Kindred Kitchens | Hilaire Baumgartner of Baumassfoods


I do a little bit of everything. I photograph food for local and national clients, create and share recipes on my blog and social media, and I recently just got into gardening (this is my first year!). The impact I hope to make is to just get people cooking more in their kitchens. Whether that be from growing their own food or trying new recipes/ingredients.
WHAT FOOD OR RECIPE PROVIDES YOU WITH A SENSE OF NOSTALGIA, COMFORT, OR OTHER FEELING?
Red Beans and Rice and Lasagna. My mom makes both recipes and is highly requested whenever we visit out of state. Personally, what makes both of these special is that she so effortlessly adapted the recipes for me once I switched to meat-free eating. The flavors are still there and it’s just as good as before.

I’ve been making friends via the internet since Xanga and Myspace days. For me, it’s really easy to connect with others on social media when I share food stuff. Every food topic, whether that be picky kids, gardening, photography, dinner prep, etc. has opened a doorway to others experiencing or wanting to experience the same thing. I do believe that in-person connections are much more valuable than digital, but it’s the initial digital connections that forge those amazing, quality in-person ones.
WHO IS SOMEONE FROM THE FOOD COMMUNITY YOU'RE INSPIRED BY AND WHY?
Currently, Jamila Norman from Patchwork City Farms has all of my attention! She has a show airing on the Magnolia Network called Homegrown, which is about backyard urban farming. She transforms people’s backyard into little farms! We have a small yard, and the thought of having a large plot of land for growing is overwhelming for this season of my life, so what she does is very inspiring. It shows just how attainable and beautiful home gardens can be!
ENJOY HILAIRE'S RECIPES & KEEP YOUR INGREDIENTS FRESH IN ABEEGO
Do you know someone who would be a great Kindred Kitchen feature? Drop us a line at hello@abeego.com!
It is with deep respect and gratitude that we create, build and operate our business in the communities of Southern Vancouver Island, which as a business we acknowledge is located within the ancestral and unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) (Esquimalt and Songhees), Malahat, Pacheedaht, Scia'new, T’Sou-ke and W̱SÁNEĆ (Pauquachin, Tsartlip, Tsawout, Tseycum) peoples.