Popular, 2009
Dec 12th, 2009 by Marilyn
Popular: we discussed that idea last year, what it meant to a frustrated mom and her twelve year old girl, in the 2008 Simmer review. At the time I was stunned by our rookie junior high kid’s new habit of throwing that word around and believing it might be true. My daughter spent her first year of junior high as most adolescents do, stuck in middle-ground fog and testing friends like mirrors, tilting them this way and that way to see if they catch themselves. Now halfway through second year she likes what she likes, and what she likes is herself, fiercely discovering music and ripping her jeans in, you know, a pattern all her own. She’s settled into a happy little group now, smart independent girls who just happen to flock together. They all agree but, as Josie says, they do not have to agree.
For my part, I spent some time over the year exploring the full landscape of food blogs. I examined them all and eventually came to read success fast, to immediately sniff out where and why a blog had it going on. Clearly food blog readers throng to sites with recipes, scads of recipes, preferably daily recipes. It seemed that I should get Simmer to act like a real food blog – as in smile, Simmer, don’t you want everyone to like you?
I attended a huge Chicago-area high school with nearly five thousand students, 1,200 in my graduating class alone. A place where freshmen might consider popularity for a month, then throw up their hands and do their own thing. You could drown in that ocean or you could shake out your dozen good friends, and share awful pizza in the lunch room, and put your laughing heads together against the crowd.
No, I would not make Simmer dress like a real food blog. It’s crowded, these voice-filled corners on the web. Why be anyone else? When we tell Josie “be yourself” we mean it, and what’s more she believes it; it seems I should follow and let Simmer grow its own quiet way.
With that I give you the ten top-viewed posts of 2009. Of course numbers don’t tell the whole story; I’d like to think every post has a few friends, cookie bakers, dog lovers, people who don’t mind rambling. Something you enjoyed didn’t make the cut? Wave its flag in the comments and thank you, kind readers, for hanging around another year. You’re a loyal, compassionate bunch of true individuals, and I’m so pleased to share at your table.
1. Retriever Retriever, Pumpkin Eater A staggering number of people tuned into the year’s top post, in which Cleo’s upset stomach leads to pumpkin-brown rice flour biscuits.
2. Upside-Down Tomato Basil Bread In which unlikely sticky-bun logic worked magic on bread and summer tomatoes.
3. Sweet and Low: Caramelized Banana French Toast Josie’s oral surgery, a sweet reason to share this challah-soft treat.
4. French Onion Cider Soup: Take Care Technically from December, 2008, this soup brought warmth home after my father’s funeral, and readers kept it gathering steam all year.
5. Two-Bite Jam Tarts: By Any Other Name Are they tarts, or are they cookies? Munching flaky cream cheese dough and marmalade, it doesn’t really matter.
6. Ginger Peach Pandowdy The tale of one messed-up peach dessert leading to another, plus the word “pandowdy” and how it rings like Kansas.
7. The Secret Life of Oven Mitty I say goodbye to a trusty oven mitt, and kitchen puppetry ensues.
8. Shallot Surprise: Raspberry Basil Caprese The shallot that looked like a mouse, and a surprisingly good salad.
9. The Baker’s Alphabet Words and pictures started way back for baby Josie get completed for an expectant friend.
10. Moms Will Be Moms, But Judy is Forever I was happy to see a not-quite-food-post make the list – a personal favorite, it’s the story of a forbidden book, a drunken divorcee, and Wiener Wraps.
It was a good year. Wish you and your family the best.
Ha! I’m proud to say that I read each of these posts the first time around. Do be yourself, Simmer, that’s why we love you!
Your description of New Trier reminds me of how overwhelming it all was. Hunkering down was the only way to survive!
Happy Hanukkah!
I love your blog; thanks for all the posts!
P.S. I made the dog biscuits and they were a big hit.
It is very telling that just scrolling down the list gave me goosebumps as I remembered reading each one. I will say that The Baker’s Alphabet is my number one favorite, followed by Judy Blume
I will also say that I think the numbers got it right this time… those are most of my favorites! I still day dream about that damn upside down tomato bread, which I still haven’t made. Drat!
Happy Hanukkah, my beautiful friend. Thank you for creating a place I can come to when I’m feeling blue, when I’m bubbling over with joy, when I’m looking for inspiration, or when I’m just needing company. That is your best recipe of the year.
Love your roundup. Reminds of all the things I had every intention of making this year, but DID NOT!
Sigh…
I think the banana French toast will be my New Year’s resolution.
Happy Hanukkah to you and your family!
Wonderful Marilyn, thank you for a Super-Hanukkah present, when I don’t even celebrate Hanukkah: 8+2 gifts that I greedily opened all at one time. These are the benefits of being a recently arrived fan: I get to discover for the first time all the classics that others have already read. Like coming across “Pride and Prejudice” and saying, “Ooh, what’s this?” Thank you for these fabulous posts. I should say, 8+3 gifts, because this post, too, goes up there with the great ones. The recipes are genius, the photos are stunning, but my takeaway is this unforgettable phrase: “testing friends like mirrors, tilting them this way and that way to see if they catch themselves.” Thank you. I look forward to the journey in 2010.
