Food52-One Year Anniversary Today

One year ago today I discovered Food52, for any of you who have never heard of it (hard to believe) it is in my opinion the best food website ever. I joined immediately, my cooks name is sdebrango, but lurked for a while trying to get the lay of the land so to speak. I saw that there were recipe contests, found that intriguing and I also saw a vibrant community of cooks that created recipes and cheered each other on, commenting on recipes, encouraging and offering critique’s and praise. I will never forget the first contest I entered, The recipe you want to be remembered for, my submission was for my Thanksgiving dressing. I had never written a recipe before and like so many cooks didn’t measure because it was like second nature and I didn’t have to measure. I was a little disappointed that my first submission received no comments but I chalked it up to the fact that I was new on the site, no one knew me and honestly my recipe was not very well written. I persevered, volunteering to test recipes for Editors picks, commenting on recipes and eventually I began conversations with other cooks and I felt like I was home. I was having fun, my love of cooking was reinvigorated, my creative juices were flowing and I loved every minute of it. I will never forget the first time a recipe of mine was actually picked and tested by the editors, I felt like I won the lottery, and when I won the contest for “Best Flank Steak Recipe” with my Flank Steak on Texas Toast and Chimichurri” I could barely contain my excitement and knowing my recipe will be published in the second food52 cookbook is an honor.  Food52 is the brilliant vision of Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, how wonderful to start a website that embraces the home cook and creates a welcoming, environment where we can learn and be creative.  I have learned so much, technique, terms, recipe writing, food photography(still a work in progress), thanks to the food52 community. I won’t bore you by blathering on and on but I was compelled to post this today because for me finding food52 was the beginning of a new journey. Without food52 and the encouragement of my friends I never would have started a food blog, So on this, my one year anniversary of joining food52 I just wanted to express my thanks to Amanda and Merrill and my dear friends and fellow cooks for your guidance and encouragement. I wanted to thank everyone by name but the list is way too long, Thank you to everyone!

Food52 potluck party at my house

The spread