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Food Blogger Connect 2010

by Jeanne Horak on June 11, 2010 34 Comments in Food Blogger Connect, Meeting bloggers

FBC2010

Food Blogger Connect 2010 (Photo: Mowie)

Q:  What’s even more fun that cooking, eating, photographing, talking about and writing about food?

A:  Cooking, eating, photographing, talking about and writing about food with other bloggers!

And it seems I am not the only food blogger who feels this way, judging by the turnout at the much-anticipated Food Blogger Connect conference which took place in London on 4, 5 and 6 June.  Food Blogger Connect 2009 had been a roaring success – could we possibly repeat the success and the elation?  Or would it be like going back to a place you remember fondly from your childhood and finding that you can’t recreate the magic?  I was excited and nervous in equal measures as we arrived.

Food bloggers came from as far as Montreal, Finland and Zurich to be part of the fun, and they were not disappointed!  The Hempel Hotel provided a great indoor/outdoor venue for presentations, complete with two elephants from the London Elephant Parade (the strawberry ellie in the lobby and the chestnut ellie in the wonderful Zen garden with its impressively green but wierdly warm astroturf grass).  Even the weather played along and we were able to make use of the outdoor areas, unlike the torrential rain at FBC 2009!

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Zen garden at the Hempel hotel

Events kicked off on Friday afternoon with a wine-tasting led by Laura of Red, White or Pink.  This was a great way to ease into the conference and mingle while nibbling on delicious canapés, including mini pastry cases filled with vegetables and Parmesan, or  shredded duck; and my personal favourite: the smoked salmon mousse cones.

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This was followed by a very engaging & energetic presentation from Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen on monetizing your blog which gave me quite a bit of food for thought – and made me wonder whether anybody who is not American can ever aspire to the levels of self-belief needed to get where Jaden is :o)  Back on the terrace, dinner was served in the form of a series of small bowls (none of which I photographed – mea culpa – but which included a Waldorf salad, delicious fish and chips with mushy peas; and a lamb stew with artichokes on truffly mashed potatoes) and then of course MINGLING!

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Photos:  Sarah

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   Meeta and me

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Kerrin and Chris

Saturday morning was a really early morning for me and my fellow Spice Girls Meeta, Jamie and Kerrin (not helped by the fact that we were all sharing the single bathroom at CookSister HQ!) but we made it on time to kick off proceedings with my talk on effective recipe writing and editing, and a talk on copyright issues in food blogging.  (If anybody still does not have the handout or has questions, please do feel free to ask me.  I’d also love to hear any feedback you had!).  After Hilda demystified our SLR cameras for us (having stepped in at short notice to replace Kang), I was back behind the mike with my fabulous co-presenters Kerrin and Jamie to talk about writing style and voice in our three very distinctive presenting voices!  I hope everyone took something away from this talk, other than the fact that I seem unable to speak without bringing fluffy kittens into it 😉  The most interesting that I learnt, thanks to Nando, was that the fastest way to silence a room full of bloggers with a single sentence is to ask:  “So what are your stats?”.  :o)

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Me, Jamie and Kerrin (Photo:  Mowie)

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Meeta & Mowie do their thing

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Jamie and Hilda talk cameras

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Karin puts the lesson to use!

After a buffet lunch (featuring salads, fish an excellent duck breast with cherries), and a little light mingling, it was time for Mowie and Meeta to do their double act on food styling and photography.  Last year, Meeta’s presentation caused me to buy a Lowel Ego light – who knows what photographic progress this year’s presentation will yield?! After a brief diversion provided by Julia (Always Leave Room for Dessert) and her incredible stash of Bernard Callebaut chocolates, we moved back outside for tea, cake (much of it courtesy of Sarah from Food For Think – thanks Sarah!) and the photography practical, which saw people kneeling below towers of sliced watermelon to get the perfect shot and trying to find a new angle with coffee cups.  Observers would say we are mad – but at least we know we’re happy!

