Cook Republic is 2! Holy moly, Guacamole! (In the words of Billy Law of A Table For Two and Masterchef Australia Season 3 fame.) Where has the time flown? A year ago when I sat down and finished writing my 1st anniversary post, I thought to myself; "Gosh! What an eventful year it has been! There is no way I am going to be able to top that!" Boy, was I wrong!
To those of you who are new to the party, I have been blogging for nearly seven years but Cook Republic is only two. And like a toddler, it is ready to leave my arms and explore the world on its unsteady but excited feet. The year that has gone by has been exciting beyond my wildest dreams. I have met some of my food heroes, evolved as a cook and photographer, relaxed as a blogger, won some recognition and truly affirmed my calling for the rest of my life. This year my boys are growing more confident in the kitchen, we are totally addicted to Masterchef, we are trying to conquer every farmer’s market that is out there, we are loving this earth more and trying to do out bit. Just like last year, I thought it would be fun to share some interesting facts, snippets and stories from the year that has been. I am also sharing lots of personal photos, a glimpse into our daily life, our adventures and sometimes the hilarity that ensues.
1. This anniversary post comes on the heels of my 300th post which was last week. This post also celebrates over 200 recipes on Cook Republic – cooked, styled, photographed and blogged. That is a lot of cooking.
2. The 2 Minute Nutella Mug Cake remains my most popular blog post to date with over 14,000 views. My top 10 most viewed posts on the blog have eight sweet posts and only two savoury. Thank you to all you sugar fiends!
3. This was the year I was invited to become a contributor to The Huffington Post’s Kitchen Daily section. The Huffington Post is one of America’s biggest online news networks and I am chuffed to be a part of it. My first post on The Huffington Post about sliders and their trend was a test post and went online last week. I am very excited to exercise serious food writing muscle on there in the future.
4. It was the year I was approached to write for two cookbooks, both of which are out next year with some of my recipes.
5. It was the year I was invited to be an ambassador for Malaysia Kitchen in Australia. It was an amazing experience to review local Malaysian restaurants and it reignited my love for Malaysian cuisine.
6. It was the year I was invited to a school kitchen garden community event, the brainchild of Australia’s cooking dansereau Stephanie Alexander. I had the pleasure of meeting her and asking her some questions about her food philosophy. It was inspiring and uplifting to be in the company of someone like her.
7. It was the year I was paired with maverick chef Darren Robertson at the Pyrmont Growers’ Markets as part of the Crave International Food Festival in Sydney. We were meant to cook as a team for patrons of the SIFF. That was also the day I met and spoke to Kylie Kwong. What a darling!
8. It was the year I did a feature on Heidi Swanson and her cookbook. Heidi posted links to some of the recipes I cooked on her blog 101 Cookbooks and they went viral. The Garlic & Quinoa Thyme Patties recipe has been pinned over 13,000 times on Pinterest; the most ever on CooK Republic!
9. One of the most poignant experiences of my life was the bread baking class at Brasserie Bread. It changed my life in a way I never thought it could. It affected me in a way I never thought it could. I later took Rivs for his first ever bread baking class and initiated his younger brother into baking a quick yeast bread at home.
10. This was the year we built a chook house! Our four darling chooks are nearly a year old. Mario, Luigi, Yoshi and Toad! While Mario and Luigi are borderline sane, Yoshi thinks she is a quail (judging from the size of her eggs) and Toad, the biggest Australorp of them all is one scaredly cat. But not more than me. I am still very much terrified of death by chickens.
11. It was the year I won an amazing award. It was the 2nd Eat Drink Blog Food Photography competition in Australia and I won it!
12. It was the year I became a recipe tester for Billy Law’s beautiful cookbook – Have You Eaten? (out in September 2012). I tested Billy’s beautiful twice cooked pork belly recipe and an authentic recipe for Otak Otak. If those recipes are any indication of what is in the book, I just cannot wait to get my hands on it!
13. In the last year Cook Republic had 10 awesome giveaways.
14. It was the year I met some of my favourite Masterchef Australia contestants – Billy Law, Alvin Quah, Adam Liaw (funny as! love his witty humour.), Hayden Quinn (this guy absolutely rocks! more about him in a detailed post.), Callum Hann, Julie Goodwin, Marion Grasby and Jimmy Seervai.
15. A *food groupie squeal* moment at Masterchef Dining was when I was introduced as the blogger from Cook Republic and Adam Liaw said "Aah yes, I know your blog!"
