December is settled and the magic of the end-of-the-year celebrations is floating in the air. I smell delicious biscuits and chocolates coming my way! Today, we welcome our holiday season partner, the very woman who initiated the #ThatTranslatorCanCook challenge: Hannah Lawrence, FR>EN translator and copywriter, specialised in marketing and higher education.
Hannah Lawrence, FR>EN translator and copywriter
Who are you?
I am a freelance translator, marketer and copywriter. I’m originally from New Zealand but have lived in the UK since 2012. After spending six years working in higher education marketing, I wanted to get back to using my languages, and I took the plunge - embarking on a MA Specialised Translation at the University of Westminster.
Having completed my master’s in July 2019,
I’m now enjoying the freedom of the freelance lifestyle, along with working on a diversity of projects, from translation and subtitling, to search engine optimisation and website editing.
What is your relationship with cooking?
I enjoyed baking from a young age, while cooking came a little later. Today I enjoy cooking (and, more importantly, eating) a wide variety of food. My partner is also a very good cook, and we enjoy discovering new food together.
In 2012, we spent six months backpacking around South East Asia, and had a fantastic time discovering local delicacies. We even took a few cooking classes along the way!
What dish do you like to cook the most?
I like cooking hearty stews – full of flavour and cooked over low heat for a long time – they’re
comfort on a plate!
And the least?
I’m not very good at cooking meat by itself – things like steak for instance.
What have you always wanted to know how to do in cooking (e.g. a technique or a dish)?
Given my recent unsuccessful attempt to make langues de chat biscuits, I think learning how to pipe properly would be quite helpful!
What do you eat and/or drink while translating?
As well as water, I drink quite a lot of tea while I’m translating (and other times). Some of my favourites are oolong, peppermint and liquorice, and a good old cup of strong English breakfast.
In terms of food, often lunch is a sandwich or last night’s leftovers (today I have some homemade pizza). For snacking, I tend to nibble on nuts or fruit.
Bonus: Could you share a quick, easy, delicious recipe?
They aren’t my own, but two excellent recipes I’ve used quite a bit are:
Vegan Mapo Tofu from Serious Eats: the dried and fresh mushrooms give a great depth of flavour and texture
Golden Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry from the Full Helping: easy, nutritious, and delicious – what more could you want?
To contact Hannah and follow her activity:
Twitter: HLTranslation
Instagram: hannahtranslates
Website: www.hannahtranslates.com