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Aoife and Jamie

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Kerrin and Hilda

Sunday morning we returned, bright and early, for the last day of the conference.  We kicked off on the terrace with a really informative and enjoyable presentation from Kerrin and Julia about getting published.  Julia focused on getting a book deal, while Kerrin specialised in freelance magazine work and a little stair dancing ;-).  Niall Harbison had been due to attend but owing to the usual service levels from Ryanair, he had not made it to London and joined us via Skype.  Other than a) rather a lot of irrelevant talking about the rich people he’d worked for and b) a fantastically ill-judged analogy about using sniper rifle instead of machine gun methods to market your blog, his talk was full of excellent advice on promoting your blog via social networking and left me with much to think about – primarily that I have to stop watching bad TV and go and blog instead!

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 Kerrin and Julia

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 Jamie and Sarah

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Pam and Charlie

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 Mowie & Mayssam

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 Beth and Chris

Brunch (resplendent with bacon butties, perfectly poached eggs and a granola that was 80% caramel) was followed by more mingling and the inevitable FBC video interviews revealing all our dirtiest kitchen secrets :o)

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Sarah and Bruce

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  Giulia and Pam

In summary, the event once again provided a range of really high quality presentations containing information that would have been so valuable to me had it been available when I started blogging (six long years ago!).  I think that the food blogging community is so fortunate to have so many people within it who are passionate and willing to share their tips for success rather than guarding them closely.

But as with last year’s event, the best part was the connections made.  It was lovely to see some old friends again (Julia of A Slice of Cherry Pie, Mowie of Mowielicious, Sarah of Maison Cupcake, Aoife of The Daily Spud, Gemma of Dressing for Dinner, Catty of The Catty Life, Pam of The Cooking Ninja, Sarka from Cooking Your Dream and Beth of Dirty Kitchen Secrets) and to meet some brand new ones (Giulia of Juls’ Kitchen; Elisa of Aussie Foodie, Katharine of Girl in Madrid, Charlie of Eggs on the Roof, Anne of Anne’s Kitchen, Kevin of One Week Wine Tour, Valentina of Cupcakes do Trem Bom, Andrew, Zoe from Paris and my neighbour for the presentations Karin of Yum and More – the latter three are not blogging yet but we will persuade them!) Great to meet you all and I look forward to getting to know you through your blogs 🙂

And then of course there were my darling Spice Girls – Sporty, Snarky, Zesty, Saucy and me (Sweary).  It is as if I have gained four sisters since I met this lot and our incredible 4-night FBC slumber party will be the subject of another post soon.  But for now can I just say what an honour it was to share the same podium as these talented, quirky, eloquent funny people.  This is one connection that I hope lasts forever.  Thanks to Beth and the organising committee (Mowie, Hilda, Meeta, Jamie and Sarka) and Roll on Food Blogger Connect 2011!

FBCSpiceGirlsMowie

The Spice Girls – Sweary, Saucy, Zesty, Sporty and Snarky (Photo:  Mowie)

For those of you who, like me, are struggling to go “cold turkey” after all the excitement of the FBC weekend, here are some resources you might like:

  • the FBC10 Flickr group (and some additional photos in my FBC10 Flickr album, where you can download the high res photos)
  • the FBC10 video trailer now up on the official site
  • the FBC10 Twitter tag (including live tweets on the day of all the presentations – except our writing style and voice one. Boo hoo!)
  • a fun video clip summarising the day’s proceedings

Here is what other bloggers had to say about FBC10:

– Jasmine of Labna – first post and second post

– Giulietta from Juls’ Kitchen

– Nando from Cuca Brazuca

– Anne from Anne’s Kitchen

– Sarah of Maison Cupcake – the food and the people

– Mowie of Mowielicious

– Kerrin from My Kugelhopf

– Jamie of Life’s a Feast

– Meeta of What’s for Lunch, Honey?

– Beth of Dirty Kitchen Secrets

– Tracey of International Foodie

– Pam of The Cooking Ninja

– Sarka of Cooking Your Dream

– Cecilia of One Vanilla Bean

– Bron from Feast with Bron

– Aoife of The Daily Spud

If you have posted about FBC 10 and do not appear on the list; or if I have spelt your name wrong; or if your blog link is wrong, please mail me (emailcooksister AT gmail DOT com) and I will do the necessary!

And last but not least, here is the master list of all the bloggers who attended.  Prepare to see your blogrolls grow – there is some great stuff in there!

