26 January 2012

Knock, Knock

Knock, knock...









is there anyone still there?

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I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't many of you dear readers left, seeing as how abandoning a blog for over four months is poor form. Very poor indeed. I will not bore you with excuses, about months of traveling and poor internet connections and the like; I will only say thank to those who sent me kind messages asking where I had disappeared to, wondering if I was ever coming back.

And to the three readers I have left (hi Kathy!), hello. How are you? It's good to be back.

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We did indeed do a lot of traveling, eating tiny chicken dumplings stuffed with pistachios and chicken jus, cream-filled baklava at Ramadan, and enough felafel, schwarma, and hummus to feed an army. The highlight culinarily was Istanbul, the marvelous walkable city, which we visited at the height of hamsi season, hamsi being the gorgeous fresh anchovies from the Black Sea. We had lightly fried hamsi and hamsi pilaf and hamsi stew. We had fantastic caramelized quinces and delicious Turkish wine and the best roast chicken I've ever had (roasted in a salt crust and set aflame at the table). We have two recommendations for the next time you're in Istanbul: buy the Istanbul Eats book or app and make all your eating decisions based on it, and be sure to stay in Beyoglu.

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I gave a lot of thought as to whether I wanted to continue this blog after such a long absence. Perhaps, I thought, I had moved into a new phase, lost momentum, I thought that all the reasons I started this blog for were no longer resonant with me. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this blog has always been just for me. A place to record things that I enjoy eating, it's as simple as that.

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It should be clear to any reader that I don't write this blog for fame or fortune, I don't post often enough and I don't take advertising or sponsors. So this space is really just a space for me, a space for recipes and reflections and thoughts, and anyone who wants to come along for the ride is welcome.

We are moving abroad in the spring and so I hope to keep posting, chronicling the recipes we like , the new foods we try, and our adventures in the kitchen and out. Maybe you'd like to come along.

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61 comments:

Megancake said...

Welcome back! I for one am excited to hear more about your culinary adventures and to be inspired by your recipes! keep posting!

Megancake said...

Welcome back!
I am excited to hear about your culinary adventures and to be inspired by your recipes, keep posting!

Brian said...

Still here! Still getting compliments on my tabbouleh, which is yours. ;) Welcome back.

Julia said...

I'm here! I'm here! I missed your writing and your food thoughts and recipes very much and I was so happy to see you there in the RSS reader this evening!

I confess when I saw your photo of the roasted chicken I thought "Baked Alaska...?!!?"

What are the reddish-brown rounded squarish things in among the pastries?

Welcome back!

Vaz said...

I'm so glad you're back!

hallie said...

still here, thanks to having your blog in my google reader :)

i love your recipes and do hope that you keep it up!

where will you be moving?

Anonymous said...

Still here :)

Indirect Heat said...

Welcome back, we missed you. Where are you moving? Looking forward to more exciting food...

Nadine said...

I, for one, am very glad that you are still here...do tell about Istanbul!!! I am totally obsessing about it..you are like an old friend, we dont see each other for years but when we do, it feels like we never separated.

RIZALENIO said...

Glad you're back. Always nice to read something from your site. I also love looking at your photographs. Your entries inspire.

Happy weekend. :)

Heather Woollove said...

Absolutely!! I'm happy to read about your adventures and cook (or dream about food) along with you whenever it suits you to post.
(But I have missed you.)

spidercamp said...

I am so happy to see you back! I love the way you write, I love to hear about your food, and I love cooking the recipes you post. I think I emailed you a long time ago to say your recipes show up in my kitchen more than any other food blog. Just tonight I made the black pepper molasses chicken and it was amazing as always.

You have retained at least this reader. Welcome back :)

Chelsea said...

Please do keep posting! I'd like to come along! I just went through the same questions with my own blog.... and if people like you, they will always come back, that's what I decided. Your blog is awesome and I would be so sad to see it go!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you're back. I'm looking forward to new recipes!

GretchenJoanna said...

I'm awfully glad you are going to continue your blog. I am still here and I want to come along wherever you go!

Brook said...

Welcome back! your introspective stories and your recipes have been missed.

Anonymous said...

MMMMM more desert please...

kateza'atar said...

I love this blog, and I particularly love it because it is a well-written, well-photographed blog, but you aren't promoting your book tour and such.

I, too have abandoned my blog, but I keep thinking about starting it up again. I probably will reinvent it somehow, but I'm still pondering it.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know at least one of your readers is glad you are back!

Erin said...

It is good to see you back! I had a real smile on my face when I saw your post in my reader this morning! Your pictures look great, it sounds like the adventure was what you needed and now, I'm ready for some more food! LOL

futurowoman said...

I'm so glad you're back! Good luck with your move, and safe travels. Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful cultures of the beautiful Middle East! (if you ever publish a cook book, color me there!)

drew said...

guess im the 4th reader!
was missing your posts

David Knowlton said...

I am not one of the three readers you mention. Nevertheless, I have loved your blog for a long time. Thank you for the effort you have put into it. That you left for a while is no matter to me. It is just good to see you posting again. May good fortune always come your way.

David

Ellen said...

Hi Mercedes--I've checked back periodically, as I enjoy your blog quite a bit! Glad you're back.

