Saturday, February 04, 2006

One Hot Stove turns ONE!

This weekend marks the first birthday of my li'l baby blog...aww, they grow so fast :) I can hardly believe that it has been a full year since I started writing about food. I'm not kidding when I say that food blogging has changed my life in ways I never imagined. The most important one for me personally is that it has lowered my happiness threshold. The simplest thing is now enough to make me absolutely joyful: a food-photo that comes out well, a souffle that rises, a thoughtful comment left on a post. When you start finding happiness in small everyday things, well, what more does one need?
birthday
I celebrated today by making some cupcakes. One fun thing about food blogging is that you are right in the midst of all the foodie trends. A few months ago, the self-frosting cupcake craze swept the food blogging world but I never did get around to making them. Today, I used Nic's amazing recipe to make Nutella cupcakes. The taste was exquisite! Thanks, Nic, for sharing this recipe. It yielded 36 mini-cupcakes, rich and delicious with a dreamy hazelnut-chocolate taste. I hate the usual frosting on cupcakes (way too sugary!) so this is perfect for me. See how I am learning from my fellow bloggers? The beautiful cross-stitched towel under the cupcakes is a loving blog birthday gift from my friend SR; her mom-in-law hand-crafted it (such amazing work!). It will be used often!

Also, as part of my celebration, I ordered three One Hot Stove calendars from Shutterfly...one each for my parents, V's parents and my aunt Yoma. Each month has a picture from the blog. Ordering these calendars made me a bit sheepish when I realized that it took me a whole year to get about 12 half-decent pictures!! Nevertheless, all my favorites, such as the dal poster, apple roses etc. are there and I am really amazed and excited by the quality of the prints. This is what they look like:
calendars
I have so many people that I want to thank for this whole past year, please bear with me: The first is V, who cheers me on in whatever I undertake (and I have a new obsession every six weeks approximately). V enjoys trying new flavors and loves every single thing I make. He is my biggest PR agent and unpaid sous chef. What more can a food blogger ask for in a significant other? I should not fail to mention our puppy dog, Dale, who often makes guest appearances on this blog, and who loves to sit on the kitchen floor and supervise me as I cook. He has refined taste and loves a bit of freshly-grated parmesan on his kibbles.

Then my friends, including M, my best friend and staunchest supporter; SR, who is also my colleague and often the only entity standing between me and insanity; LO, who has the enthusiasm of a stadium-full of yankee fans; LK, who often drops in to taste and review the latest dessert being made. My friends eat my humble food and act like they are dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant. They willingly sign up as guinea pigs for the latest experiment in my kitchen. They ask "Did you take a picture?" before they cut into a casserole or cake. There are some things money can't buy. My friends are my ferrari.

My family...my parents are both incredibly creative people, and tireless in taking on new projects all the time. My earliest childhood memories are of them baking and icing amazing birthday cakes (a merry-go-round, a swimming pool, a summer hat...). My aunt Yoma in India and T in upstate NY are avid readers of the blog and always encourage my fledgeling writing efforts.

My fellow food bloggers: you inspire and amaze me with your amazing writing and delicious recipes, thank you for being my teachers and friends. This close-knit community of folks all over the world, cooking and eating together, can there be anything more wonderful? If ever there was a means to world peace, this is it. It is such a welcoming and gracious community...I would never have started my blog if not for the encouragement from a certain someone...Cathy, this means you!

Finally, and most importantly, all the readers who give me a reason for blogging. To those who take the time to write thoughtful comments and e-mails with tips, feedback and plain old encouragement...thank you! I cannot believe my good luck when I get mails saying that some recipe worked and became part of someone's celebration. One Hot Stove is grateful for all that love.

42 comments:

  1. I am so happy and proud to be the first person to congratulate you on your blogversary! *YAY* and manny more very happy ones to come :)
    xxx
    Clare

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations! I've enjoyed reading your site over these past months. In fact, thanks to your post about sprouting lentils (http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2005/06/primer-on-sprouting-lentils.html) I've begun sprouting lentils every week and they've become a new staple in my cooking. Thanks Nupur!

    Hey, I've even gotten more adventurous and tried sprouting lots of other things, including fenugreek, so if you know any yummy recipes for zesty fenugreek sprouts, please share them, too!

    Thanks for sharing your passion for food with the rest of us!