Nando http://www.cucabrazuca.com
Andrew http://winit-theblog.com
Julie http://alkalinesisters.com
Katharine http://www.agirlinmadrid.com
Leen http://zibdeh.wordpress.com
Carla http://domesticventures.squarespace.com
Rachel http://www.cookyourlife.com/
Kelly http://www.tastour.co.uk
Adrienne http://www.gastroanthropology.com
Tiina http://www.sparklingink.com
Pascale http://www.extra-relish.blogspot.com/
Cecilia http://onevanillabean.wordpress.com/
Tess http://www.foodmatters.co.uk
Keith www.lookwhatwefound.co.uk
Matina http://www.fetaarepa.com
Charlie http://eggsontheroof.com
Ludger http://www.none.de
Karin http://yumandmore.com
Julia http://www.alwaysleaveroomfordessert.com
Catherine http://www.thecattylife.com
Kevin http://oneweekwinetour.wordpress.com
Leila http://www.delishvillesemgluten.com
Katie http://katielousbites.wordpress.com/
Valentina http://www.cupcakestrembom.com
Tracey http://www.international-foodie.blogspot.com/
Michele http://www.5amfoodie.com
Gemma http://dressingfordinner.blogspot.com
Heather http://www.eggscreamandhoney.com
Giulia http://en.julskitchen.com
Arthi http://debugcooking.blogspot.com/
Anne http://www.anneskitchen.co.uk
Pamela http://www.cookingninja.com
Bron http://practicallydaily.blogspot.com
Stacey http://peanutjealous.blogspot.com
Natashka http://peanutjealous.blogspot.com
Reena http://coconutraita.blogspot.com/
Aoife http://www.thedailyspud.com
Elisa http://www.aussiefoodie.blogspot.com/
Eunice http://heavenwildfleur.blogspot.com
Suzannah http://www.officelunches.blogspot.com/
Mayssam http://www.deliriouskitchen.com
Sarka http://www.cookingyourdream.com
Sharon http://www.seasontotaste.co.uk
Jasmine http://www.labna.it
Manuel http://www.labna.it
Jeanne https://www.cooksister.com
Meeta http://www.whatsforlunchhoney.net
Mowie http://www.mowielicious.com
Jamie http://lifestafeast.blogspot.com
Kerrin http://www.mykugelhopf.ch
Hilda http://www.saffronandblueberry.com
Julia http://www.asliceofcherrypie.com
Sarah http://blog.maisoncupcake.com
Chris http://www.soulmekanik.com
Bethany http://www.dirtykitchensecrets.com

If you enjoyed this post, you might like my other posts on conferences where I was a speaker, at Food Blogger Connect 2009 and the 2010 South African Food Blogging Conference.

More deliciousness for you!

  • Saturday Snapshots #55Saturday Snapshots #55
  • Braai, the Beloved Country: the 2011 roundupBraai, the Beloved Country: the 2011 roundup
  • Waiter, there’s something in my… spiced pumpkin muffinsWaiter, there’s something in my… spiced pumpkin muffins
  • Nasi ayam nanas (Indonesian pineapple chicken rice)Nasi ayam nanas (Indonesian pineapple chicken rice)

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  1. Mowie says

    June 12, 2010 at 1:29 pm

    Great summary of the event. I keep reading each new post about FBC as if it were my first. And I can’t believe I’ve been doing just that for a whole week now! Loved reading this. Bring on the braai! x

    Reply
  2. Sarah, Maison Cupcake says

    June 12, 2010 at 1:45 pm

    Wow! What a super duper comprehensive run down of everyone who was there and everything we did, I really enjoyed it, especially the photo of you and Meeta posing with matching bowls of vertical chips/fish fingery type things.
    Jaden really blew me away, I can only imagine how intense her energy would have been if she’d been in the room for real. I often wonder when Americans find time to sleep and turn up at the gym at 5am. She really did start FBC with a bang, I think we were all fired up after hearing her!!
    There is a lot to be said for watching bad tv though – if gives us something to talk about to non-bloggers!

