Answers to Getting to Know You Questions

This Post was written by Trig from Aidan Brooks: Trainee Chef.

1. Where are you based?
In Hackney in East London. But in a few months time I graduate from catering college and start a working tour of Europe that will occupy me for the next few years. I'll be based in Portugal initially and later move on to Spain, France and Italy. So I've got to learn how to blog on the move.

2. How long have you been blogging?
I started by accident last August when I used Blogger as an easy way to put my CV on the internet to make it available to potential employers for work experience. Then I started to post a few articles and to read other blogs… and the rest is history.

3. What's the best thing about food blogging?
Even though I have good GCSEs, it's tempting when you pursue a vocational career to forget what you learned in school. Blogging has helped me to maintain and improve my communications skills and this will be very important for me in the future as one day I want to write and broadcast, as well as running a restaurant. And, of course, blogging is great fun!

4. What's the worst thing about food blogging?
There are times when you feel you should post but you don't really feel like it. I've pretty much solved that one by preparing one or two posts in advance (usually about food news, films, etc.) so I can put these out if I'm not up to cooking. One little niggle is that the camera does get in the way in the kitchen sometimes. By the time I've taken enough photos of what I'm cooking to ensure good shots for a photo recipe, my food is sometimes cold.

5. What inspires you to cook and write?
Food is my passion and my life. I've not wanted to do anything else since I was 7 or 8 years old. The more I learn and the more I cook, the more passionate about it I become.

6. Where do you like to blog?
I blog from home, using Blogger over a broadband connection from the PC in my bedroom. Because I'm out at college all day, this means I usually only post anything very early in the morning or in the evening. I have access to a PC in college and I'll start doing some posts from there soon, as practice for when I'm on the road.

7. What's your signature dish?
I like to cook different meals each time. If I did have a signature dish, it would probably be something savoury because although I'm qualified as a pastry chef I'm not really into desserts. One day I'll let the restaurant critics decide what my signature dish is.

8. What about you might surprise other food bloggers to know?
My post Six Weird Food Facts About Me should answer that question.

Answers to Getting to Know You Questions

This Post was written by Scott from Real Epicurean

1. Where are you based?
"Up North" in England, UK - North Lincolnshire, to be precise. A fairly rural location which sits in a triangle between Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Hull. Not a good place to be, I'm sure you'll agree.

2. How long have you been blogging?
I've been playing with websites on and off for a lot of years now, but didn't start "blogging" until last year when I discovered Wordpress. It turned around my method of producing sites (why code?) - and Realepicurean.com was born.

3. What's the best thing about food blogging?
Well, running a foodblog is certainly different method of producing sites. There's a very distinct community atmosphere within the foodblog scene which is great to be a part of.

4. What's the worst thing about food blogging?
Sometimes it makes me realise what junk I eat. If a week goes by (as it often does) but I haven't found anything interesting to blog about, it basically means I haven't eaten anything interesting. Which is a bad place to be for someone who loves cooking and good food!

5. What inspires you to cook and write?
I'm not sure. Certainly seasonal food does it for me, more then recipes. I'm much more likely to be inspired to write about the latest seasonal ingredient (and convert that into a recipe or two) then I am to just create something from scratch. It's a mixed blessing, but it means inspiration is always just around the corner.

6. Where do you like to blog?
Literally? In my "office" - a small bedroom with a desk, where I do (should do) my university work. In a non literal sense, I use Wordpress with my own hosting, for pure flexibility.

7. What's your signature dish?
Probably a fairly twisted Morrocan Lamb Tagine. I'm sure it's not very authentic, or even very impressive - but it's the dish I cook most often at home, and tastes delicious. I'm a very lazy cook like that, and love "one pot" dishes.

8. What about you might surprise other food bloggers to know?
Hmmn...probably that I lost my last job for blogging when I should have been working. It's a little more complicated then that, but the point remains - bosses don't like you to use the internet at work...

