Ultimate Vanilla Cake

Today, we are celebrating.

So I baked a cake.

We’re observing a very important milestone in our house. Ciao Chow Bambina (CCB), turns 100 posts old today! As I think back over the past seven months I realize CCB has been around for many special milestone moments! It’s been a presence and has shined a light on so many of my favorite memories.

CCB has done many things…it has encouraged me to delve into my favorite old cookbooks, it has nudged me to get up-close and personal with some of my favorite chefs and challenging recipes, and it has taught me about domains and gravatars, themes and widgets, dashboards and plugins.

 

 

Ciao Chow Bambina forces me to consider depth of field and composition, lighting and reflectors, styling and props.

 

 

It has literally exposed me to a whole new world. Are you hearing Aladdin too?

I knew when I started CCB that it would be an adventure. I began with no preconceived notions about where this might go, I just wanted to make food, take pictures, and tell stories. And, oh yeah, maybe build a little traffic along the way…

 

 

I have come to learn that although building an audience is important, my most important outcomes (to date) result from the process of building Ciao Chow Bambina. For example, it’s my focus on producing a quality piece, it’s my openness to learning from “the greats”, it’s my awareness of the joy I experience while creating something from nothing, that are the things that give meaning to my work.

When I first started tracking my stats on Google Analytics, back in April, not a day went by that I didn’t check to see if people were tuning in, and where they were tuning in from. I remember getting my first reader from Italy, I was so excited, and I wouldn’t shut up about it. And yes, perhaps I was a little annoying. I’m sure the folks whose ear I was bending, were like, “Okay – 34 unique visitors today and one was from Italy…very nice, nowwwww let’s move on.”

I realize my behavior reflected that of my children (from way back in the day), who, when trying something new, would look to Dom and me for affirmation, they’d check in to see if what they were doing was acceptable or not. And they’d keep looking until we satisfied their need for information. So I guess I was looking to Google Analytics for that same kind of affirmation. I don’t check in as often these days…maybe once a week…and I don’t barrage people anymore either, except Dom, and maybe the kids…but that’s it.

One thing that I love about blogging is that it shines a light on the ‘power of now’. Though some of my stories force me to look into my past, the act of writing {about these stories} means staying in the present. I can’t get too caught up in wondering about the future, either, because the act of food blogging requires that I stay focused on the moment (or else cookies would burn, steaks would get tough, souffles would deflate…). I mean, when I’m into it, there is no time to get all caught up in other things; things that are not of this very moment, and I tell you what – it has helped – a lot. It would have been easy for me to get all stuck in the past and all emotional over the fact that my kids are grown and moving on, but when I have fluffy rice to perfect, or chicken divan to assemble, it’s just better to do these things with undivided attention…

 

 

Does this mean that Dom and I don’t reminisce about raising the kids or spend time speculating on where they might land or where our future might take us? Of course not, it just means that things are balanced.

 

 

I like balance.

 

 

Speaking of balance…this cake that you’re looking at, fell out of balance as I was photographing it causing it to topple over. What you cannot see is the backside of the cake where there is a chunk missing.

 

 

It was a sight….slow motion… Luckily, I caught it in such a way that most of it remained in tact allowing me to photograph its prettiest side.

 

 

My hunch is, if this were a post from an earlier time, say May, I probably would have scrapped the whole thing, baked a new cake, and started over. But through experience, I have learned that the show can go on.

 

 

That with some strategic placement, creative frosting, and thinking outside the box, our subject could take its place in the spotlight. Ciao Chow Bambina taught me this.

 

So, my friends, I hope if you have anything to celebrate, anything at all, you’ll bake yourself a cake and relish in the lessons of your life! Have fun!

Thank you for joining me in my adventure!

Buon Appetito!

Ciao!

*Recipe for Ultimate Vanilla Cake from Food Network.