    Reply
  3. Colleen says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:07 pm

    Fabulous summary of a fabulous event. WOW!! No I wish even more……hehe! Well done to everyone! xx

    Reply
  4. Jamie says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    Oh, Jeanne, fab write up from a fab sister! I am laughing and crying at the same time. But can I say that you have managed to not only put half a dozen PROFILE pics of me here for the public to see – and that is usually forbidden – but you actually make me look pretty good! Love this post and love your wonderful pictures and I can’t wait for the next post!
    xo Saucy

    Reply
  5. Charlotte says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:12 pm

    Looks like you had a wonderful time! Is it just me, or are food bloggers really organised? I can’t see book bloggers or writing bloggers pulling together such a great event.
    *ducks in case missiles are thrown*

    Reply
  6. deeba says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:20 pm

    Wonderful wonderful wrap on the event Jeanne. Read every word with a heavy heart, knowing HOW MUCH I missed! Awesome good photographs, each word brilliantly written … LOVED being here now!!

    Reply
  7. Kalynskitchen says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:26 pm

    Looks wonderful. You look great in these photos too!
    I am still planning to come next year with Lydia, keep your fingers crossed!

    Reply
  8. tobias cooks! says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    I wish I had known about this before hand. I will look out not to miss the event once more.

    Reply
  9. Sunita says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:40 pm

    Another post making me wish I was there! Jeanne, what a beautiful post, and what fun you had. Great to see you all again. The four of you must have had so much fun staying together!

    Reply
  10. anubhav kapoor says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:56 pm

    I envy and love the kind of bonding that is visible through these pics. It looks like a happy bunch of people who mutually appreciate food in its entirety and have personally achieved some degree of success in pursuing what they truly like. I hope to at least connect to a group like this, if not become a part of it…good luck to all of you!

    Reply
  11. anubhav kapoor says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:56 pm

    I envy and love the kind of bonding that is visible through these pics. It looks like a happy bunch of people who mutually appreciate food in its entirety and have personally achieved some degree of success in pursuing what they truly like. I hope to at least connect to a group like this, if not become a part of it…good luck to all of you!

    Reply
  12. anubhav kapoor says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:56 pm

    I envy and love the kind of bonding that is visible through these pics. It looks like a happy bunch of people who mutually appreciate food in its entirety and have personally achieved some degree of success in pursuing what they truly like. I hope to at least connect to a group like this, if not become a part of it…good luck to all of you!

    Reply
  13. Gemma says

    June 12, 2010 at 3:11 pm

    It was great, I’m sorry that I couldn’t make the whole weekend but glad I got the chance to say hi to you on the Saturday.

    Reply
  14. Heather Davis says

    June 12, 2010 at 3:23 pm

    This was great Jeanne. Each write up
    provides and new & interesting prospective
    to the event. I love your honesty about the speakers! I am
    American (although living in England almost 20yrs) and I think “wow that’s high energy”. Guess I’ve had it knocked out of me! Great to meet you. Hx

    Reply
  15. Internatfoodie says

    June 12, 2010 at 4:12 pm

    Hi Jeanne. Great to meet you briefly at the end of FBC 2010. Really enjoyed all the advice/information you gave on recipe development, writing voice and Copyright/Plagiarism. (re: the later – it was really great to get some detailed, legal information – complimented the creative aspects of the agenda nicely!) Really love your approach to your blog – The humor and the dedication to South Africa despite being so far away. Very inspiring! Txx

    Reply
  16. Kerrin @ MyKugelhopf says

    June 12, 2010 at 5:16 pm

    i would like to officially nominate your post here as the best fbc roundup ! wow, rock on sweary !! talk about getting as much info into one article as possible, this is chock-full of photos, people, links, food, … you didn’t miss a beat ! you even got the bowl of granola (ok, i had 2. or was it 3 ?) i had for breakfast – would you like some granola with your caramel ?? 😉 and yes, i obviously want their recipe [hempel hotel chef if you are reading, thanks]
    bravo for this post, jeanne, just fantastic ! i laughed, i nodded, i learned,.. i even read it twice ! can’t wait to share this with sporty hubs and parents. “if you have ANY questions about my weekend or fbc or anywho was there, just read this!” oh, and i’m ready for more. miss you and staying at cooksister hq ! xo from zurich, sporty hq ! 🙂

    Reply
  17. Food For Think says

    June 12, 2010 at 5:48 pm

    You’re very welcome for the cake! Glad you enjoyed it.
    Looks like you had an amazing time.
    Lovely to see you just now for cream tea, hopefully see you soon.
    Sarah x

    Reply
  18. nina says

    June 12, 2010 at 8:49 pm

    What an amazing event and what an amazing write up!!!