16. It was the year I attended my first food conference and met so many lovely people. In a heart to heart with Peter G (Souvlaki For The Soul) and Simon Park (The Heart Of Food) I learnt so much about photography. Simon even let me tout his heavy heavy gorgeous beast of a camera.
17. It was the year I built my food styling arsenal from a meagre 20 pieces to over 400 pieces, slowly and steadily.
18. And for the very first time – I went camping and cooked on an open fire. I went apple picking. I was succesful at baking macarons. I went on an urban walkabout. I cooked with quinoa. I had dipping dots ice cream. I cooked for my hens. I let my boys have free reign in the kitchen. I bought a Kitchenaid. I bounced on a trampoline. I climbed up a lighthouse. I picked freshly laid eggs. I grew a micro herb garden. I had a cupcake-birthday-cake for my birthday.
At the end of this trip down memory lane, I want to send a shout out to all of you who read my constant chatter both on the blog and all the social networks, to all of you who take the time out to email to tell me that my recipes worked (and that they failed), to all those who comment on my posts. You are awesome and I am grateful for you (yes, you Eha! and you Petra! and you Rosa! and you Kankana! and you Chinmayie! and you Laura! and you Nash!). A shout out also to some old and some new inspirations/favourites along my journey – Frankie Magazine, Jamie Oliver, Kinfolk, Pinterest, What Katie Ate, A Thought For Food, Monday Morning Cooking Club, Delicieux, Foodie Crush, Roost, Pure Vege, White On Rice Couple, Bakers Royale, Not Quite Nigella, Chocolate Suze, Always With Butter, Herriott Grace, Bonnie Tsang, Cannelle Et Vanille, La Tartine Gourmande, Eat Drink Chic, Donna Hay, Elephantine, Hardie Grant, Naturally Ella, Design Love Fest, Happy Yolks, Orange You Lucky, Green Kitchen Stories, Eat The Love, Call Me Cupcake, The Design Files, Hungry Ghost Food And Travel, Oh Joy, Chantelle Grady, Love And Lemons.
Here is to the next year!
xx
Happy Blogiversary and to many more! Wow, what an eventful year.
Cheers,
Rosa
What a wonderful year you have had! Wishing you many more deliriously happy writing & ‘foodie’ years ahead. Haooy Blogiversary!
Thanks for some old memories and so many new ones! Thanks for sharing your journey! It’s an inspiring tale! The warmest congratulations on all your achievements and roll out the third year of your blog! We can’t wait 🙂 ! And, almost above all, thanks for sharing your beautiful family with us who read and enjoy your posts . . .
You are very welcome Eha! I hope you saw the little note of “thanks” I have given you in the post 🙂
Surely yes: it is bounced straight back with a big smile, beautiful lady 🙂 !
First of all, Congrats for the wonderful year and then wishes for many such more!
What an ispiring year you have had, and even more inspiring is your blog. Thanks for shring the story! 🙂
Happy 2nd Bloggiversary! It sure happened a lot in 2 years! Good to see you turning into a full time blogger and making a living out of it too! Bravo!
Happy happy Blog Anniversary Sneh! You’ve got a great space here and looking forward to seeing what year 3 bring on!
You have had quite the year! And yay for blog anniversaries! I can’t believe you’ve only been doing this for 2 years. You’re such a pro!
Thank you so much for the truly kind mention. I’m honored and delighted to “know” you. One day we will meet in person!
Whoa Sneh-that is one awesome list of Masterchef contestants!Hats off to you!!Congrats on your 2nd bloggiversary!
I hopped into your blog through your Nutella Butter Cake-yet to try it though.Will do,very soon!
Happy 2nd bloggerversary and congratulations on what was a fantastic year! Here’s to the next two years! x
Happy Birthday to your blogging efforts. I love reading Cook Republic. Your recipes and photography are a great source of inspiration to keep learning about food and making recipes at home/trying new things. Looking forward to reading more.
Sarah aka. Lamb
lamb411.com
Hi Sneh, congratulations on a fun-filled, successful year. I’ve been following your journey for almost as long as 2 years and have enjoyed every minute of it. Your photos have been inspiring too. Here’s to year 3 indeed!
Simply LOVED this post… I couldn’t stop smiling while reading through it 🙂
You are such an amazing inspiration to me! I still remember coming across your blog for the first time and being completely in see of your photography… and today when I saw my name here on the post i feel totally honored.
Congratulations for all your achievements and blog anniversary. Looking forward to knowing you and your blog for many many more years.
