03 September 2009

a long way to go together

Happy aniversary, Nom-Nomnom! (or is it a blogiversary, rather?)

Since one year now, I've been typing, taking pictures and learning a lot about home baking and hypertext.

I've actually had a hard time deciding if I were to make an extra post out of this. Birthdays and such are not really something I like, at least as long as it is me being at the centre of attention. But I really like other people's birthdays, so in the end, I decided, this isn't about me, this is about this blog, this place, this little book it has become.

Indeed, more and more often I catch myself using the red folder where I keep a printout of this blog as a cooking book - even if it is just to look up some measurements. This blog has become a great place I can refer people to when I am asked for some recipe, and looking at the hits this place gets, other people seem to think so, too. So I figured I'd make a post about 'the other people' actively and passively involved in this blog, as a way to mark the day.

The idea about writing about food was on my mind for a long time already, but then I stumbled across Molly's adorable Orangette, and it was her lovely, evocative writing that finally made me pick up the pen (the keyboard) and get my own act sorted out a little. Meanwhile, Molly has opened a restaurant of her own with her husband, her focus understandably but sadly not on writing any longer.

Our (once) favourite bakery stopped making their chiabatta - so I learened to make my own. And baking bread made me stumble across a lot of lovely places and people - among them Susan of Wild Yeast, a treasure trove for bakers, or the amazing Shiao-Ping on The Fresh Loaf blog who, with her talent and unique point of view, is a real inspiration.

But this place would neither have been created nor kept a live for this long if it hadn't been for my lovely wife, who is both my greatest fan (sometimes irrationally so, imho) and my most honest critic. Nothing inspires to kitchen greatness as easily as a wife with a clearly voiced opinion. So, kudos to her.
And if there is one thing I wish for my blog - it's that my lovely wife just keeps on being the way she is, for that'll make sure this blog, me and her will still have a long way to go together.
  

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

awh... Thank you, love. You make every meal a small vacation and every tasty morsel a balm to the soul. I pity the rest of the world for not having you in their kitchen.

Happy Birthday, Nom-Nomnom!!

Shiao-Ping said...

Dear Nom-Nomnom, Happy Birthday!
(And to Reuben, I am with you when you said "Birthdays and such are not really something I like, at least as long as it is me being at the centre of attention." I feel uneasy at my own birthday because of all the attention I get. EVERYDAY is already a birthday to me (that's how I live)and if everybody starts to celebrate my birthday that would just be too much for me!)
I am surprised you are only one year old. Again, happy birthday!
Shiao-Ping

Reuben Morningchilde said...

@Shiao-Ping - Thank you so much.

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday, Nom-Nomnom!

I know what you mean about using your own blog as a reference. Sure, I want it to be helpful and interesting to other people, but at the end of the day, it's a record of what I cooked, and as such, will always be most meaningful to me (and my husband, who lives most of the adventures with me).

Congratulations, and keep up the good work!

Reuben Morningchilde said...

@Camille - Thanks a lot to you as well, and my best regards to the husband!