    Reply
  19. Joan Nova says

    June 12, 2010 at 10:45 pm

    Looks like a great event on every level. Thanks for sharing with folks on the other side of the pond.

    Reply
  20. barbara says

    June 13, 2010 at 12:12 am

    Jeanne it was really lovely to read your report on the conference. Sounds like it was a great success.

    Reply
  21. Barbara Diamond says

    June 13, 2010 at 12:55 am

    Good grief – how did I miss this? What a great time… I have to get up to speed so I don’t miss this event next year.

    Reply
  22. Charlie, eggsontheroof says

    June 13, 2010 at 9:28 am

    This post captures the weekend perfectly with all its fun, charm and excitement. But what makes it even better is that it’s crammed with facts and information too, just like your fantastic talk.

    Reply
  23. Meeta says

    June 13, 2010 at 12:31 pm

    Love the post Sweary. Looking at the pictures I am missing you more and more. Especially that one of the two of us together. At least we have July – Dresden – a-ha! The weekend flew by so fast and reading all the posts makes me happy and sad all at once. BEREFT!
    Hugs Zesty
    xx

    Reply
  24. bellini valli says

    June 13, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    As always it soundfs like an amazing event to bring passionate people together. We really should have a Blogger Connect Canada:D

    Reply
  25. catty says

    June 13, 2010 at 9:27 pm

    Great post and awesome summary, Sweary Spice!! Great to see you again too, albeit very quickly 🙂

    Reply
  26. Juls @Juls' Kitchen says

    June 13, 2010 at 10:00 pm

    “Observers would say we are mad – but at least we know we’re happy!”
    I totally agree with you!! I think it is a sentence that can resume perfectly the whole foodblogger world! Awsome!! 😀
    I’m really happy to have had the chance to meet you and I’ll be reading your blog to get to know you much better for the next time we meet! 😀

    Reply
  27. Stacey & Tash says

    June 14, 2010 at 9:45 am

    Wow, what a fantastic post. Thanks for all the work you put in, this is a wonderful resource for all of us! Whenever we need any inspiration, we will certainly be visiting you.
    Also, thank-you for the lovely words about mother-daughter blogging. We are very lucky and now we are even luckier to have met so many wonderful people who love to blog. Looking forward to keeping in touch and to learning loads from you! xxx

    Reply
  28. Stacey & Tash says

    June 14, 2010 at 9:45 am

    Wow, what a fantastic post. Thanks for all the work you put in, this is a wonderful resource for all of us! Whenever we need any inspiration, we will certainly be visiting you.
    Also, thank-you for the lovely words about mother-daughter blogging. We are very lucky and now we are even luckier to have met so many wonderful people who love to blog. Looking forward to keeping in touch and to learning loads from you! xxx

    Reply
  29. Stacey & Tash says

    June 14, 2010 at 9:45 am

    Wow, what a fantastic post. Thanks for all the work you put in, this is a wonderful resource for all of us! Whenever we need any inspiration, we will certainly be visiting you.
    Also, thank-you for the lovely words about mother-daughter blogging. We are very lucky and now we are even luckier to have met so many wonderful people who love to blog. Looking forward to keeping in touch and to learning loads from you! xxx

    Reply
  30. Marisa says

    June 14, 2010 at 12:33 pm

    The more I read about FCB2010 the more green with envy I get! Really think a couple of us SA bloggers must make a plan to attend in 2011. If for no other reason than to get a taste of all the droolworthy food that you had.

    Reply
  31. Bron says

    June 17, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    Great post Jeanne – and great talk(s) you gave too. Gave me a lot to ponder later, as did the whole weekend really and much pleasure too. Hope to see you at the next one!

