As “bi-city” bloggers, Chris Ann and I have been trying to connect and meet fellow bloggers in our home cities. Chris Ann connected with our guest blogger, Kate, from Kate in the Kitchen in Minneapolis. I started talking to Elizabeth from Strawberries in Paris and Dara from Dining Dish both from Baltimore. I had been invited to a crab feast this past summer, but was unable to make it because of previous plans. Then, when the Mobbies Award Ceremony was set, after a crazy, whirlwind campaign, Chris Ann and I realized it was the same night I was to fly out to see her in Minnesota. So, when Dara and Elizabeth hatched a Baltimore Food Bloggers night…I cleared my calendar!
Last Friday, Dara hosted a gathering of Baltimore Food bloggers at her home! We were all supposed to bring an appetizer and a beverage. I have to confess here, as I did to the other bloggers, I enlisted my husband Devon to make it! He whipped up a yummy cranberry chutney that I put on brie, wrapped in phyllo dough and put in the oven. It is one of our favorite ways to serve brie en croute!
I arrived and was warmly greeted by co-host Elizabeth with a great big hug! It’s like we were old friends! I walked right into a room of friendly faces. Dara was in the kitchen cleaning a pomegranate in cold water, “It helps keeps the seeds from spreading their red-juice with the rest of the kitchen” she explained. Elizabeth took my coat and bag and I headed to the bar to pour a glass of wine.
It didn’t not take long for the conversations to turn from introductions to talk of food, blogging and travel! I met so many wonderful people and it was so good to finally put names with faces with blogs! I’m still not sure I have it all down, but seeing as this looks like it will be a regular event, I have no worries I’ll get it!
I met Mary from Sweet Mary! Mary is amazing! She’s a woman who left her career to pursue her passion. She went to Johnson and Wales and finished with a pastry degree. She picks up and moves with the wind and has currently settled in Baltimore. She teaches classes to people all over Baltimore. We brainstormed other types of classes she could teach and I shared some of the crazy catering gigs we had done in the past.
I spoke at length with Meg from Pigtown Pigout. She also writes the blog Pigtown*Design, which I sense embodies more of her passions! We exchanged travel stories and stories of hosting people. She, like us, loves to have people from abroad stay with her. She went on to share that not all have been pleasant experiences, but that even those that were challenging, left her with great stories to share!! She is a true hostess at heart! (p.s. Meg, I love your Pigtown Design blog!)
Beth from 990 Square recounted her recent trip to Paris for us. She began to talk picture taking (which most bloggers inevitably end up doing!) and how she filled her memory card with an ungodly amount of photos!! I just want to know where you find the time to edit them all!!
Speaking of time, the one thing I took away from meeting fellow bloggers was a sense that Chris Ann and I are doing okay. You see, we are always worried we aren’t getting enough posts up, spending enough time twittering or sharing enough of ourselves. But, as MinxEats pointed out to me, we have kids (I have 5 Chris Ann has 4)…I don’t think any of the fellow bloggers I met that evening, have kids. MinxEats said, “We have time.” “Oh,” I thought, “that’s the one thing I don’t have a lot of!” So, I guess considering we already have full-full-time jobs, the fact that we’ve kept this thing running for over a year is pretty good!
I also met Wendi from Bon Appetit Hon (love that name!) and Nakiya from Taste of Baltimore (good luck house hunting!). I briefly talked to John from Baltimore Snacker…his Cambodian dish, loaded with garlic, was delicious! Julie from Kitchenography was there too! Can I just tell you, her pictures will inspire you to want to eat prunes!
Dara passed out little baggies…full of her favorite spice, Schezwan peppercorns. (My husband already used some of them in a bulgar dish!) Elizabeth was like an old friend! She did unload a little frustration about the Mobbies contest, feeling like we overdid our campaign. I quickly explained to her, it was all in fun (all’s fair in love and war…right?) Elizabeth, I hope you feel better getting it off your chest…clearing the air…’cause watch out for next year! We are already getting our strategy ready!
Their dishes were delicious and their stories so entertaining! I really felt like I was among old friends! Oh, I almost forgot, there was another friend there, tucked in a corner of the dining room! Dara had a party peacock too!! So, we are going to use Dara’s party peacock to announce the winner of our Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes Gift-Away!!
Drum roll please!
The winner is George@CulinaryTravels!!!
Thank you all for playing! Keep an eye out next week as we have a special Gift-Away in honor of Thanksgiving that is sure to “Pull” your socks off and “Awaken” all your morning senses!
