In the past six months or so, I've picked up a new hobby. This "hobby-collecting" happens to me every year. Last year's hobby was knitting. The year before, it was counted cross-stitch. The year before that it was...pulling my hair out as I finished my Master's thesis while working full-time. This year's hobby is a full-on obsession with baking and reading food blogs.
Now, I know my own blog should be this year's hobby too, and it is. I started writing Interrupted Wanderlust in July, and I love it. It's so freeing to be able to write about things that have nothing at all to do with software. But I spend a good portion of my blog-reading time cruising food blogs. And if you take a look at my blog-roll, you'll see what I mean.
I love reading about others' adventures in the kitchen: trying new recipes, some of which work and some of which don't. I love looking at food photography, and let me tell you, some of you food bloggers take some truly amazing and hunger-inducing photos. And I love the fact that so many food bloggers not only write about their cooking experiments, but that they also share recipes. I've printed out and tried many of them.
It's only Tuesday morning, and already I'm thinking about what tasty treats I'm going to whip up this weekend. I started a running list in my head: Graham Cracker Brown Bread, which I found on the fun-to-read Culinary Epiphanies. Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes from 52 Cupcakes, a blog which documents the author's year-long project of baking a new variety of cupcakes every week for one year. And the list goes on.
Baking is fun. It's therapeutic. It has nothing whatsoever to do with my job. And best of all, there's always a delicious reward to enjoy at the end of the process. It's my "thing" for 2005. What's yours?
Now, I know my own blog should be this year's hobby too, and it is. I started writing Interrupted Wanderlust in July, and I love it. It's so freeing to be able to write about things that have nothing at all to do with software. But I spend a good portion of my blog-reading time cruising food blogs. And if you take a look at my blog-roll, you'll see what I mean.
I love reading about others' adventures in the kitchen: trying new recipes, some of which work and some of which don't. I love looking at food photography, and let me tell you, some of you food bloggers take some truly amazing and hunger-inducing photos. And I love the fact that so many food bloggers not only write about their cooking experiments, but that they also share recipes. I've printed out and tried many of them.
It's only Tuesday morning, and already I'm thinking about what tasty treats I'm going to whip up this weekend. I started a running list in my head: Graham Cracker Brown Bread, which I found on the fun-to-read Culinary Epiphanies. Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes from 52 Cupcakes, a blog which documents the author's year-long project of baking a new variety of cupcakes every week for one year. And the list goes on.
Baking is fun. It's therapeutic. It has nothing whatsoever to do with my job. And best of all, there's always a delicious reward to enjoy at the end of the process. It's my "thing" for 2005. What's yours?
Hi Kristi, michele sent me! If baking is your thing you have to meet my blog partner Kim who is a midnight/4am/10pm any time required kinda baking person. Also, which may prevent the baking heaven I know you two would share, Kim is going to have a baby literally any day now, but will be back on the baking trail very quickly afterward, I'm sure!
Hi, thanks for coming by my blog. You have a nice one, I'm gonna look around, just one thing...you NEED some pics of those kitties you mentioned!! =^..^=
Well if you ever need a taste-tester, you know where I live! Mmmmm. Good stuff.
I've enjoyed baking since I was about 10 years old. To me it's like playing in a sandbox -- you have fun & make stuff that's not as crucial as a main course. I need to have a look at that cupcake blog!!
Hmm. My thing for '05? Guess I'd have to say blogging and mothering. That does seem to be where my free time goes. Maybe I'll get adventurous & try a craft some day...
I wanted to scan all the old pictures I haven't put in an album, that's a period of about 10 years... I guess it will be my 2006 project. Saw you at Michele's and wanted to say hi.
I would say my thing this year is two-fold...blogging and crafting. And blogging about crafting. :) I've always loved being in the kitchen, so that's not really new, but writing about it and photographing it is! I'm having a lot of fun this year, actually. And I'm glad that your thing involves food, too! I'm off to see the 52 cupcakes thing. Sounds cool, thanks for the link!
This is totally off topic (except that I generally attempt a new 'thing' every year or so, as well, and have ALSO been much more into baking lately.)
I wanted to tell you that I've finished Egalia's Daughters, and loved it - parts made me laugh, parts made me nod, and all of it was appreciated.
Something more formal will go onto my book blog when I have a moment to catch up with it.
Blogging is definitely my new thing--I'm dedicating much more time to it than I thought I would. But then, I've also met people like you, Clare, Wendy, and FG. So it's definitely been worth the time!
Amy
Tyra-Thanks for the visit. I've never tried scrapbooking (I'm not sure I have the discipline) but I do like cross-stitch still.
Bec-I'll definitely check out your blog. Thanks for the tip!
Oreo-I know! Unfortunately, I don't have a digital camera. I need to get one soon.
alisha-Wine knowledge sounds like a fantastic hobby. We live near a great wine region (the Finger Lakes) here in upstate NY, so that hobby would be very easy for me to partake in!
Marie-I wish you lived closer. I would definitely give you samples of anything you wanted. Ever consider a move to Brighton?
Mar-thanks for stopping by. That's a project I need to tackle too.
Crystal-You're quite the crafter. I wish I was crafty, but other than knitting and cross-stitch, I'm not sure I am.
Melissa-So glad you liked the book. It's one of my favorites. I'll look forward to your writeup.
Cara-Bread-baking is fast becoming one of my favorite hobbies too. Congrats on the 4 loaves. That's awesome!
Amy-Awww... thanks. I feel the same. :)