    Reply
  32. courtney says

    June 21, 2010 at 10:03 pm

    Im jealous. What a great and informative time. You had the perfect settings, food, and company. One day I will bein synch and get over there.

    Reply
  33. Jeanne @ CookSister! says

    June 23, 2010 at 12:56 am

    @Mowie – I know what you mean. Each post brings back new memories! And yeeaaaah, bring on the braai 🙂
    @Sarah – Thanks for letting me use your food pics – I was so busy clownign around with Meeta that I didn’t photograph any of it :o) Bad, bad blogger am I 😉 Jaden made me feel positively slothful with her energy! Loads to mull over…
    @Colleen – If I could have teleported one person over from SA to join us, it would have been YOU! We have to keep on playing the Lotto so you can come to the next one…
    @Jamie – aaaah, my Saucy Spice Sister. Thanks for your lovely words – hope I had you laughing more than crying! It was a pleasure to share a stage and my home with you. Roll on the reunion! (And thanks for THAT DVD :o)) Sorry about the profile pics – but I think you look HOT!
    @Charlotte – when there’s food involved, we can be VERY organised!!
    @Deeba – awwww, I really wish you could have been there again this year. There was a little Deeba-shaped hole in the Spice Girls’ line-up 🙁
    @Kalyn – thanks!! I’m loving my short hair, I msut say. And yaaaaaay, will be so fantastic to FINALLY meet you next year!
    @Tobias – oh yes, definitely join us next year!
    @Sunita – you can only imagine the fun we had at our 4-night Spice Girls slumber party :o) By the end of it we were making plans to buy a huge house somewhere and live in a commune together! Definitely missed you this year…
    @Anubhav – I can’t actually tell you how fantastic it is to meet people who you instantly feel such a connection with! Wonderful.
    @Gemma – and I’m sorry it took me a while to make the NaBloPoMo connection :o) Lovely to meet you in the flesh at last!
    @Heather – great to meet you too! Really glad you enjoyed the conference and phew, I’m glad I’m not the only one who felt slightly exhausted by the quintessentially American energy that Jaden had 😉
    @Tracey – lovely to meet & share a table with you too! I’m thrilled to hear that you found the talks useful – just shout if you ever have legal questions relating to blogging.
    @Kerrin – what can I say, I am a stickler for detail and EVERYTHING that happened of any importance has to squeeze into the post, in strict chronological order, of course :o) I loved your talks and I LOVED sharing CookSister HQ with you for 4 days. I even threw in a free rowing lesson with a sexy coach 😉 Now hom many B&Bs can offer THAT?!
    @Sarah – the cake was fab – pity you could not stay! At least we got to catch up last weekend 🙂
    @Nina – the event was as action-packed as the write-up & you would have LOVED it.
    @Joan & @Barbara – glad you could enjoy the event vicariously!
    @Barbara Diamond – first weekend in June 2011 – see you there? 🙂
    @Charlie – aww, thanks, you are too sweet! It was a real pleasure meeting you and I am glad we had a chance to chat properly.
    @Meeta – my sister from another mother… I know what you mean! The pictures just make me miss you & Sporty & Saucy & Snarky even more. But not too long to go now till I come to Germany!
    @Val – you really should – it’s the BEST fun! Or you should come and join us over here next year … :o)
    @Catty – likewise! And we should just make a date to get together in London – no need to wait till the next FBC :o)
    @Juls – what a pleasure it was to meet you! I love your bubbly personality and your beautiful blog and I look forward to staying in touch!
    @Stacey & Tash – thanks so much for that! I must admit that the post nearly killed me – stayed up till 3 a.m. for 2 nights in a row to get it done, but now it is a lovely repository of everything I’ll ever need to know about FBC10, plus links to all the blogs of the great people I met – like you two! Love your other-daughter concept & look forwad to getting to know you through your blog 🙂
    @Marisa – would be wonderful to have an SA contingent at the next FBC!
    @Bron – glad to hear I gave anybody any food for thought! There was much for me to mull over too, even after 6 years of blogging. And oh yes, you will see me at the next one!
    @Courtney – my dear friend, I have no doubt that one day we will be in synch with your vacation, and that you will join us. You would have LOVED the Hempel Hotel, and the fab 4-day Spice Girl slumber party!

