a long awaited thank you

As sappy as it is I would just like to take a moment to thank those who welcomed me into food blogging warmly.

Eggbeater started in the home of Life Begins at Thirty and flourdesign. It took about 6 hours, many props, some wonderful asparagus frittata, and much explaining. {I love the computers and their workings, but I don't understand 'em.} It happened with the encouragement of many an excellent food blogger, as many were in attendance at my first knife skills class.

Soon following were comments and people linking eggbeater on their site without me knowing it! One day Sam was picking up her Anson Mills flours, on her way to England, and said mysteriously, "have you seen my blog today? Well you should take a look because you're on it..." And was I?! An entire spread on Becks & Posh complete with my big orange banner!

Guy from Meathenge has been my meat angel. He took photos during the first knife skills class and then reviewed the class on his blog with a fantastic photo of me lovingly supreming a mineola tangelo. {O how I love the mineola tangelo...} He has since reviewed the baking class and is helping me to advertise my next knife skills class--- Sunday May 15 at Gastronomie's place: the Jack London area of Oakland. I should also say that since Jen set me up Guy has been there to answer all the blogging questions I have had. he has even been so generous as to problem solve a myriad of confusing ins and outs that I didn't even know were out there. Like I really want to thank all the people who comment on eggbeater, {because I want to remain a gentleman even in the cyber world}, but I couldn't figure out how. I am not completely sure what I have done to deserve him, but he has really been amazingly helpful and eggbeater will surely evolve with his help, belief in me and guidance.

Then one day I received a nice note from a fellow named Bruce Cole. When I hit reply to thank him for visiting, I saw that his return address was Saute Wednesday! O no! Could it be? How very exciting. But not nearly as exciting as when I went to google and typed in: shuna+eggbeater+blog and up popped Saute Wednesday. I thought it was odd, but I went there and found an EXCERPT taken from one of Eggbeater's posts! I had been at my mom's friend's house and I wanted to show them my new little blog and there was something I had written. A link to the site and I had no idea.

The fact that the food blogging world is so wonderfully friendly is really a testament to what I am used to. The professional cooking world. Suspicious, wickedly competitive, oftentimes mean and threatening. Cooks have a desire, as in highly classist and hierarchical societies, to assess quickly who you are so that they can figure out if you are someone to be reckoned with or just another person to step on. Resumes are given verbally and depending how good of a cook you turn out to be other cooks will decide if the last place you worked was worth anything. Cooks are worse critics than restaurant critics because we review from the inside out.

Eggbeater, the welcome it has been given, the camaraderie I have felt, the free exchange of information, advice, compliments, has given me a new sprout of hope. Cooking for others, as I have said before, is a grace and a gift that is intimate and delightful and sensual. When it is approached with venemous claws and a revengeful mind it tastes so much less delicious than when it is shared and passed around for others to delight in it's scent.

Thank you for being part of Eggbeater's beginnings. My idea is that it is an interactive process and will evolve organically. Visit as often as you'd like, comment freely and take the classes that interest you.

Shuna Fish Lydon

Pastry Chef and Inspirationalist.

Comments

[Fatemeh]

Shuna -

What an AWESOME post - I think you've really captured the spirit of the food blogosphere -it's amazing how LITTLE of that backstabbing and nitpicking really goes on.

[Dr. Biggles]

Hi,

Backstabbing, nitpicking & troublemaking! Ah, the good ol' days. At least I still have troublemaking to keep me busy. You're welcome Shuna.
I had a little bite of meat last night, made me giddy.

Senior Biggles

[molly]

Welcome! I'm newish too, but you are so right how everybody has been kind. I was surprised at the openness of the food blogging community.

Hope to make your next knife skills class, I'll have to miss this upcoming one because crazy Bay Area people are throwing tortillas, drinking from kegs and walking 7 miles for the Bay To Breakers and I CAN'T MISS THAT! Hope to meet you soon.

[teri]

Shuna:

Is there still room in your May 15th class? Will you drop me an email and let me know?
Thanks!

[Sam]

Shuna. Your popularity is deserved - you have added a new and fresh voice to our community. We are hungry for every word you have to say. We should actually be thanking you for sharing some of the secrets of the restaurant kitchen with us and for educating us so well.