Today we’d like to introduce you to Larisa Kliman.
Hi Larisa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
It’s hard to truly convey the magnitude of my Gilmore Girls obsession. I was first introduced to Gilmore Girls on rerun. As any young teen who was home alone for the summer, I admittedly watched a lot of TV. Flipping through the channels, one scene, in particular, caught my eye. Two young women were arguing about a boy and school, and when the argument came to a heated close, they both turned to Macy Gray’s ‘I Try’ in their angst. And that’s where my obsession really began.
Fast forward 15 years later, in the midst of the pandemic, I was looking for a passion project. I, like many others, turned to what was familiar and comforting. Naturally, for me, this was Gilmore Girls. I found myself watching it even more than I normally did. It was nice to escape to Stars Hollow when the rest of the world seemed so uncertain. Eventually, I came up with my project, Eating Gilmore, in which I recreate a dish from every episode of my favorite show. And so, one day in November (because autumn is so emblematic of this show), I pressed the publish button of my first dish for the pilot episode, Sookie’s famous peach sauce that makes Lorelai declare, “I want to take a bath in that sauce!”
When I first started this project, I wasn’t sure I would go all the way through the show. Now, almost three years later, I’m wrapping up the final season of the original run (and yes, I do plan on cooking my way through the Netflix show Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life). It’s been such a fun journey, and I’ve loved getting to connect with other fans who love this show as much as I do!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have definitely been challenges over the course of this project. Of course, getting the dishes right can sometimes be a struggle. One of my most challenging dishes (that took me 5 attempts to get right) was Sookie’s graduation tassel hat cake filled with chocolate-covered espresso beans from season 2. There was also the Texas ice storm of 2021 that put almost the entire state without power and/or water, which obviously put me off schedule for a couple weeks.
I also run this project chronologically to the show, so sometimes I need ingredients that might be out-of-season when I make that dish. For example, with my first dish, the peach sauce, it took me a couple stores to track down peaches in November. I made Sookie’s apple cider ice cream in February and ended up needing to make my own apple cider. I’ve also had to try to track down cranberries in April and chestnuts in July.
And then, of course, just the motivation to keep going can sometimes be a challenge. I run this project fully as a hobby. I have a full-time job as a college counselor, so sometimes it’s hard to maintain my blog, recipes, social media accounts and still create new dishes. But I still truly enjoy this project and have never once considered quitting.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Creating real-life recipes that are inspired by pop culture is definitely a unique skill to have. While the majority of my dishes do exist as real dishes, there are some that the show invented which were fun to take on! One of my favorite dishes I ever made that was created by the show was a picnic basket made entirely out of pretzel. I had to learn how to make my own pretzels, but then come up with the construction of a basket that was made from pretzel. Recently, I recreated a dessert that the show created, a muffin bottom pie. I made a dozen double chocolate muffins and then used the muffin bottoms to form a rich pie crust. Making all of these dishes from a TV show known for its food come to life has been really fun!
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I will touch on social networking here. I think a great way to grow your social media network is to be authentic to yourself. If you try to adapt to how you think people want you to act, you will never be genuine with your content. It’s also almost impossible to figure out the social media algorithms, so don’t be too hard on yourself if your content isn’t taking off. Finding a specific and unique niche can definitely help, but you also don’t have to box yourself into one thing if you feel that will limit your creativity. Consistent and creative posting will help you grow. Don’t be afraid to take chances. Sure, people will say ‘no,’ but you never know when you might get that ‘yes!’
Contact Info:
- Website: eatinggilmore.com
- Instagram: @eatinggilmore
- Other: Tiktok: @eatinggilmore
Image Credits
@eatinggilmore