Gosh Sneh! You are gorgeous and one talented lady I know in this world. I wish to meet you someday and learn from you. (((HUGS))) on accomplishing all these mile stones and I know next year would be rocking as well. I can’t wait to get my hands on your book and you know how much I love your garden and backyard.
Beautifully written posts and thanks a bunch for the mention. Happy 2nd Birthday to Cook Republic! Keep growing and keep smiling 🙂
Great work Sneh – Wishes for a fabulous innings ahead ! Cheers
Congrats for completing such wonderful years of blogging successfully..looking forward for many more.
Congratulations on achieving so much in such a short span of time! It’s so inspiring:) Here’s to many such anniversaries and experiences in the years to come. Cheers!
Wow, loved reading your list. Must say your boys are so cute, I see naughtiness in their eyes. I have a boy and can imagine your days with 2 boys at home and with all that running around, your blog is so magical. What an accomplishment in 2 years. Would love to hear more about your book and waiting to try your recipes. Happy 2nd Birthday to Cook Republic!
Happy blogoversary and congratulations on all your achievements. Its certainly been a great year so here’s wishing you all the best and more in Year 3 ahead, Sneh.
Congrats on your blogiversary, and all those amazing accomplishments! 🙂
Congratulations Sneh for all you’ve accomplished and Very Happy Birthday to Cook Republic! This is a lovely post and looking forward to many more in the coming year!
aww cheers for the shoutout and wooohoooo happy blogiversary! here’s to many more delicious years to come!
Happy birthday, Sneh. Love your blog!
i love this post sneh especially the chicken photos, good for you, heres to the next 2 years x
Happy Blogiversary! So glad I discovered your great talent :).
that IS an eventful year, or couple years, you had there for sure. congrats sneh! i am in sydney for a week and have been referring back to some of your posts for ideas on what props i can pick up here 🙂
Happy Birthday CookRepublic! Looking forward to many more great photos, exciting recipes and stories over the next year.
Congrats on the milestones and cheers for many more to come!
You have a beautiful family, Sneh 🙂
Happy Birthday cookrepublic…a realy love your blog ?
Congrats and thanks for your posts, your blog is a pleasure to follow.
WOW! What a year it has been for you! It’s so amazing to read of all your marvelous achievements and adventures. Here’s to the third year! What a sneaky shot of Karen and I; it was a pleasure to finally meet you 🙂
What a year you’ve had! Congratulations on all that you’ve achieved this year. Most deserved. Looking forward to seeing what you’ll be dishing up next year!
Happy BIrthday Cook Republic!!!!
Looking forward to many many years of deliciousness and beautiful post n photography…
Congrats to you Sneh, for such lovely blog and milestones…
Wishing you all the luck n success!!
Congratulations Sneh! Not only for two years of amazing blogging, but on your publishing deals, both online and print based.
You are a constant inspritation not only to me, but so many. Can’t wait to see what the next year brings 🙂
What a beautiful and an inspiring post! A BIG congratulations on all those achievements….its so wonderful!
Wow, what a wonderful year you’ve had Sneh! Congratulations on your Kitchen Daily and cookbook work, how exciting! You definitely deserve it. I’m sure there are many wonderful things to come in the year ahead.
And I was so touched to have been included.
Congratulations again!
Congrats!!! Many, many, many more to come!
Happy Bloggerversary Sneh! I like the way you listed your achievements and your goals…really well done! It was fun talking to you at the conference last year and thank,for the shout out! Keep up the blogging!
Congrats for your 2nd blogiversary! Stay rock and keep cooking!
You have motivated us to do the same outlining targets for our next birthday!
Happy blogiversary!
Wow Sneh!!! you got to hang out with the Masterchef guys!! and recipe test for Billy’s cookbook! Too cool! and so many, many other things! Yay for you! 🙂 Happy Bloggerversary! and here’s to many many more! with the stuff you post, i remain an ardent faithful sugar friend! 🙂
Hehehe, what a sneaky shot of me! Love it! Happy bloggoversary Sneh! I’m sure our paths will cross again at some random food event 😉 xx
Happy Blogiversary Sneh! I remember when we first met at the Brasserie Bread class – what a wonderful day.
Your blog is one of the most beautiful and creative I’ve seen – I love your work! 😀
Congratulations Sneh. I loved this recap post. You have achieved so much in such a short span. Well done!
Your blog has come a long way in such a short amount of time. Congratulations for your blog’s 2nd anniversary.
happy blogiversary! it was such an awesome year with all you’ve achieved and done! hope to read more! 🙂