Unknown said...

Welcome back!

Courtney said...

Welcome back!

Orit said...

Welcome back...I've been checking regularly to see if anything new was posted. Can't wait to hear about your travels and the wonderful foods you discovered. And recipes....I want more recipes!

Frances Klein said...

I frequently make your Moutabal and Mashed Carrot Salad. I recently tried making the Nutty Pumpkin Dip, but I used a turban squash, which ended up being quite bitter. Must try again with a different squash variety.

I love the recipes you share and hope that you continue posting your food favorites and adventures.

Jason Debly said...

We're still reading! Maybe take a little pressure off and post more infrequently on a go-forward basis.

Daniel Shackelford said...

I've been following for years, and happy to see you are still around. If you post, I will read it. A good number of the items in my "recipe" tags are from here, so I will always be interested in what you decide to serve.

Anonymous said...

Glad you're back! I hope you keep posting. Where are you moving to?

Anonymous said...

Welcome back. You were missed.

Blair said...

Still here!

lynn2mary said...

Glad to hear you have returned to blogging.

pia said...

Hi glad that you are fine and I´m happy that you back. I switched in every week if you cooking and writing again. Many greetings from Germany

lynn2mary said...

Glad to hear you have returned to blogging!

Lakshmi said...

Would love to come along on your adventure abroad! Missed you... Hoping to read more from you now that you are back.

Eva said...

Nice to have you back! I'm looking forward to the posts to come, whether you decide to share discoveries from your travels or day to day recipes...always a pleasure to read you!

Kimmie said...

((hug))
Welcome home!

Kimmie
mama to 8
one homemade and 7 adopted

Anonymous said...

Still here and still love your blog. Welcome back!

- Dean E.

Dad said...

Boy oh boy, am I (we) pleased to hear from YOU!! Bizarre really, considering I don't actually 'know' you but I kept thinking the worse, what with you travelling and the situation in your beloved Middle East right now.

Phew.

Today was looking good - now it's looking great!

(no relation)

Justine said...

I enjoy your writing and your recipes. As long as you're here, I'll be here.

Anonymous said...

hooray! welcome back!! still here and excited for your new recipes and writing

Sirena said...

I have your blog saved on my iGoogle homepage and was happy to see your updated post! You have posted more than a few recipes I plan to try and I really loved reliving the memories of the amazing food in Istanbul (the fresh anchovy sandwiches on the waterfront by the spice market! My favorite meal in Istanbul!!!) Can't wait to go along for more of your travels Mercedes!

Thom said...

Hi - I've only been reading through blog since after you stopped posting on here, but I was inspired by your recipes a lot and I love your photos. I hope you keep posting!

Anonymous said...

I am thrilled your back,I check weekly to see if you had any new posts!!!Can't wait for new recipes :)
MARAL

Anya said...

I`m so glad you`re back!!!!!! I love cooking so I love your blog and all recipes and stories about food you have eaten so please, please, keep posting :)

Regards from UK :)

Kate Spinillo said...

I've had your blog in my blog's sidebar for years... Funny that you posted just now because I checked it that very day to see if there had been one I missed lately. For as long as I've been reading and enjoying your blog this is probably the first time I've commented... but I have shared it with many people over the years, enjoyed your lovely photography and stories, and think yours is exactly what a blog should strive to be.

Welcome back, and hello :)

Anonymous said...

Delighted you're back! I use your recipes all the time!

HT said...

Welcome back. I missed you greatly!

Grandma Diane said...

I hadn't visited for a long time, and am so happy you have decided to continue your blog. I have had several friends of Middle Eastern descent and love the food cooked in their homes. It is light years away from the unappealing food available at the few Middle Eastern restaurants in Lincoln, NE. I will be coming back often to teach myself to make some of those wonderful meals.

Grandma Diane said...

I am so happy that you have decided to continue. I use your blog as a way to teach myself to reproduce some of the wonderful Middle Eastern meals I have had at the homes of friends. I also loved your ice cream series and would love to see more!

C. said...

I'm still here. Looking forward to read about what you ate and what you are eating. I know what you mean though a blog is a way to keep a record for yourself.

Kate said...

I was walking through a Persian market down in VA recently and commented to my husband that you hadn't blogged in forever. So glad you are back! Can't wait to read more of your culinary delights!

rashmi said...

Welcome back!!

Malc said...

Greetings from New Zealand. Glad you're back on board - I've missed your blog.

Lizzie said...

I'm glad to see you back too! I popped by every so often to see if there was anything new and now there is! Look forward to hearing about your new adventures.

Penelope said...

So glad to see you're back! I can't wait to see what you've got in store for your readers...

Shabs.. said...

Hi, Landing here for the first time. I love arabic food and being in the emirates for almost 20 years I have arabic flavours running thru my veins. I so miss those now. Nice blog u have.

James said...

Still here, thanks to NetNewsReader, which never lets me lose track of blogs, no matter how long they go between updates. Glad to have you back!

James said...

Still here, thanks to my news reader (which keeps tabs on even the most rarely-updated blogs!). Glad to have you back!

Ailsbabe said...

Hi there,,,

Although I don't log into you blog every day week & sometimes months... I do so enjoy your adventures of thought places & culinary delights...