FFF: The Clean Plate Club

Happy New Year’s Eve! Are you ready for an evening of fun and/or relaxation? I am very much looking forward to what is our third-annual New Year’s Eve at home. In past years, snow storms have kept us in, and we have ended up loving those nights much more than any NYE out.

Whatever you are doing tonight, be safe and have fun. And thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming back here to read this blog everyday. It has been quite the year!

Today’s featured foodie is a good friend of mine and a daily read in my blog lineup. Alicia, from The Clean Plate Club, shares fun recipes, restaurant reviews, and other great posts, and over the past few months I have gotten to know that she is a ton of fun in person as well. We have traveled to King Arthur Flour together, attended many blogger events, and even had an amazing holiday potluck celebration together.  Alicia recently moved to Hartford, CT, and the Boston blogger scene definitely won’t be the same without her. I am hoping to be able to discover more of the CT food scene through Alicia and to have lots of visits from her!

How long have you been blogging?

I started The Clean Plate Club in January of 2009 – so I have been blogging for nearly 2 years!

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

It’s pretty hard to narrow it down, but I would say that one thing that keeps me going is the community that blogging gets me involved in. I have always had a love of cooking and writing. My blog brings the two together, and also gives me a space where I can receive support, constructive criticism, set goals for myself and be constantly learning from the people around me. It’s opened me up to meeting some of the most interesting, talented and passionate people I’ve ever encountered. And although everyone is so incredibly talented, I’ve only run into a small number of people who are not in it to strengthen the group as a whole.

Least favorite?

I’m my own worst critic. Sometimes it is REALLY hard to maintain a consistent momentum in my posting because I’m always striving to improve, and I can sometimes get caught up in self editing and second-guessing myself. The “is anyone really going to care about this” mentality really slows down my writing. Blogging can sometimes bring out that negative little voice in my head – which is challenging!

What has been your most fun blog post to write?

I’m breaking the rules because I can’t pick just one!

One of my favorite posts to write was about my trials and tribulations about trying out for Master Chef last year. When it happened I was so sad, almost devastated. But after I thawed out I could finally see the humor in the situation.

The most fun I’ve ever had in relation to this blog – was the trip to King Arthur flour. I had so much fun learning to bake, and learning from a real instructor – my face hurt from smiling all day. Then when I made my own bread – alone in my kitchen, I felt like the King Arthur training really did its job to make me more comfortable baking.

The post I am most proud of is the one about my grandmother after she passed away in July. It was probably the hardest thing I had to write, but I think I did her proud. It felt like the right thing to do – since knowing & learning from her shaped a lot of what I do in the kitchen. I thought it was an appropriate tribute. If there had been blogging in her day, she would be giving Molly Wizenberg a run for her money!

Where do you see your blog this time next year?

Now that I’ve relocated to CT – I have so much more spare time. I hope that in a year, I’m posting a more frequently. Also I intend on using my blog and food to get to know my new surroundings.

Is there anything else about your blogging experience you would like to share?

When I started writing – it was just a journal of what I was creating in my own kitchen. I never imagined I would be going to VT to take baking classes, or attending special restaurant dinners or going to book signings to meet Joanne Chang or Amanda Hesser. These experiences have exposed me to new people, new methods, and new ingredients and have resulted in me being more outgoing in my own kitchen. And I also want to thank anyone who reads and comments. EVERYTIME I get a new comment I get SO excited. Keep ‘em coming!

You too could be a Friday Foodie Feature or a guest blogger! Email me for details! HAPPY NEW YEAR!