    ReplyDelete
  3. hey nup,
    Many happy returns of the day for your blog. It is really looking good and I loved the way your calendars look.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wishing a very happy first birthday and a long, long life to One Hot Stove! This must be such a joyful occasion for you.
    Thanks for sharing all your lovely creations with us. I agree about the calendars; they look lovely. What a neat idea! Cheers :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congratulations, Nupur! Happy Birthday, One Hot Stove! I have cooked 'Chavli Curry' today to celebrate this special occasion and it has turned out fantastic. It will definitely be on the menu now whenever I want to entertain people, which is something I love doing. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
    By the way, I tried out your 'Sunshine Oatmeal' on Friday for my 14-month-old daughter. I knew she would like it as soon as I read the recipe. And did she love it!! Instead of adding sugar to it, I mixed it with one of those bottled fruit purees that we get here in Germany. I have never been to the US, but I am sure one gets those there too. I highly recommend it to all parents with toddlers. It is both healthy and delicious. Once again, thank you Nupur for sharing the recipe.
    By the way, thanks for the suggestion in one of your last posts that I should start writing my own blog. I'd love to perhaps in future, but at the moment, 'T' is for 'Toilet Training'.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nupur,
    Congratulations on your first blogversary. The calendar is such a lovely idea, and what a pretty cross-stitched towel. And you are right about the food-blogging community - there's so much goodwill among them.

    Looking forward to more recipes from One Hot Stove.

    Faffer

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nupur, congratulations on completing a year! As a novice to food blogging, I tire myself trying to take good photos, write interesting posts and make the dish all together! I appreciate your efforts in doing this unfailingly for 12 months!!! Love the calendar idea. Identify with the 'lower threshold theory'! Keep it up

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congratulations Nupur! What a really lovely post - such a fitting way to mark the first year of a great blog. You are so sweet to give me any credit at all, but I'm sure any other food blogger would have done the same for you. I consider myself lucky that our paths crossed!

    Having those calendars made is such a good idea!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Kudos to you, Nupur!
    Here's to an amazingly-fun/delicious last year and to oodles more in the year/years to come!

    you're recipes have always been so innovative, relatively easy-to-prepare, and always unbelieveable to eat (except when they involve mushrooms! ;))

    love always,
    l

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congratulations Nupur, AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO " ONE HOT STOVE", i love ur blog.though iam a maharashtrian i have never tried any maharashtrian recipe, and i learnt a lot abt them from ur blog. Thanx for sharing the recipes with us. U have some great pics and some great recipes. Keep up ur good work.
    Tha calendar looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Happy, happy anniversary to One Hot Stove - and many more! I hope your interest never flags, and your generosity in sharing with your readers continues - it's a great gift. I love this blog, and have learned so much here in the few short weeks I have been reading. The Marathi cooking series is a gem, as this cuisine is not well known in the US.

    Thanks, and happy cooking.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy birthday to your blog. Nupur,you were among the people who inspired me to start blogging. Congrats to you and keep on blogging and inspiring us with your great recipes and pics.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congrats, congrats, congrats, and wishing you and your blog many many more happy returns of this day, Nupur :) Your blog is one of my absolute favourites - and the calendar idea was wonderful! Oh those apple roses, they looked so gorgeous... the photos were professional, the roses even MORE so!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Nupur,

    I tried out your Black Forest Cake on my friend's birthday and it came out perfect! Your instructions were very easy to follow.

    I am going to try Usal/Misal next :)

    ~Best Wishes,
    Aryam

    ReplyDelete
  15. hey nupur,
    happy birthday to "one hotstove"! checking the blog has become a weekly event for me in addition to grocery, laundry... (well now you get the idea) :) its an amazing site and even more amazing is how you've kept it up all this time. here's wishing one hot stove, you and all the people involved with this in some way a great year ahead!
    love, shoots:)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Nupuria,

    your mouth watering delicacies have helped me through countless long runs on weekends and of couse, food only gets better when you can share it - so when is the next time you need a guinea pig? my heartiest best wishes to a your long journey into the land of sweets, sours, bitters and umami,

    love

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy blogiversary, Nupur! Wonderfully written post - and I hope to continue to see them for a long time to come.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hello Nupur.
    Congrats on the first b'day of your blog. I read your blog everyday, but haven't commented yet.. I tried your pav bhaji recipe and it came out great..
    Best wishes...
    Jessie.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Nupur,

