There are two types of validation for writers (even if they are food bloggers)- internal, when you are satisfied about how something you wrote turns out , and external, when someone other than you (or your friends and family) recognizes what you do. This week brought both to me and Play with Food. First of all, in my visits around the blogosphere, I saw a food blogging event over at Ellie's Kitchen Wench that spoke to me. She was hosting a one-off event to write about a recipe that had some nostalgic story attached, that brought back some significant memories (and you know how I feel about food and memories). I knew exactly what recipe and its story was waiting to be told. The post virtually wrote itself and when it was done, I felt really good about how it turned out. My feelings were confirmed when my husband read the post about his father and said (in a broken voice) "You really captured what may father was like". You can check my previous post and decide for yourself (but frankly, your opinion won't change how I feel about it!)
The second came this morning when, after checking my "staple" blogs, I went to Technorati to check my ranking and links (okay, I know I'm a sucker) and saw that there was a new link on Epicurious (which I had just checked). I went back to find that in the list of Tanya Wenman Steele's list of "Food Blogs I Like", there was Play With Food, right above Ruhlman (albeit the listings are alphabetical)!!! I'm not kidding myself, I am no Michael Ruhlman, nor do I want to be (sorry, Michael), but to be on the same list with bloggers like him and Cooking with Amy, Becks & Posh,Chocolate and Zucchini, and 101 Cookbooks, is a bit overwhelming. These, along with Tanya's blog, are ideals to which I aspire, and frankly makes me feel like a "marching band girl" who has become a varsity cheerleader!
How do I explain this? I can't possibly. I know it is not my beautiful food photos, since I am the rankest of amateurs. It is not the beautiful layout of my page, since I am still on a Blogger template. I hope it is because readers want to visit me like they would a friend, or a favorite aunt or cousin, or a close neighbor in a small town. They know I am here to listen and to share a laugh, a recipe, a memory or even a tear. And with it, a recipe or idea that they can take back to their own kitchens. If that is the reason Tanya listed me, then whether my pictures are fuzzy, or my layout is clumsy, or even if my writing is not always what it could be, I will consider this blog a success.
If you are here for the first time, please come back, the door's always open and there is always room at the cyber-kitchen table for new friends, and their comments. If you are already a regular reader, thanks for supporting this blog and its purpose and don't be shy, speak up, share. More than talking or preaching or teaching, I want to listen!
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