Answers to Getting to Know you Questions

This Post was written by Marie from Marie's Muses
1. Where are you based?
I am based down in Kent, but am originally from Canada. I moved over here to the UK almost 7 years ago now. When I first came over here we lived up in Chester, but moved down here when I got the job I have now. I work as a Chef in a Manor house that is owned privately, by an American family, so I guess that makes me a private chef.

2. How long have you been blogging?
I have been blogging or trying to blog in one form or another for a couple of years now but have only had my "Muses" blog since last April. I have been thinking about moving it from AOL to some other server, but I am really a computer moron and anything else I have tried has not ended up looking as nice as my one on AOL looks. The only drawback about bloggin on AOL is you don't get as much exposure and I am, I've decided, a glutton for attention...sigh...

3. What's the best thing about food blogging?
I love being able to write my thoughts out and I love the instant gratification that comes from people leaving their comments on what I've written. So far I have been really lucky in that I've not gotten any negative feedback. I get a real sense of satisfaction from doing it. It's a great way of being a writer and being recognized for such without having to charm book editors, publishers and such...now, if I could only get paid for doing it!

4. What's the worst thing about food blogging?
I can't think of a worst thing. Really!

5. What inspires you to cook and write?
I have always loved to write and I have always loved to cook. Blogging gives me the best of both worlds. I don't need much to trigger my addiction. I'm a food porn addict and proud of it! A most willing participant. I love it when I discover a new recipe and I can't wait to get into the kitchen and try it out. I also can't wait to share it with my readers!

6. Where do you like to blog?
Right now I blog on AOL and it seems to be working for me. But I would like to move someplace else that has a little bit more exposure. I am just lacking in the technological know how to make another place look good. I have my AOL one set up pretty much as I want it now. I have not been able to get any of the other's I have tried to look near as good. I have no knowledge in how to make banners and stuff or in HTML proficiency. (if that's even what you call it!) I guess it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Easy works best for me!

7. What's your signature dish?
Hmmm....now that is a hard question to answer. I like to cook everything. I just love food....the tastes, the textures, the colours, the smells. I love preparing it. I love planning meals. I live and breathe food. I am so blessed to be able to actually do what I love for a living. I pinch myself every day. I guess though if I had to pick out one dish...one that people ask me for and come back for time and time again...I COULDN'T do it! seriously....hmmm...well, I do make a really good pizza and the Mr. up at the big house really loves my chocolate chip cookies and my baking powder biscuits.

8. What about you might surprise other food bloggers to know?
I was a stay at home mom for most of my life and a consummate crafter. I used to ply my wares weekends, at every craft show going and I had alot of really happy customers. I have a "million" dollar money making idea every day...but I'm like the plumber whose pipes leak...they never get much past the idea stage. I am always thinking, always scribbling ideas down....ideas for stories to write for my grandsons, ideas for things to write about on my blog, things to make, things to do. My mind is constantly churning..and oops, I just looked at the clock, if I don't get in the shower now I'll be late for work!

Sigh....

Introductions

So how about a few introductions? Grab a chair or a spot on the comfy sofa, have a piece of cake and I'll get the drinks. Let's go round the table with these questions:

1. Where are you based?

2. How long have you been blogging?

3. What's the best thing about food blogging?

4. What's the worst thing about food blogging?

5. What inspires you to cook and write?

6. Where do you like to blog?

7. What's your signature dish?

8. What about you might surprise other food bloggers to know?



This Post was written by Julia from A Slice of Cherry Pie

Welcome to the newly launched Association

I communicate with a number of fabulous food bloggers based in the UK via email and comments on our blogs, and this got me thinking about how we might all be able to get together in one place.

I wanted to create a forum for the UK food blogging community where we could get to know each other a little better and help each other go from strength to strength. So that's what I did and here it is!

This is intended to be your association so use it as you wish - please feel free to start your own discussion, ask a question of fellow bloggers, post an article, or anything that would be of interest to others. I'm looking forward to seeing how it evolves!

This post was written by Julia from A Slice of Cherry Pie