    Congrats!! I check your blog regularly, and have tried a few recipes too - I esp. liked the pith-lavleli bhendi. Its been a hit at home. Here's wishing you all the very best blogging and a big thank you for sharing some great recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi Nupur
    And CONGRATULATIONS! Wow - can't believe it's been a year already... I totally agree with you about a blog lowering your threshold for happiness: a good picture or an experiment that turns out well, or even a special purchase from a hidden store can make me unreasonably excited ;-)
    Love the idea of the calendars using your food pics as well - very clever!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Congratulations Nupur! Here is wishing your blog many more years of beautiful pictures, interesting reads and inspiring ideas.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Congratulations ! The first time I across your blog was trying to find a recipe for Kothmir Vadi. I was totally impressed with your easy to follow steps. I have since tried your Quesedillas with Salsa Verde and Bhadang. Needless to say they turned out really well. Introduction of each recipe makes for an interesting reading and I really look forward to these. Here's wishing you many years of blogging.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Congratulations Nupur for turning one. Your blog has always been an inspiration to me and your writing, the best.
    Many contrats and best wishes for many more recipe filled anniversary celebrations.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Happy birthday 'One hot stove!' and congratulations Nupur!

    I enjoy your writing style and thoughtful entries!

    Wish you many many more happy returns of this day!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Nupur...
    My baby blog "TasteCorner" wishes your baby blog "One Hot Stove" a wonderful and a lovely Happy Birthday.....We wish you many more in the years to come....It was such a clever idea to get all your blog pictures in a calendar for the first year bday....The cross-stitch towel looks really pretty...

    ReplyDelete
  26. Nupur,
    Happy blog birthday! Not a food blogger but a definite foodie - and your blog is a wonderful gift to people like me!

    Made your Gobi Manchurian and Mushroom fried rice recipe this weekend - and they came out beautifully. Thank you.

    Priya.

    ReplyDelete
  27. hi nupur
    iam a regular at ur blog & it is the best.happy first birthday to ur blog & thanks for all those authentic recipes that u have shared on your blog & many of which have become a part of my everyday menu
    kasturi

    ReplyDelete
  28. Congratulations!
    I love your blog. Looking forward to many more delightful posts.
    Sandhya

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hearty Congratulations Nupur! so how does it feel to be One? ;o)

    Check my new domain at www.hookedonheat.com

    I do hope you stop by! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Happy birthday tooo yoooou
    happy birthday toooo yoooou
    haaappy biiiirthdaaay deeaaaar bloooooooooog
    haaappy biiiiirthday toooooooooo yoooooooooou!!!

    and here's to One Hot Stove, where we were all introduced to so many delicious creations!

    and I can assure you, there's no happier fate than being your guinea pig... I wish I could make it a career

    Wishing you (and us!) many happy years of food blogging,
    LK

    ReplyDelete
  31. dearest nupur, wow ! 3 of the youngest babes in our family are celebrating their b'days ..... dear manasvi, kimu, and the littlest one of all blog balu.
    all my blessings for this lil babe to grow strong and beautiful.......just like her mother.
    nupur , consistency in quality and regularity marks the success of any creative work. with your continued enthusiasm and absolute commitment you have proved to be a great mom, and that makes me a v v proud grand aunt indeed.
    the calender by far surpasses any of the treasures i own. i'm so so touched that you have actually kept 1 one of those absolute beauties for me.it shall always be 1 of my most prized possessions.thanx.
    mazya balala ani natvandala maze anek ashirwad. luv, yoma.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hi there,
    I've been reading your blog for quite some days now. Its AMAZING!!! Happy birthday!! Very well done and please keep them coming.
    Regards,
    Priyanka.
    PS: My blog:
    www.priyankajunnarkar.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi there,
    I've been reading your blog for quite some days now. Its AMAZING!!! Happy birthday!! Very well done and please keep them coming.
    Regards,
    Priyanka.
    PS: My blog:
    www.priyankajunnarkar.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  34. Happy blogaversary. A lovely post and a lovely blog.

    ReplyDelete
  35. How did I miss one hot stove's anniversary? So glad to see your increasing enthusiasm day by day. Yes, blogging has made our year 2005. My Dhaba is just a 3-month-old baby now :-) Long way to go for us together Nupur.

    Nupur - hope you have already noticed the virtual cooking competition invitation at My Dhaba. If not, just give it a look please.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Happy Birthday One Hot Stove !!. You are always a pleasure to read! Its unfortunate though, that my keyboard needs cleaning everytime, after i read you.
    Brilliant one Nupur!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Congrats on your anniversary! My happiness threshold was just lowered by reading your post. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for leaving a comment- I try to respond to every single one.