MadisonMayberry  Peach Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Fancy shmancy: despite her professional eye and sophisticated palate, this cook's anything but. MadisonMayberry, an Iowa-born 22-year-old food editor for the Meredith Corporation, is in the biz, which means she's not messing around with false frills. Her food showcases the best of simple or, as she puts it, "easy to prepare, delicious, and mostly healthy -- minus the desserts." And hey, we can't fault her for that.

Blink twice at her photographs (did we take that?), and hear your tummy rumble to her recipes, many of which contain inspired twists on classic preparations. She's even a recently converted vegetarian (much to her boyfriend's chagrin -- ain't it always that way) which does not preclude her, however, from having a flat out appealing recipe for Fuss-Free Damn Good Meatballs. MadisonMayberry also has one eye on trend, hence the cupcake craze she's got going: Peach Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (pictured above) and Strongbow Hard Cider Cupcakes galore. In short, behold a cook who knows a good old vitamin-rich salad (Broccoli-Raisin! Eat your greens people!) and the beauty of a Homemade Pop Tart.

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Read her profile Q&A below, see her blog, and follow her on Twitter.

  • What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
    beef heart at a Brazilian restaurant 

  • What do you cook when home alone?
    homemade nut butters, whole wheat bread, and lots of roasted veggie dishes 

  • Your most treasured kitchen possession:
    my food processor 

  • Your ideal meal:
    something shared with those I love 

  • Something you'd like a chance to eat or cook:
    I would love to have the budget to cook with truffles. 

  • The number of bottles of wine you own:
    5

  • The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
    6-8, enough to keep it intimate but still make for lively conversation 

  • Kitchen pet peeve:
    When people use the phrase "fancy restaurant" 

  • Your favorite cookbook:
    Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • wssmom
    wssmom
  • Bevi
    Bevi
  • EmilyC
    EmilyC
  • hardlikearmour
    hardlikearmour
  • aargersi
    aargersi
I'm a 22-year-old Midwesterner and the voice behind the blog Espresso and Cream (espressoandcream.com). During the day, I'm a food editor at Meredith Corporation and do on-camera work when opportunities come my way. It goes without saying that I love to cook and bake, and am happiest when I'm in the kitchen. I'm a exercise junkie, recently-converted vegetarian to the chagrin of my boyfriend, magazine fanatic, and an animal lover who desperately wants to buy a puppy, if only I could solve the white couch dilemma. I don't like pretentious, fussy, or complicated food. The recipes you find here reflect how I like to eat. Simple food made with quality ingredients, and bit of creative flair thrown in for variety. My recipes are easy to prepare, delicious, and mostly healthy - minus the desserts. Those are just easy and delicious.

9 Comments

wssmom August 31, 2011
Great meeting you!
 
Bevi August 30, 2011
Those peach cupcakes are beautious!
 
EmilyC August 30, 2011
Congrats on the spotlight -- I'm loving the sounds of your peach cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and homemade pop tarts!
 
hardlikearmour August 30, 2011
Congrats! Your photos are gorgeous, and your recipes sound scrumptious!
 
aargersi August 30, 2011
I will be making those pop tarts as soon as the weather cools!
 
angelatenclay August 30, 2011
Such a great spotlight! Madison is a fantastic cook and blogger, so check her stuff out!
 
MadisonMayberry August 30, 2011
Thank you, everyone!
 
Poires A. August 30, 2011
Yay Madison! I didn't realize you were on food52. Congratulations on the spotlight :)
 
gingerroot August 30, 2011
Great spotlight! Your food looks and sounds delicious. I look forward to trying some of your recipes.