Thursday 26 August 2010

The Prodigal Blogger

I know. It's been a while.

I'd love to tell you that I've been traveling the world, sampling exotic and fascinating foods off the beaten track and away from an internet connection, but that would be a big pork pie.
The truth is, I lost my bloggy mojo for a bit there and to be honest, the longer I left it, the harder it got to come back.

It has been an eventful and sometimes stressful couple of months filled with self-doubt and neuroses (but nothing that a little Prozac can't handle) and I have spent a lot of time evaluating my life and where it is going. Maybe because I'm only a few weeks away from my 35th birthday and am very much aware of the spectre of my approaching middle age.
I've spent too many years doing jobs that I'm not passionate about and have come to the stark realization that I'm not a person who can work for themselves, especially when I'm doing something that doesn't make me bound out of bed every morning with anticipation the way cooking does.

So.

I have decided to go to culinary school and make the most of my passion. My best friend Alli was who gave me the final push and the confidence to say "Bring on the student loans! Bring on the sweat and sore back!"
Encouraged as always by my ever-supportive husband and proud parents and step-mum, I took the big step of enrolling in Tante Marie's Intensive Cordon Bleu diploma course, beginning in January. I am counting the days!

Of course my love of cookery has been just as intense while I' haven't been writing and I have been concentrating a lot more on practicing my baking and trying my hand at cake decorating.

My very good childhood friend Lillah's baby daughter Daisy will be one year old in two weeks and Lillah has asked me to make her cake, which I am ridiculously excited about and honoured by. I have ordered Wilton cake tins, boxes, boards, dowels, fondant, coloured dusts, flower and leaf plungers, all kinds of specialty equipment and have taken over much of what has been husband's office to store all my new goodies. Now that he's no longer working from home, I have my sights set firmly on turning this space into a cake decorating and sewing room, as the dining table it taking a bit of a beating.

So that's my news. I'm sorry for neglecting you and being so far away from the bloggiverse. I miss my fellow bloggers and I miss writing daily, and I promise I will be back regularly. Maybe not on the daily basis that I was blogging before, but definitely frequently.

I have my stepmother's birthday dinner this weekend, so I will post the roast duck breasts with locally picked black berries and the chocolate celebration cake I'm making. I promise to post all about the Daisy cake, no matter how it turns out. (I have only rolled out fondant ONCE, so be kind!)

I imagine too that chef school will provide me with plenty of blog fodder, if for no other reason than I will surely meet Gordon Ramsey, who is now a part-owner in the old school and lectures there regularly. And yes, Alli, if I DO get to meet him, I will ask him to call you from my mobile, so keep your ringer turned up when you go to bed, because Lord knows it will be the middle of the night your time.

Thank you all for your patience. I love you.

14 comments:

  1. This post made me terribly happy. For starters, welcome back Emily! You were sorely missed around these parts. Maintaining an active blog requires so much of our time and energy and I think everyone needs a break at some point. I'm glad you took a time out to regroup and were able to find your mojo.

    Congrats on culinary school! And you know, of course, that I am ALLLL for you embracing your inner bakestress :D

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  2. Hugs! I am so happy for you! I too have found that now that I am having a hard deciding what I want to be when I grow up now that the time is here. It's an eat, love, pray kind of year! Happy cooking, baking, and blogging Emily. Cooking school will be such a wonderful adventure and who knows where it will lead you. I know I can't wait to find out! love, Jen (Langford)

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  3. Hey Emily, that's great! Sometimes we 'need' to do something that isn't just a means to an end but a study of what we really love. If we can earn doing so, that's great too;) I hope it goes well...
    p.s. I had a crisis of sorts when I was approaching 30-it can happen (smile).

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  4. Congrats on culinary school!! I'm insanely jealous!! :)

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  5. Hey there! Had been wondering where you were hiding out, but I can totally sympathize. Congrats on your HUGE DECISION. I hope you'll be able to find the time to bring us all along for the ride.

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  6. I have been missing you, but what wonderful news to return with! I'm so happy to hear that you are following your dream (and one of my dreams too!) I look forward to reading all that is to come!
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  7. Emily! I am so excited for you - this is wonderful! You are going to have such a good time and learn so much. I have so much faith in you - you are gonna rock balls! I was really worried when you didn't blog for a while so I'm glad you took time off to give it alot of thought. I'm so glad you are following your passion. Don't let it keep you away from blogging too much!

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  8. How am I only just seeing this?!

    I've missed your writing so I'm excited that you're coming back. I can't wait to hear about cooking school - how exciting and good for you that you're finally doing what you really want. Good luck! <3

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  9. Hi there Emily.
    My first time here. I completely admire your decision to go back to study and pursue your love of cooking. So many of us, work in areas where our hearts just don't sing. So its really warming to read your future plans. I hope life after 35 trewats you kind too.
    Warm wishes.

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  10. How did I miss this post! Congratulations. I am starting culinary school too, in November. Can't wait to hear how you like it.

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  11. I took a break too, and it felt good. Welcome back.

    During the hiatus, I moved my blog. I hope you'll keep following it at the new location: www.acookblog.com

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