About

Welcome! I’m Julia, the recipe developer, food photographer, and stylist behind Plated Cravings. I am a seasoned home cook with over 15 years of experience and I grew up helping my Grandmother in the kitchen.

My husband Peter and I started Plated Cravings in 2015. We love to cook together and spent a lot of time in the kitchen – even before starting this food blog.

The recipes we share come from our Grandmothers, family, and our experience in the kitchen. We are so grateful to have such amazing people in our lives who shared their knowledge and wisdom with us.

Julia Foerster, the author of Plated Cravings.

We share family-friendly recipes made from scratch, inspired by seasonal ingredients, and influenced by our German heritage.

Whether it’s how to make a classic German Blackforest Cake from scratch or baking a simple white bread for sandwiches, I break down my recipes and make them approachable for everyone.

Our Story

My husband Peter and I are both German. Growing up I spent a lot of time at my Grandparent’s house which led me to inherit my Opa’s (grandfather in German) sweet tooth. My Oma (grandmother) always cooked fresh, delicious, traditional German food for us and I loved helping out in the kitchen from a young age.

From making a Sunday roast to baking cakes with seasonal fruit from the backyard and cookies for Christmas and Easter, I have so many amazing memories centered around homemade food.

My husband and I met in high school and have been together ever since. Peter loves to cook, makes amazing Pizza, and would love to work in a professional kitchen but inherited his family’s bad back. After graduating from University we moved to Munich and loved trying out new restaurants and cooking up a storm every weekend in our tiny apartment.

And so Plated Cravings was born in 2015. Sharing our love for freshly baked bread, homemade baked goods, and a nourishing dinner that brings everyone to the table has been our main reason for starting Plated Cravings.

In 2018 we sold everything and moved to Canada with four suitcases. We added an Australian Labradoodle called Beau during our first Canadian winter and a few years later our amazing son was born. He is our chief taste tester and sous chef!

This has been an incredible experience and we’re so grateful for our readers. We still get excited whenever we hear from you and hope our recipes bring you joy and deliciousness.

A family picture on the beach at sunset.

What you’ll find on my blog

  • Authentic German dishes, made just the same way my grandmother did. Many of my recipes come directly from my Grandmother’s kitchen and have been developed so they work anywhere in the world with ingredients you can buy in your local store but still taste the same.
  • Comforting, cozy baking and cooking recipes with a European influence, all made from scratch with simple but delicious ingredients, from quick weeknight dinners to homemade bread.
  • Air Fryer recipes with lots of tips and tricks so you can master your new Air Fryer in no time and make delicious food that tastes even better than storebought chicken nuggets (but don’t worry we help you with those too!).
  • All our recipes are tested and approved by my family and extensively researched. I always try to provide lots of tips and tricks to make it easier for my readers, especially if a recipe is tricky.

FAQ

How did you come up with the name Plated Cravings?

When we started the site in 2015 the blog was called Bavarian Epicure because we were living in Bavaria (a part of Germany). We were sharing recipes but also restaurant reviews. A year later we rebranded to Plated Cravings because we were focusing on recipes and wanted a name that emphasized our love for home-cooked food.

What recipe do you recommend for someone that’s new to German dishes?

A few of my favorite German recipes for a beginner are my German Apple Cake, German Cucumber Salad, or German Potato Salad.

What recipe do you recommend for trying out a new Air Fryer?

If you just got your Air Fryer, I recommend starting with something super easy like storebought frozen french fries. This way you can get used to all the functions and see how fast it cooks compared to the cooking time in the recipe card which is very useful for making more involved recipes, like my Air Fryer Donuts, later.

I have a request/idea for a recipe, will you make it for me?

Maybe! I’m always open to suggestions! Shoot me an email at julia@platedcravings.com

Select Features

Plated Cravings (and Julia Foerster – the Creator behind Plated Cravings) has been featured online and in print across the world. Here is a selection:

Yahoo (Vanillekipferl) – German Cookie Recipes You Need To Try This Winter

Elle France (Nutella Danish) – 10 desserts au Nutella qui vont vous faire fondre

Good Housekeeping (German Vanilla Crescent Cookies)- 10 German Christmas Cookies to Please Any Holiday Crowd

Brit + Co (Apfelstrudel)- 13 Authentic German Recipes That Go Way Beyond Bratwurst

House Beautiful (Orange Cranberry Moscow Mule) – 12 Refreshing Moscow Mule Recipes That Have Us Dreaming of Summer

Taste of Home (Air Fryer Donuts) – 19 Breakfasts You Can Make in Your Air Fryer

Insider (Air Fryer Churros) – I tried 5 popular air-fryer recipes, and there are 3 I’ll totally make again

Patch (Pumpkin Pancakes) – Pumpkin Recipes For Cooking, Baking This Fall

University of St. Andrews (Apple Streusel Sheet Cake) – Nutritional Wellbeing

Domino (Nutella Cookies) – Your Office Will Fall In Love With These Festive Treats

Tatler (Air Fryer Churros) – Beef Wellington in an Air Fryer? 14 Recipes That Will Surprise You

I love working with brands that align with my values. If you are interested in working with me, please send me an email (julia@platedcravings.com).

Julia’s Favorite Recipes

These are my all-time favorite recipes that I make multiple times per month for my own family.

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