Outside of Shakespeare & Co.

Chef-in-Editor
In middle school, I was plucked out of class, taken to the principal’s office, told that my school was going to start a newspaper and asked if I would like to be the Editor-in-Chief. I wasn’t familiar with the title, but it sounded rather important, so I eagerly agreed. I went home and drew up my first edition by hand, painstakingly scripting my odd new title in the byline: Chef-in-Editor.

Eventually, my mom broke the news:  Kimberly. Honey. There’s no such title.

Undaunted!
The next summer, despite the sun and the water and all of the outdoor fun to be had, I began spending weekends inside my family’s lake house, mesmerized by a public television cooking show and pretending to be the woman in the apron with the high pitched voice.

Ah, Julia. You inspired us all.

It was 1977; I launched my own imaginary cooking show, talking to the camera, brandishing my salad tongs and creating elaborate meals set out in multiple courses on small plates. I coordinated the entire affair– there were candles, wildflowers, drama! I remember my first spaghetti to this day. My family began to compliment my food and photograph my table settings. Who needed the Internet? I was triumphant!

“..As fate would have it, [I'm] the proud Chef-in-Editor of a somewhat imaginary blog empire, my very own Paper Apron. I feel like I’m thirteen all over again and the world is at my fingertips.”

“Somewhere in South Carolina where gravity don’t mean a thing…” – The Talking Heads
I live in Columbia, the capital of the most infamous state below the Mason Dixon line. For better or worse, we seem to have mastered the art of staying in the headlines. And, yes, it is true. We are… eccentric.

In all seriousness, South Carolina is truly a wonderful place to live. Growing up here has brought me an abundance of culinary enrichment: farm-fresh food at roadside stands, long summer days of leisurely picnics by the lake, sunshine (and heat!) for our garden, a lineage of great family cooks, collections of hand-me-down Southern recipes, black iron skillets and most of all, an extraordinary enthusiasm for eating.

Speaking of Press… Any Press is Good Press
But good press is better. The Charleston Examiner and Hazel Rider were awfully nice to us. We are also featured on Carolina Living as a monthly recipe contributor. And even further South, the Paper Apron makes an appearance on Australia’s interior and lifestyle store, Madame Bonbon.

Curriculum Vitæ
Today, I’m an interface designer by day, a home cook by night and as fate would have it, the proud Chef-in-Editor of a somewhat imaginary blog empire, my very own Paper Apron. I feel like I’m thirteen all over again and the world is at my fingertips.

Recipes
Most of the recipes on the Paper Apron are either one of my made up creations or are an old family recipe. A few are recipes shared by friends and a few more are adaptations of published recipes. It is my intention to always give credit where credit is due. If I am inspired by another source and am in any way remotely aware of it, I will say so.

Photography
All food, travel and home photographs on the Paper Apron are taken either by me or my husband, Rich, unless otherwise noted. Wait. Jackie Stone also donated one or two. Photography, recipe and content copyright is intrinsic to our company, Plan B Design. We will gladly grant permission to use and republish our original photographs on other sites, if you will kindly inform us. Plan B Design maintains the right to withdraw that permission for any reason, including and particularly, if you are a meanie.

Each month, I post photographs of aprons that are usually for sale. I did not take these photographs. I link to the seller’s site and the original photograph.

Production Notes
My husband, Rich, deserves an honorable mention. He helps me out of technical tight spots, eats my experimental dishes (for better or worse), and snaps most of these beautiful photographs. We use Nikons- mainly a D300 with a couple of fancy pants lens and I process our photos in Adobe Lightroom. Abroad as a hungry tourist in a restaurant setting, I’ve used my trusty iPhone. My fellow design connoisseur, Aaron, has coached me beyond design debacles and .php illiteracy. As far as cooking paraphernalia goes, I swear by All-Clad, a big gas range and I adore my wooden pegged 100 yr.old Henkel paring knife.

About Paper Apron & Plan B Design, LLC.
Paper Apron, its logo and mark are trademarks of Plan B Design, LLC. Plan B Design is a South Carolina corporation, wholly owned by Rich and Kim Byer.

Yes, Of course I Would Love to Hear from You!
My email address is kim(dot)byer(at)planbdesignsc(dot)com.

I love receiving emails from people who dig the Apron, make my recipes, change my recipes for the better, have a suggestion, notice a squeaky wheel, or just want to say “hey you.”

I don’t bite.