Hi, I’m Caroline!
I’m the cook and writer behind Pinch Me, I’m Eating — a space born out of a deep love of good food, dining out, and the joy of recreating those meals at home.
My food philosophy
If I had my way, I’d eat out three times a week — once to check out a new spot, once to revisit an old favorite, and one Saturday morning coffee shop trip for a latte and a simple morning meal or pastry. You’ll see that in my recipes, which are rooted in restaurant-inspired meals and the little café treats I love, adapted for everyday life at home.
When I do dine out these days, I’m always thinking about the techniques and flavors in what I’m eating — and how I might give something similar a shot at home.
Sometimes I try my hand at a dish I had last week, and sometimes I have to recreate what I can’t get anymore — a grouper sandwich that’s no longer on the menu, the sun-dried tomato pasta salad from the sandwich shop 2000 miles away in my college town, or the ricciarelli cookies I had on my trip to Italy.
For me, not only is food delicious, but food is also travel and memory, atmosphere and mood, connection and comfort.
I love sharing my recipes with readers. The highlight of my career as a food blogger is seeing how these recipes bring back memories — your mom’s cucumber salad, your trip to Charleston, or the cozy comfort of a Sunday pot roast.
What to expect here
At Pinch Me, I’m Eating, I share restaurant-inspired recipes designed for home cooks who love good food but live real lives. Here, you’ll find:
- Dishes that feel thoughtful and a little elevated, without being complicated or fussy
- Simple, from-scratch dishes you can make on a weeknight
- Minimal dishes to clean up
- Easily-available ingredients, whenever possible
- Whole foods, mostly: I occasionally use ranch dressing mix or onion soup mix when it makes sense
The inspiration behind my cooking is a mix of places, flavors, and experiences, including:
- Restaurant meals I can’t stop thinking about
- Flavors I’ve discovered while traveling
- Dishes rooted in the places I’ve lived
- Lowcountry classics from my hometown of Charleston
- Plenty of coffee shop favorites like homemade syrups, fancy lattes, and pastry-case treats
Above all, these are recipes meant to help you recreate the feeling of dining out at home — using the tools you already own and the time you actually have.
About me
I’m Caroline, a self-taught home cook and full time food blogger. I live in Charleston, South Carolina, with my husband (who I met swing dancing!), our two young kids, two cuddly cats, and a teenage turtle I’ve had since college — not mutant, but somewhat of a ninja.
When I’m not cooking or blogging, you’ll usually find me folding mountains of tiny laundry, decorating my house, treasure hunting at consignment shops, or listening to my husband play classical guitar — usually with a cup of coffee close by.
How I got here
I’ve been a lifelong foodie for as long as I can remember. I played “restaurant” with my sister as a kid, shadowed a baker in elementary school, and dreamed of one day going to culinary school.
Although I ended up studying art and music in college instead, I cooked constantly and hosted my own huge back-to-school dinners in my dorm’s living room — everyone invited.
Later, while working as a program assistant for a summer program, I ran a cooking club for students where I taught high schoolers how to boil pasta and cut onions, and shared my Southern food traditions with Arizona and Chicago kids who had never had sweet tea.
And my final project in documentary photography class was essentially a food blog in print form, combining handwritten recipes from international friends with ingredient shots and food photos (they’ve improved a LOT since then).
Beginning the blog
I started Pinch Me, I’m Eating in 2015 while working full time as a graphic designer for a statewide newspaper. It began as a creative outlet and a way to share my love of cooking, but after a few years, the blog had grown enough that I reduced my hours at work. Following the birth of my first child in 2020, I eventually put in my notice at my day job and became a full-time food blogger.
It’s truly my dream job — one that lets me combine my love of cooking with my background in photography and graphic design, without the stress of working in a professional kitchen or waking up before dawn to bake for a bakery. Plus, I get to teach a global audience like I taught my summer program kids.
And yes, I finally got to start culinary school — something I’m excited to continue once my youngest is in kindergarten.
Stay connected
If restaurant-inspired cooking, coffee shop favorites, and making everyday meals feel a little special sounds like your kind of thing, I hope you’ll stick around.
You can sign up for my email newsletter below to get new recipes, seasonal favorites, and occasional kitchen tips delivered to your inbox.
I share recipes and videos on Instagram and Facebook, and I’m always on Facebook if you want to chat!