    Reply
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Jeanne | Stylish food & travel


Are you a cook... or a baker?
I fall firmly into

Are you a cook... or a baker? 
I fall firmly into the "cook" category. Baking is too precise, too fiddly - and best left to those with an affinity for it, I always say! But every now and then, only a cake will do. Say, for example... when you celebrate your blog's SIXTEENTH birthday!! 🎉🍾 Yes, last month Cooksister.com turned sweet sixteen, and to celebrate I baked this sticky spiced plum upside down cake. It's a very forgiving recipe and it's worth every single calorie 😁. Click on the link in my profile to see the recipe or save this post so you can find it later: https://www.cooksister.com/2020/06/sticky-spiced-plum-upside-down-cake.html

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappoint
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

Anybody else got Lockdown Itchy Feet Syndrome...?? If it isn't an official disorder,  it certainly should be!

I have always been a dreamer, a planner, an explorer. Few things excite me more than stepping onto the soil of a country I have not visited before. When I am going through tough personal times, my go-to self-help therapy has always been to arrange a trip - to throw off the metaphorical bow lines and sail away to a new adventure. 
But then... Corona 😞  I can honestly say that I am enjoying working from home; enjoying having the time to run every day; enjoying cooking proper meals; enjoying my own company; enjoying the lack of FOMO. But OH MAN, I miss travel. 
This image was taken 2 years ago in St George's, Grenada - my first visit to the Caribbean but  certainly not my last. This photo has me dreaming of the day I can throw off those bow lines and travel again... How are you dealing with the lack of travel during this time?

Am I the only one feeling faintly sad at all the S
Am I the only one feeling faintly sad at all the Spring bulbs that were planted last year that have been flowering in parks and public gardens with nobody (or fewer people, anyway...) around to admire them? Spare a thought for the gardeners at Holland's famous Keukenhof who planted SEVEN MILLION bulbs last winter in preparation for the garden's annual 2-month opening... but because of Covid-19 Keukenhof did not open at all in 2020. 
But the good news is that for the first time in its history, Keukenhof was virtually open this year, meaning you can enjoy the best of the Spring flowers virtually, from the comfort of your armchair.  Keukenhof posted an amazing series of videos to their YouTube channel featuring magnificent 360 degree tours of the 2020 flowering bulbs; a run-down of the best photo spots; talks by various Keukenhof gardeners; and even a visit from Spongebob Squarepants!  You can check out their YouTube channel here https://bit.ly/2WWkahW. Or you can visit my blog  https://bit.ly/2zMgrLL  to see more of my Keukenhof images like this one of a river of tulips from when I visited a few years ago.

Have you visited Keukenhof?  What were your favourite Spring flowers? ⚘⚘⚘

When people tell me they don't like Brussels spro
When  people tell me they don't like Brussels sprouts, my inner voice always cries out the same response: oh honey, you're just doing it wrong! Sesame ginger sprouts are nutty, zingy and delicious - the opposite of the overcooked grey stinky sprouts of your youth, and so easy to make! 🔖 Remember to save this post so you can make the recipe later! The recipe is also on my blog - click the live link in my profile. 
For 4 people you need:
500 g Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved and cooked (I roast mine in a hot oven)
1 x 2cm piece of ginger cut into fine matchsticks
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Salt & pepper 
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the ginger till fragrant. Add the sprouts, mix well and heat through. Remove from heat, add the sesame oil, season and serve topped with toasted sesame seeds.

Did you know that 6 February is Waitangi Day, the
Did you know that 6 February is Waitangi Day, the national day of New Zealand? .

