Q&A: Meike Peters on her latest book, NOON, and finding time for yourself

"Take this break as a gift and take it seriously," writes Meike, who sees lunch as an opportunity to meet our needs and nourish our minds and bodies.

Meike, in her kitchen in Berlin, Germany. Photo by Anne Deppe.

Meike Peters is no stranger to our Salt + Spine listeners. We had the pleasure of chatting with Meike in our San Francisco studio back in 2019 about her second book, 365: A Year Of Everyday Cooking And Baking (2019). Meike began food writing with her blog, Eat in My Kitchen in 2013 and in 2016 released her (James Beard Award-winning) debut cookbook, Eat in My Kitchen (2016). When we heard she would be releasing another book, we knew we had to find out what it was all about. With NOON, Meike offers her readers all the skills, tips, tricks, and delight needed to nourish themselves—regardless of how long their lunch break is. Read on for Clea’s chat with Meike!

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Hear our previous conversation with Meike here:

A year of home cooking and baking—and seasonal timpanos—with Berliner Meike Peters

This week, paid subscribers will receive two recipes from Meike’s latest cookbook, NOON: Sauerkraut and Hummus on Sourdough Bread and a Roasted Squash, Parsnip, and Grape Salad with Blue Cheese.

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The Interview

Clea Wurster, Salt + Spine Producer: Can you tell us a bit about how Noon came to be?

Meike Peters: I had the idea for NOON in January 2022. My friend, Gabi, came over for dinner and told me about how she struggles with her lunch when she’s at work: eating out often doesn’t taste that good, it’s not that nourishing, and it’s expensive.

I noticed after our conversation that, during the pandemic, when my partner and I had separated after 15 years, I re-discovered noon as a time of the day that I can dedicate to myself and my own needs, my own cravings. I love the aspect of sharing when it comes to food. It has always been a big part of cooking for me, but at lunch, I look at what my body, soul and mind need, and not so much at what I’d like to cook for others (like I often do at dinnertime).