Episode 6: Cooking with Kevin Espiritu

Epic Gardening’s Kevin Espiritu in his garden/Photo by Emily Murphy

In this episode, we get to do some cooking with Epic Gardening Founder, Kevin Espiritu. It’s a continuation of our conversation in episode 5, but we move from the garden to the kitchen and makes one of Kevin’s go-to Apocolypse Challenge recipes — hint, think potatoes! 

Some of Kevin’s many Apocalypse Challenge ingredients/Photo by Emily Murphy

A Visit With Epic Gardening’s Kevin Espiritu

Kevin is the mastermind and talent behind Epic Gardening and the author of Field Guide to Urban Gardening: How to Grow Plants, No Matter Where You Live: Raised Beds – Vertical Gardening – Indoor Edibles – Balconies and Rooftops – Hydroponics

But here’s the deal, Kevin didn’t set out to become a self-taught horticultural guru. In fact, he studied accounting in college and, to pay his way through college, he played online poker. So, you could say, he’s the least likely person to become a garden writer, educator, a smash hit on social media such as Instagram.

It was later, after college, when he was surprised to find himself growing a garden only after his mom said: “Hey, Kevin, I need you to do something with your brother to get him off the computer!”

Don’t you love his story already?

Episode 6 (Part two of Episode 5)

We recorded our conversation in June when Kevin was in the middle of what he calls his 30-Day Apocalypse Challenge. In this particular challenge, Kevin is only eating the food he’s grown himself, the food he’s bartered for using food he’s grown, or food he’s foraged.

Now we get to cook with Kevin and hear his inside scoop on food and foraging, including his trick for cracking eggs and opening jars. :)

Listen to the podcast to hear how the recipe unfolds.

Kevin’s Smashed Potatoes

The Basic Recipe

• Start with small red or yellow potatoes
• Boil until a fork can easily go through
• Prep a large baking sheet with a little olive oil, place potatoes and smash them flat with another sheet or cooking utensil
• Add olive oil, salt, pepper
• Bake 425 for ~25 minutes until golden crispy

See the steam rising off these almost-finished smashed potatoes?/Photo by Emily Murphy

Cooking with Kevin Espiritu/Photo by Emily Murphy

Smashed potatoes and eggs nearly done/Photo by Emily Murphy

Kevin’s famous smashed potatoes/Photo by Emily Murphy

Learn more about Kevin on the Epic Gardening Site here and here.

You can also learn more about Kevin and hear some of his many garden tips by following him on Instagram @epicgardening, Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter.

Find Kevin’s book on Amazon: Field Guide to Urban Gardening: How to Grow Plants, No Matter Where You Live: Raised Beds – Vertical Gardening – Indoor Edibles – Balconies and Rooftops – Hydroponics

Other podcast episodes you might enjoy:

Episode 3: A Visit to the Studio of William Ryan Fritch

Episode 5: The Inside Scoop with Epic Gardening Founder, Kevin Espiritu

Episode 1: Introducing… Emily Murphy with Grow What You Love!

Kevin’s garden/Photo by Emily Murphy