FFF: Beantown Baker

Enough snow for ya? I think I have officially had enough. It’s not really the cold or snow that bother me, per se, it is the conditions of the sidewalks and the inability for Boston’s public transport to work, even in the best of weather. It makes running outside impossible and going out at night less than attractive. I am 100% ready for spring, so if the universe is listening, no more snow in Boston, please.

Since I have been baking more and more these days, I am excited to feature Jen from the blog Beantown Baker for today’s Friday Foodie Feature. I met Jen briefly at this summer’s Stop & Shop luncheon, and since I got to spend more time with her on the big King Arthur Flour blogger weekend, I thought the below photo was appropriate. Most recently, I saw Jen at the Guinness dinner at the Landsdowne Pub and realized that I hadn’t featured her yet. I don’t know how that happened! Her blog is full of beautiful photos and delicious dishes, but what I love most about it is, of course, her baking. She makes bakery-worthy treats that are beyond my wildest baking dreams. You may have already checked her blog out, but if you haven’t, make sure to visit Jen’s favorite post, mentioned below.

Happy Friday, everyone! And don’t forget, if you would like to be a Friday Foodie Feature, just send me an email!

How long have you been blogging?

I started Beantown Baker in August of 2007. In the beginning I didn’t blog regularly, and you couldn’t schedule posts on Blogger so my posting was sporadic at best. After three and a half years, I’ve gotten into a groove and post on a more regular basis.

What is your favorite thing about blogging? Least favorite?

Choosing one thing as a favorite about blogging is tough. Really tough. So I’m picking three favorite things. First of all, I’m very proud of the progress I’ve made not only in my cooking and baking skills but also my photography skills. If you look back at some of my old posts, I used a lot of shortcuts (including cake mix from a box!) that I would never use now. I’ve also tackled my fear of yeast because of my blog. Now I am proud to admit that yeast doesn’t scare me at all anymore. My photos have also improved. Not only in the food styling and composition but I’ve come to realize the importance of natural light on my photos. I’ve always said that my blog is for me and it’s been a great ride so far.

Another thing I love about blogging is hearing from my readers. When I started my blog, I didn’t expect to ever get comments or emails from readers. Every time I get one, I get very excited and try to write everyone back who writes to me. I love to hear what my readers enjoy or what they’d like to see more of.

And the last thing I love most about blogging is meeting other bloggers. Boston has a great blogging community and it’s fun to meet other people who “get” this crazy little hobby of mine.

As far as my least favorite part of blogging, that has to be the mean-spirited people out there. Whether they’re leaving nasty comments or whatever the case is, they’re no fun. I know you’ll find them anywhere on the internet, but it’s not cool.

What has been your most fun blog post to write?

These are tough questions Meghan! For me, the writing isn’t the fun part, it’s the fun in the kitchen that I enjoy the most. My favorite post therefore is something that I love to make. You see, I have an unhealthy love of Oreos. I really try not to eat processed foods, but if there are Oreos nearby, I can’t control myself (so we never have them in the house). I had made a couple variations of a cookies and cream cupcake and finally developed my own version of an Oreo Cupcake (http://www.beantownbaker.com/2010/04/oreo-cupcakes-third-time-is-charm.html). It’s by far the favorite cupcake in our household and it’s one of very few desserts that I have made multiple times. I enjoyed baking these cupcakes and taking some photos during the process. If you like Oreos, I highly recommend trying this recipe out. You can thank me later 😉

Where do you see your blog this time next year?

This time a year ago, I hadn’t met any other bloggers and could not have guessed that I would call some other bloggers friends at this point in time. This time next year, I just hope that I’m still challenging myself in the kitchen, learning when I’m behind the camera, and having fun with my blog.

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

I feel very fortunate to have found a hobby that I’m truly passionate about. As I mentioned, I never imagined that I would have opportunities to try new things and meet new people just because I write a blog, but I’m so grateful that I have these opportunities.