I can’t believe the caramel sauce post didn’t make the top ten. So I’m going to throw it into the stew pot.
http://simmertilldone.com/2009/06/27/classic-caramel-sauce-sweet-and-blind/
Maybe I like it so much because it was one of the first posts I read. I can’t believe I’ve only “known” you since May of this year. Seems like I’ve always had sweet, supportive Marilyn just a click away. Or maybe I like this particular post because I can relate to making caramel sauce and the agony of knowing exactly when it’s dark enough, but not burnt — a fine line, indeed. To be honest, I love reading all of your posts. They always make me smile, usually make me laugh, and sometimes make me cry. Looking forward to many more.
oh Marilyn…a year to remember for sure…xx
Thanks oh, so much for all the kind words. Hope we keep simmering together for a long time.
Gwen – thanks, sweet friend, for noting the Caramel Sauce post. In fact it was a close runner-up, and numbers 11, 12, 13 and 14 went like this:
Leftover Love: Onion-Soup Onions
Classic Caramel Sauce
Double Chocolate Ginger Scones
You Scrape the Bowl Like a Housewife
Don’t forget – in market research there’s quantitive and qualitative. Sometimes you crave numbers but giving people what you love builds a more loyal and secure base. (At least that’s how I interpret what The Guy says!)
Also recipes+puppies=popularity. Recipes+Cleo=Homecoming Queen, Class President+Valedictorian
Hugs
I’m glad to see that two of my favs made the list – the pumpkin dog biscuits and upside down tomato basil bread. This is actually one of my favorite blogs…it always calms me right down when I stop by.
Simmer is such a fabulous blog! You could throw a dart at your collection of posts and hit a winner every time. That said, I always enjoy your round-ups and am looking forward to what 2010 has in store. (Can you believe it? 2010? I remember a time when that date seemed impossibly far away!)
The french toast post is my favorite. I will buy a plane ticket for it alone.
The oven mitt though, that one has my heart.
Simmer Till Done is always a source of quality time for me. I’ve never been disappointed, but I do play favorites. While I loved The Baker’s Alphabet, my favorite post was Comfort For the Too Close.
http://simmertilldone.com/2009/10/24/comfort-for-the-too-close/
I love reading aloud the final paragraph of that post:
“We frequently wish to be where we’re not, always why am I here and should have been there, but for a few minutes in July I was right where I was supposed to be, wet feet and sandy rolled jeans, windy hair and heart bouncing down the shore, seeing what we’ve wrought and for once saying yes, here and now. Oh, yes to the wide view.”
I return to it often.
Happy Holidays!
muddy
Oh my – the afternoons may drag but the years roll by so quickly, don’t they? I believe all my favorites are in here though I will second muddywaters inclusion of that shining paragraph.
Yes to the wide view and yes YES to another year of Simmering. Bless you Marilyn, please don’t you change a thing here!
First, a question — did you go to New Trier? Just wondering … I grew up in Aurora, which is quite a hike away from the North Shore, but I know NT is pretty darn big.
I have been haunting book blogs, because I love to read, but lately I’ve also been discovering food and recipe blogs. Oh my. Will I ever work again? If nothing else, I love the pictures on your blog! They’re fabulous — and the recipes sound that way too. Definitely one to bookmark. Please keep going! I’ve only skimmed the surface (hahahaha) of the blog, but hope you have a place in your heart for an emphasis upon occasion on healthy eating. I’ve been reading (book blog!) about the Perfect Formula Diet, which is based on whole foods. I like that the author emphasizes eating when you’re hungry and not when you’re not — no predetermine portion control, or that kind of stuff — plus there’s lots of science and nutrition in there too. As a foody, you might want to take a look.
I’m thinking that tomato-basil bread might be good to try this weekend, too…
Love your site, and i’m so glad I found it.
You happened to list some of my favoriteposts as well. Food blogs are funny places. The most “popular” ones are not always the best. Each blog is popular for a different reason.
Your blog is food for the tummy, food for the eyes, and the best part……food for the soul. Thank you.
Marilyn: Thanks for a wonderful year. I can’t tell you the number of jam tarts I made, at least 12 dozen! Now I am looking forward to making cleo’s doggie biscuits.
Happy New Year!
Josie and her friends might have the fleeting thought, “Why aren’t WE The Popular Girls?” but hastily answer, “darlings, we’re FAR too interesting.” I’m so glad you and Simmer are taking a cue from that hair-swinging assuredness. The ones with the purple streaks have more fun and certainly have better stories to tell.
Hi Marilyn, just popped in to wish you a happy holiday. WOW! I sure have lots of recipes to browse through. Where has all the time gone???
Thank you so much for sharing. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year.
I’ve been away far too long, but this 2009 wrap-up was like coming home. I also loved reading the comments and discovering all the hearts, souls, and funny bones you’ve touched over time. You’re pretty special, Kiddo.
I just love your site (though I am a new reader!) – thanks for your thoughtful, original posts and wonderful recipes.