Next challenge?
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Oh, Cadfael--a remission diagnosis!! How wonderful! And I know exactly what you mean about reading reviews--I just read your review of the spinach dish and I could practically taste it!
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Cadfael - I'm so glad to see you back, and I know I'm not alone. What a challenging year you have had; I'm sorry to hear about your illness and I celebrate your remission diagnosis. And I look forward to your reviews!
And Brenda - welcome. Yes, I agree that having the challenges use widely-owned cookbooks would likely bring in more participants. I certainly look forward to your reviews and talking with you about my favorite topic - food! -
Oh Cadfael, my heart so goes out to you--and with joy that you are coming out of that awful thing and into the joy of life again. How WONDERFUL that our nutty addiction to recipes and cookbooks and cooking and FOOD has helped you so much. I had never thought about it being such an inspiration. I am now SO happy to do something that instead of feeling a bit guilty about I can now think of you and feel pride and purpose. You have made my day. THANK YOU and I look forward to hearing about the joys of your recovery and life!!!!
PS: I just reviewed a recipe you might want to try. SUPPER easy...if you like chicken. It's from Nigella Lawson...one of her own standbys for when she doesn't want to stress, but wants to get some good dinner on the table. I'd be more than happy to send you my own typed up version of it...I saw it done on Oprah years ago and it was, maybe is, still posted there. I haven't a clue how to get in touch with you. The original recipe is from her FOREVER SUMMER http://www.nigella.com/books/view/forever-summer-8 and is titled: Butterflied Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon-- (however, she mentioned that chix parts are ok, too...so I have used breasts with skin on).
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@cadfael, glad to see you back!
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Cadfael, I too am celebrating your remission diagnosis and am looking forward to your reviews. Cooking is wonderful therapy, enjoy.
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@cadfael - I'm so pleased to hear you are recovering and that Cookbooker may have a small part in connecting you with food and cooking again.
The Greek challenge is online now, everyone. I'm so sorry for the delay. Simple reason is that my mind has been elsewhere. Not on anything dramatic, thank goodness, just incredibly busy at work, with family, and with a personal project that has taken up most of my free time.
The challenge is backdated to January 1st, but also frontdated (if that's a word) to the end of March to give people who're interested some time to get involved. The author only has the one cookbook, so I'm making the prizes from any previous challenge author, to give it a challenge connection as well as some choices. -
Great, Andrew. I've been super busy for the past month, and all that work has me hungry for Greek Food!
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I think the home page's announcement of this challenge has a photograph of our previous challenge's author. You can find a picture of Susanna Hoffman here:
http://www.susannahoffman.com/about.html -
Thanks @Queezle! That picture only shows up when you're not logged in, and of course, I was logged in the whole time. Fixed now - just put up the book cover. I'm looking forward to some Greek food too!
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One more little bug -- when you are on the challenge page, and the bottom left and click "see all reviews" (just above the orange title for previous challenges) - it takes you to the Bayless reviews.
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Mastic -- I finally bought a small jar. What an odd smell, it doesn't seem like anything I want to eat. Is this your experience - an odd aroma? My little jar has unevenly sized globs, with a white powdery substance on the outside. Brand name krinos. I'd be interested in other people's experiences.
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No, mine smelled and tasted like spruce tree gum (l chewed one to check it out). I had been hoping for something much more mysterious. They were all quite uniform in size and tear drop in shape. It is supposed to all originate from one island. However I think of Krinos as a reputable brand.
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Maybe I'll have to taste one. I've had the little jar on my kitchen table, and everyone in the family is doing a great job of ignoring it.
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I just want to say that I'm really enjoying this challenge. The cookbook is interesting, and so many reviews have been coming out that its super interesting. I've discovered that my local Italian market carries many Greek items, and so for me it has also been an exploration of the grocery store.
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I've enjoyed this as well -- and I hope to get several more dishes made before it's over. I've just bought a bottle of retsina (currents soaking) and a bottle of ouzo and a jar of grape leaves. And I know that I will be making at least two of these recipes over and over again. I absolutely love the spinach pilaf and the beet tzatziki--the book was worth buying just for those two--and I'm not nearly done...
Anyone else have a major favorite from this? -
The dolmadakia were a real standout for me - a combination of flavours that was unusual but worked so well together (kateq...you won't regret those retsina-soaked currants....they're fabulous) and the baklava was outstanding...I had people fighting over the last pieces!
I've enjoyed many of the simpler dishes as well...easy to make but with such big flavour (eg beet tzatziki and avgolemono sauce) -
Just went back on site and read your lovely comments Thank you so-o much. I Since I was last on I had some surgery and am waiting for news which will likely not come before my next app on May 3. During the treatment for a different aggressive cancer (the one I'm in remission for) they found 4 nodules on my thyroid and the biopsy came back abnormal so they took half the thyroid, a nodule and some lymph tissue. I'm swollen and sore about the neck, but it will heal. The doctor says it is either one of a 100 different thyroid diseases or cancer-but if it is cancer it is the best one to have-not like my aggressive lymphoma. He says not to worry so I'm trying not to. Mostly I'm doing well and off and on I'm back in the kitchen. I even planted some tomato seeds indoors-way late-but it doesn't matter-it means I have a reawakening-a call to life. My energy is inconsistent so I can't count on my ability to get in the kitchen everyday but I'm so grateful when I am. Thank you COOKBOOKER COMMUNITY!:):):):)
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Cadfael, glad you're here and do take care of yourself. Listen to your DR and do try not to worry. Cooking is great therapy so do enjoy those times you're able to be in the kitchen. Will keep positive thoughts for you.
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@andrew - just wondering if you're around and if we could start a new challenge.
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Hi @BethNH and everyhone else. Yes, I'm around. I'm just catching up. I'll read all the posts I've missed and then get cracking on the next one.
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Wonderful! Thank you, Andrew. If there is anything that any of us could do to help with the challenges please let us know. I know you are very busy and I'm not sure how you'd feel about volunteer help with the website, but we're here if you need us.
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@BethNH: Thanks for the offer! I'll seriously consider it. I do want Cookbooker to continue to exist and provide a service for people, and I am going to keep supporting it (paying the modest server bills). But it's also true that my time has become seriously constrained this year, and I'm sure you've all noticed. It's a combination of work, family and other personal projects.
For a start I could totally see a volunteer challenge crew being formed - they could take votes on challenges, choose the titles and set the dates, and then I would just do the page creation, and open and close the challenge as required. How does that sound? Who'd be interested? -
That sounds like a good beginning, @Andrew. There are so many of us who really want to see this site continue. It has become very important to me. I would be more than happy to help out on a volunteer challenge crew.
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I'd be happy to lend a hand.
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I would be very comfortable with BethNH and kateq -- and perhaps a third -- coordinating the challenges. More than comfortable -- grateful! Though cookbooker feels like my home, I'm sometimes too busy to even check in. But many web sites do turn their day-to-day operation over to volunteers, so this makes sense to me.
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Thanks, QS--but by all means let's have at least a third...
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Sounds like a great idea and I'd volunteer but not sure how much time I'd have between work and helping take care of my Mom. I just never know how much computer time I'll have from day to day.
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Thanks, everyone. I've just done the collating for the last challenge, and will announce that on a separate topic.
I'd be happy to have @BethNH and @kateq, as well as a third, coordinating some challenges. Let's try it out and see how it works. I suggest one of you start a new topic for discussion of the next challenge, then let me know when you've decided on a book/author and a date range. Since I'm not always able to check the forums daily, you can email me directly (andrew at cookbooker).
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