Being a rummager by nature, I was thrilled to be nominated by Jeanne from the hugely successful blog CookSister to revisit seven of my previous posts. It’s part of Take 7, the internet project that invites bloggers to dust down seven old posts and drag them into the light. The categories are these: most popular post, most controversial, most helpful, a post whose success surprised you, a post that didn’t get the attention it deserved and finally, the post you’re most proud of.
As I took a metaphorical pitchfork to Eggs On The Roof’s haystack in search of those seven silver needles, I unearthed all kinds of retro treasures I’d forgotten that I owned. I hope you enjoy my vintage finds…
MY MOST POPULAR POST
One of my most popular posts is my discovery of the pink elderflower bush that produced pink elderflower cordial. But just nudging it out of the way to take first prize is my slightly perverse attempt to make a chocolate palimpsest. The whole palimpsest saga was a rather daft literary joke. As my children will tell you slightly despairingly, literary jokes are the kind I love best. They say I’m in a minority of one, but I think the popularity of the post has proved them wrong.
MY MOST CONTROVERSIAL POST
In its truest sense, controversy is something that opposes the norm. That being the case, my most controversial post could be my Black Olive Chocolate Truffles. Olives and chocolate shouldn’t go together, should they? But if you’re an Italian politician you may have found my post When Not In Florence slightly more controversial. Readers certainly seemed horrified by my fight with a spurned Italian MP who threw me out of his car in the middle of a busy roundabout.
MY MOST HELPFUL POST
My most helpful posts have been those that encourage readers to make things that sound difficult but are as easy as can be – like my DIY miso soup or my home-made cream cheese. The irony is that the recipe for cheese is the easiest formula you will find anywhere on Eggs On The Roof.
THE POST WHOSE SUCCESS SURPRISED ME
I’m still surprised by the huge popularity of my post titled Plum Jelly and Hot Baths, in which I bemoaned the lack of hot water in my house while making plum and chili jelly. I freely admit that I am an incompetent gardener and my post about my miserable strawberry harvest seems to have captured an audience that shares my failings. Either that, or you all feel sorry for me.
THE POST THAT DIDN’T GET THE ATTENTION IT DESERVED
I’ve always had a fondness for my slightly taxing post Exercises in Scones. It didn’t get the attention it deserved, but as one visitor to the post commented, it gave her a headache! My post With Love From Lovage deserved more attention than it got, for its crucial concluding paragraph – how to make drinking straws out of lovage stems. How have you managed without them all this time?
One of the first posts I ever wrote was about my glamourous grandmother, Peggy, and her rice pudding. I’d love her to get a little more attention – being the life and soul of the party, so too, I’m sure, would she!
THE POST I AM MOST PROUD OF
The post I’m most proud of has to be my story about green gazpacho and blue borage Ice. It was a creation that stemmed from a fleeting glimpse in New York and turned into something rather beautiful, I think. But given that today is the seventh anniversary of my wonderful mother’s death, I would like to nominate my post On Mother’s Day as the one that I am quietly proud of. It is honest, simple and, most important of all, it’s from the heart.
So that’s my little vintage pop-up shop…… I now nominate Pascale from the beautiful Extra-Relish, Jamie from the sumptuous Life’s a Feast and Mary from the quirky Mrs Miniver’s Daughter to do some rummaging of their own.
If I was you I would be proud of ALL your posts, they all make such good reading, are original as well as inspirational and also visually so lovely.Your mother too would be purring with pride at this achievement I am sure. So, on her behalf this evening I'll raise a glass of your pink elderflower inspired cordial to the pair of you.
That's such a lovely sentiment, Mitzi Fritz. I'm very touched. Thank you so much.
I'm most flattered to be asked, Charlie, although it'll be a few days before I have time to rummage! Love what you dug up from your own vintage archive!I hope today has been full of happy memories for you as well as sad ones. Every time I see your photo, I think you look the image of your mum!
I think each and everyone of your posts is beautiful and poetic and each recipe astounding. How could you ever choose? I am honored and flattered that you chose me…now how to rise to your level? xo
Hello Mary and thank you for your kindness. I can't wait to see what you find in your vintage store.
Hi Jamie I do hope you enjoy hunting through your posts. And thank you for your huge generosity about mine. xo
I am insanely jealous of the pink elderflower and my quest will be to find some!
I know exactly how you feel, Helen. I was amazed when I first saw the plant too. I wasn't sure the cordial was going to be pink until my brew was finished. It's funny how much more interesting the change of colour makes it.
Oh what a great selection of your posts! That pink elderflower post still has my heart… I am off to go and revisit each and every one of these deliciosu morsels (and I am glad to see I am not the only one who suffers from the inability to get the list down to the required (ummm… suggested) seven!) Thanks so much for taking up the baton.
Hi Jeanne So you spotted my inadvertent, um deliberate, mistake! I don't need thanking for taking up the baton, but you do. It was so good of you to suggest that I do it.
Hi Charlie, I loved reading through your post nominations. Thank you so much for tagging me to do the same. I am off to start rummaging through my old archive…Hope to see you soon.Px
I can't wait to see what you unearth, Pascale x