I am marking the occasion with this photo was taken just over 3 years ago on the shores of beautiful Lake Pukaki on the South Island, looking across at Mt Aoraki.  I loved my visit and planned the trip completely independently – here are some tips for anybody thinking of visiting the South Island. .
🔖Click “save” to bookmark these tips for later! ➡️ 1) Take more time than you think you need. In a week you will barely scratch the surface of the South Island - I would say 2 weeks is a comfortable amount of time. ➡️ 2) Don’t assume that summer means hot weather! Even in December (the height of summer) temperatures peak at about 21C in Christchurch. Pack layers. ➡️ 3) Do spend time in Queenstown. It is stunning and one of my favourite places I have ever visited – great for hiking in summer, skiing in winter, sailing on the lake, adventure sports and a base for many surrounding natural attractions. ➡️ 4) Take day trips from Queenstown to Milford Sound and the Franz Josef glacier (but be aware that the weather is often not great). ➡️ 5) Take a road trip! The roads are excellent and generally empty – and it means you get to pose in places like the shore of Lake Pukaki 😊 .
Have you visited New Zealand’s South Island?  Would you like to?  Let me know in the comments!

"Don't just stand there, let's get to it: strike a
"Don't just stand there, let's get to it: strike a pose there's nothing to it!" (Madonna)

Nicole Kidman's is both hands on hips. Meryl Streep's is only left hand on hip. Victoria Beckham's is right hip out, left foot forward (and no smile!). Mine started as a joke many years ago - the earliest evidence I have is from 2005 😎 Do YOU have a signature pose? Tell me in the comments or DM me a pic!

This particular pose was struck on the @chateaulhospitalet estate in the Languedoc, looking out over @gerardbertrandwines vineyards all the way to the Mediterranean. You can read all about my stay there now on the blog - click on the live link in my profile

Even if you are not a French speaker as such, you
Even if you are not a French speaker as such, you may be surprised by the number of French words you already know: rendezvous, entrepreneur, souvenir and ricochet need no introduction. All have been adopted into English wholesale, with their original French meaning and spelling. Perhaps they should apply for settled status post-Brexit... But sometimes a word’s literal translation in French bears no resemblance to what the word has come to mean, such as canape. Although we know the word as meaning a small piece of pastry or bread with a savoury topping served at drinks receptions, the literal translation is a decorative antique sofa. When a clever chef first came up with the idea, the topping was thought to sit on the bread or pastry like a person reclining on a sofa, and the snacks came to be known half-jokingly as canapes. Fact! 
I enjoyed these very elegant canapes (LOVED the lacy little potato lattices!) with Code Rouge sparkling wine before a jazz dinner at Gerard Bertrand’s flagship wine estate Chateau L’Hospitalet in the Languedoc.  The dinner was as  spectacular as the canapes and you can read all about it on my blog now – click the live link in my profile above.

The Christmas decorations may be long gone, but Ol
The Christmas decorations may be long gone, but Old Spitalfields Market where this photo was taken is very much open and is one of my favourite London markets. Here are my top tips for visiting Old Spitalfields:

1.  The closest station is Liverpool Street which is only a 5 minute walk from the market.
2. It's open daily, with over a hundred stalls, but on Wednesday the focus is on fashion & on Thursday the focus is on antiques & vintage.
3. The busiest day is Sunday - get there early to beat the crowds!
4. Make sure you sample some of the excellent street food on offer - I love the 8-hour pulled pork bagels from Dirty Bagel, topped with cheese melted by blowtorch in front of your eyes; or the traditional raclette at Abondance.
5. Don't forget to check out the amazing Shoreditch street art in the area around the market, either on a tour or self-guided walk.
6. The Truman Brewery just east of Spitalfields hosts a massive collection of vintage clothes stalls, and more street food - don't miss it!

Thanks @meetakwolff for the 📸

"You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Yo
"You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting so... get on your way!" (Dr Seuss)

How are you starting the new decade? Staring at the mountains ahead, worrying about how hard they will be to climb and whether your shoes will be comfortable and whether it is going to rain along the way? Or striding confidently towards the mountains ahead, looking forward to the fresh air filling your lungs and the sense of purpose as your legs carry you ever higher, and relishing the prospect of an amazing view from the top?

There is no finer metaphor for life than a walk in the mountains and I have already made my choice as to how I plan to tackle the mountains of 2020. What's your choice? 
Wishing you all a very happy new year and amazing views from the top of every personal and professional mountain that you climb!

This particular mountain is in the Austrian Alps where I hiked last summer. Thanks to @thepassionatecook for the 📸!


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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts
Plum upside down cake
plum flapjack crumble
Sesame ginger Brussels sprouts
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