Life Lessons from BlogHer Food 2011

Life lessons from a food blogger conference?  Stick with me... I think you'll find a few nuggets of wisdom.

I've had a few days back from BlogHer Food in Atlanta to unwind/recover/think about the trip.    I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to attend a conference with a group of truly diverse, talented, energetic, intelligent and savvy women and men (yes, there were a number!)   You can pretty much throw any stereotype you may have of a 'blogger' right out the window.   Definitely not one size fits all.  

500 bloggers with interests (and locations) all over the map.   Baking, travel, history, politics, unique dietary lifestyles, the environment... it was all there.   If you can think of it, someone has a passion for it and is writing about it.   I'm still working my way through a stack of business cards trying to tie it all together.   So much squeezed into two short days.   Focused learning intermingled with socializing and a constant growing "to-do" list of ideas to incorporate back at home.

Being surrounded by so much talent is incredibly energizing and empowering and at the same time very overwhelming.  I focused my personal agenda on the topics of photography and writing, with a sprinkling of technology and marketing.  I arrived home mentally drained after two packed days.

I met several bloggers who are establishing their blogs now and applaud them loudly for their decision to learn before doing.   I took a different path.  My personality requires that I jump in feet (or head) first (minus the floaties).  I had no idea conferences like this even existed.   If you are a blogger, new or old, thinking about attending, just do it.   For a newbie, I'll admit, it is a little intimidating at first, but I remind myself that newbies attract other newbies and no one really wants to be alone.

I didn't get to see too much of Atlanta.  I dined with the very talented Jes from Urban Sacred Garden (check out her blog... beautiful in so many ways...) and field tripped it to the Sweet Auburn Market one afternoon.   While brief, I enjoyed my time in this southern city and ate (entirely) too much.    Sigh.

This urban market was a visual feast, brimming with pork products, iridescent blue crab, BBQ, ground on site burgers, uniquely flavored popsicles and all kinds of vibrant fruits and vegetables.  A great outing if you find yourself in Atlanta with time to spare.  Bonus points if you like Yellow Root Tea.   There was lots of it.  (extra bonus points if you can tell me what it is.)

I'll leave you with a few lessons learned that I hope you will find useful as well:

Learn light.   Learn dark.
Be you.   Authentically you.
Everyone starts somewhere, usually at the beginning.
You are your own brand.
Dive right in.
Be active, not passive.
Use your senses, all your senses.
Edit yourself.   Less is usually more.
Tell your story.   Listen to other people's stories.
Ask questions, lots of questions.
Life is a series of chapters.
Be unique, but figure out when you need to color within the lines.
Get closer to the source.
Change starts at home.
Get a little mad sometimes.
Be the King (or Queen) of your household.
Simplicity is good, but sometimes messiness can be very effective.
Strive to be an artist.
Try new things.
Practice, practice, practice.

PS - In case you are wondering, that's a "Soul Roll" in the first picture.    Think lots of southern things stuffed into a freshly fried egg roll.    I hear it got good reviews.

What life lessons have you picked up in unexpected places? 

Culinary Risk Taking

Do you have a list?

You know the one.

The "list of everything I need to do/accomplish/attempt before 'x'" (insert age of 30, death, baby, marriage or any other significant life milestone).

We all have them.  Some lists may be more organized than others.   Mine is filed away mentally, although I am seriously considering putting it down on paper one of these days.   For two reasons, one, because my memory just isn't what is used to be and two, because if you put it down on paper, then somehow, it is more real.   Besides, then you get to check stuff off of it and this is (almost) the best part.

My list is long.   It has many things on it.   I've been hacking away at it this past year.   Some items are big, some not so big.   All are things I'd like to give a shot.

Today's post isn't about the big things.    Not the skydiving, flame eating, swimming with sharks or public karaoke singing variety.   (I lie, none of these are on the list.   John's maybe, not mine.)

It is about a small little portion of the list, a tiny corner reserved especially for culinary risk taking.    You may laugh, but I am serious.   I have a list of things that I have always been a little timid to try.   (too many ingredients, challenging technique, just darn impossible, etc.).   Most of recipes definitely require a little time, a luxury which I have actually had this past year.    

I have been slowly but surely working through my list.   Some items I will make public, many I will not, some are still in hold status, requiring a true bout of courage.

(Macaron anyone?  I will conquer these ... someday.)

So when John came home before the holidays and announced that he needed  a gift for the office... like, tomorrow, (Is this what it is like to have kids?  If so, sigh...), a little brain child appeared that softly whispered to me.... "Make Caramel.   (Preferably caramel squares wrapped in an outer layer of soft pillowy marshmallow.)"

Huh?

First, I've never made caramel in my life.   Wait, I've never made candy in my life.   But it is on the mental list and I suppose there is no time like the present and I'm sure John's office won't mind being guinea pigs (yet again).

Did I mention that I do not have a candy thermometer? (Warning One - Please do not try making caramel at home without one. I had no idea what I was delving into.)

Caramel making is a tedious process.    It requires time and lots of patience.   Lots of time.   Lots of patience.    Slowly (slowly) but surely the little list of sweet and buttery ingredients will transform itself into what is was always intended to be.    (Warning Two - You WILL get sick if you "taste test" too much of this stuff.    I am like a little kid with sugar.   Too much is never a good thing.  Trust me on this.)

In the end, we had a lovely little gift of individually parchment wrapped caramels for the office.     I am skipping all of the steps in the middle, because my point here is really about risk taking, not the recipe.     The quote I can never remember but that would apply here is the one about if you keep doing the same things over and over again, you will keep getting the same results.    And one of my favorites, what's the worst that will happen that if you try and fail?  

(PS - If you are wondering, huge fail in the marshmallow wrapping.   Huge.   Disgusting in fact.   I'll leave that to your imagination.  Also, incredibly fun to clean up.)

You can apply the lessons above to the little things, in this case, culinary risk taking in the form of a small adventure in caramel, or you can apply them to the big things.   As an added bonus, a little success in the way of small things will go a long way in giving you a little extra courage for the big things.

Besides, all of this gives me a nice little answer to those that ask me what I do on my days at home.   Culinary risk taking has a nice ring to it, I think.    Kind of even makes it sounds important.

So throw caution to the wind and give "it" a shot!    What's next on YOUR list?