After I mentioned in my previous post that I was toying with following in Niamh, Angela and Nic's footsteps and doing a top ten for the past year here on Cooksister, a few of you said "yes please!". Now I'm not someone who likes to disappoint her audience, so here you go.
Apart from the recipes below, the highlights of the year for me included
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meeting more wonderful food bloogers, including Courtney, Michelle, Robyn, Niamh, Helen, Julia and Anne-Marie and more
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being interviewed by BBC radio
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winning Best South African Food Blog and Best South African Overseas Blog in the South African Blog Awards 2008
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appearing in the BBC's Olive Magazine not once but twice - my recipe test and my restaurant review
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appearing in my local newspaper back home and in the Woolworths Taste Magazine
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writing my first fiction piece in decades – a short story for the Can You Twist competition, which was part of a secret marketing campaign for a new range of clothes
And now, without further ado, my totally biased, 100% personal list of top 10 recipe posts for 2008. Enjoy!
Mamma's no-recipe scones – not only for the delicious scones but also the lovely memories in the post (Jan 2008)
Salmon tournedos on spiced lentils with fig jam and foie gras - probably the most show-stopping dinner party dish of the year for me (Jan 2008)
Cranberry & pear upside down cake – to die for, and the start of my love affair with Yotam Ottolenghi (Apr 2008)
Oat and cherry muffins – the best tasting healthy muffins you can imagine, and some of my favourite pictures of the year (Apr 2008)
Yellow pepper tarte tatin – easy to make delicious to eat, and gorgeous. Long live savoury tartes tatin! (Jun 2008)
Chargrilled asparagus, courgette, haloumi and roasted tomato salad – the best salad I tasted all year – thanks again Yotam! – and my "Dear Nigel" letter (Jun 2008)
Mini pistachio tarts – my continuing fascination with mini-desserts and a wonderful twist on a classic (Aug 2008)
Ratatouille bake with feta cheese – a moment of inspiration and some tired veg proved to be one of the most popular posts of the year (Oct 2008)
Green tomato and apple chutney – my hugely successful first foray into chutneys and some retro-tastic 1970s-styled photos (Nov 2008)
Ginger pannacotta with a lime syrup - the damn stuff would not unmould… but oh my word it was fizzing with fresh and delicious flavours! (Dec 2008)
Phew – it was quite a year! Hope that brought back some happy memories and I hope I can keep you as well entertained (and fed!) in 2009.
They all look so delicious, especially the cranberry – pear up side down cake.
Cheers,
Elra
Thanks for the best of – a nice reminder of some recipes I have bookmarked to try and a few others that need bookmarking! (I do love a good list!)
These all look delicious – particularly loving the pear and cranberry cake and the pepper tart. I’ll have to have a proper dig through your archives over the next few weeks.
You really had a successfull year! Wonderful food every single one of your choices. Hope this year will be as good or even better for you!
This looks really amazing, and you have a hard target to chase in 2009. Good luck!!!
What agreat year you had Jeanne…may this nextg year be even more challenging and more fun!
ronell
Oh my!
I must need an new camera…
Or talent…
One of the two!
Well done – each one better than the last!
Jeanne, congrats on making me hungry again…I just finished lunch.
jeanne, every single one of your posts is thoughtful, well-written, and completely enjoyable. keep up the great work!
A lovely round up Jeanne! I’ll definitely be re-visiting some of those posts.
Meeting you was most definitely a highlight of my year too Jeanne ๐ And congratulations on your success in 2008, may it continue into 2009. I hope we will meet again soon.
2008 was the year of the Cook Sister! May 2009 be even better for you, Jeanne!
Gorgeous dishes! You had a remarkable year blogging.
I think my comment was lost. Here we go again. Great dishes andlooks like you had a remarkable year. It was great meeting you this year too!
These look fantastic! I am also a big fan of Yottam Ottolenghi – have you got the Ottolenghi cookbook? It is divine.
That certainly is a tasty looking roundup!
Bloogers? You calling us names now? ๐
My favourite dish out of the roundup is the Char-grilled Veg and Haloumi cheese. Yum!