digital toolbox helping teachers slip more serves of veg into the classroom. You can find her online as Alice in Frames.
We sat down with Alice to see what makes her tick.
GP What Is Alice Z all about (i.e. what do you do, and what have you been doing recently)?
AZ I’m a TV presenter, a food writer, and cookbook author two-times-over. My latest book, In Praise of Veg is my near-500-page love letter to vegetables, with recipes, references and quotes from chefs all around the world about why they love veg. I also empower teachers and parents to help kids fall in love with fresh produce through Phenomenom - a free digital toolkit of quality classroom resources, springboard videos and podcast - Nomcast that teaches numeracy and literacy whilst building food literacy at the same time.
GP What's your favourite home grown crop?
AZ It’s got to be rocket! It always tastes better straight out of the garden, and our daughter Hazel walks over to the wicking bed and tears off a leaf and wanders around chewing on it.
GP What are the advantages growing at home?
AZ Well, for starters, giving a toddler access to rocket and the like has its advantages for a lifetime! I love being able to access fresh herbs and lettuce that’s still vibrating with life, and can’t wait for the sun-drench cherry tomatoes to hit. We saw throughout the recent pandemic lockdown how people flocked to buy seeds and find spots to pop their planters, because there’s nothing more empowering than being able to nourish yourself and your family without leaving the house. Going with the seasons means your menu never stagnates either!
GP What's the most surprising thing you've created from home grown produce? Or your favourite?
AZ My in-laws have a hobby farm where they grow far more than we could, and we’re so fortunate to have things like garlic and blueberries on tap. BUT! The most special thing I’ve tasted was a bunch of fresh potatoes. The coolness of those spuds straight from the soil was quite something - like summoning spirit from the depths of the earth. Just magic.
GP What's next for Alice Z?
AZ TV! I’ve got a few projects in the works, so you’ll be seeing more of me on your screens sometime soon. We’re also about to release a new series of Nomcast podcast episodes and resources to help kids learn more about the connection between food and mood, and how to harness that power to feel great and get the most out of their lives.
Alice in Frames on TV again? We love that for sure!
Check out more of Alice's books, segments, talks and tips today!
Images courtesy of Murdoch Books and Alice Zaslavsky.
