Fans have been loving Kate Liquorish, who plays Ekaterina Gromova in Netflix’s "Queen Sono" as well as Abi in M-Net’s "Still Breathing".
It seems, her stellar performance in both shows isn’t the only surprise the actress has up her sleeve. I recently learned of her prowess in the kitchen, which has proven most beneficial during the lockdown.
Her food blog, Undomestikated, has been a well-kept secret until now.
Actress Kate Liquorish shares her passion for cooking and plans for a podcast to complement this lesser-known side of her
Picture: Phillip Santos
She shares, “I started my food blog ages ago, must be about 10 years now. I haven't posted a blog in forever to be honest as I just haven't had the time. It all started because friends kept asking me for my recipes and so instead of emailing them I started the blog.
"It got me into food styling and food photography and it has been a wonderful creative outlet for me over the years. I still do a lot of food writing and recipe creation, but I need to get back to my blog. Perhaps this is exactly the incentive I need (smiles).
“I've always loved cooking, ever since I can remember,” she adds, “I find cooking so cathartic, I just love spending hours in the kitchen pouring love and creativity into making something. My family were always big into cooking: dinner time and Sundays were spent in the kitchen helping my parents with all the prep and sharing stories from each of our days, so it's probably a lot to do with that.”
As for her signature dishes, she reveals, “I love cooking beautiful casseroles and making really vibrant salads with handfuls of fresh herbs, fennel, toasted nuts and pomegranate seeds.”
The lockdown has given her more time to spend in the kitchen and she is loving it.
She says, “I don't feel rushed when it comes to making lunch and dinner, which is a lovely change. I'm cooking pretty much the same things I always do: lots of salads, steak with chimichurri, Asian spiced chicken breasts with bok choy.
"What I have noticed, however, is that I've come to respect single ingredients more and come to celebrate how delicious simple things can be: a tomato salad, for example, made with fresh tomatoes, parsley, red onion a little wholegrain mustard dressing. So simple and so delicious.”
What are the must-haves in your pantry?
“Sunflower seeds - I actually have a recipe for toasting them on my blog (http://undomestikated.blogspot.com/2019/01/roasted-spiced-sunflower-seeds.html) they're the perfect snack and they take any salad from zero to hero in a second. Lemons: I love adding lemon zest to most things and a squeeze of fresh lemon brightens up any dish.
"Bulgar wheat and brown lentils, I love cooking them with a little bit of veggie/chicken stock and serving them instead of rice or using them in a salad with lots of fresh herbs, red onion and cucumber. Smoked Paprika, it's the business! It creates such a beautiful richness and adds depth of flavour. Butter Beans, throw them in a pan with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, cook them and mash them and you have the most unbelievable mash!”
Reflecting on her first cooking memory, she offers, “Sitting on the counter when I was really small and helping my mum make meringues, I must have been about three or four years old and I could not believe what I was seeing! And all just using egg whites and sugar. It blew my mind. Plus, licking the bowl and the spatula was the BEST!”
Kate Liquorish tucking in. Picture: Phillip Santos
How is she coping with the lockdown several days in?
She shares, “I'm very lucky as we have come out to my husband's family farm, so we have some space to walk outdoors. While we have family here, we're self-isolating in a little cottage until next week to ensure that if anyone has the virus (and is A-symptomatic like so many people have been) that we don't give it to each other.
"My husband and I wake up early and exercise for half an hour (there are amazing yoga apps and fitness/dance classes that you can find online and on YouTube, most sites that charge monthly have offered 30 days free to help people in isolation).
“Then I split my days into hourly chunks to make sure I not only stay sane, but I also stay productive and positive. I write for an hour, listen to podcasts (Dolly Parton's America, The Catch and Kill Podcast, The Awards Chatter, Serial, Desert Island Disks to name a few) for an hour while I clean and do the washing. I schedule Skype and Zoom sessions with friends and family every day.
"I also make sure that I put my phone away for one hour every two hours as I find that social media is becoming even more addictive over this time. My husband and I love playing cards and board games so there's a lot more of that happening. I try not to watch too much TV but set aside a few hours to watch something really good so it feels like a treat. I spend a lot more time making lunch and dinner, and I make sure I don't pour myself any wine before 7pm.”
Her binge-watching list includes "Mr. Robot", "A Handmaid's Tale", "The Deuce", "Ugly Delicious", "Chef's Table" and "The Tiger King", which she describes as “totally ridiculous and wonderfully escapist”.
In the meantime, she has taken up gardening and started learning isiZulu again.
She adds, “I've begun connecting with friends who live overseas and far away again. Now that virtually everyone is in lockdown you don't feel distracted when you get onto Skype or onto a call with an old friend. It's times like these that you realise how important friends and family are, so I'm making an effort to re-connect with dear friends and to really try to have meaningful conversations with those I am close to.
"I'm also going to be launching my new food-centric podcast, ‘Smack Your Lips’, soon. It's all about food and booze, cool people and places. it's going to be really fun and informative so you can look out for that in coming months!”