Consuming Ambitions is One Month Old: Thanks for the Love!

When I embarked on my blogging career exactly one month ago, I never imagined how rewarding it would be.  For one thing, other bloggers and readers have been very welcoming and supportive.  Several of you have contributed ideas and advice, and a few even passed out some link love!  Zoli Erdos got it started, then last week I was really appreciative of Jeff Nolan posting on Venture Chronicles and Matt Marshall / SiliconBeat giving me some ink.  Thanks guys!

Secondly, writing about my culinary passions has made me realize how many other foodies are out there!  Before, there was no efficient way of identifying the other members of foodie nation, but now I have a steady stream of folks sharing culinary passions and ideas for the blog -- keep 'em coming!  It's nice to have other chowhounds out there to make me feel normal.

BTW, I'd like to acknowledge my fairer/smarter half who not only has been very supportive but also can lay claim to giving this blog its moniker!

Comments

[Chris Yeh]

Odd note--just found out today that our wives are co-workers. Who knew?

[Tom Cole]

The valley is a small, tightly interconnected place! Look forward to the four of us grabbing dinner -- perhaps you could suggest your favorite local restaurant to create more Consuming Ambitions blog material!

[Evelyn Rodriguez]

I'm grateful that Jeff Nolan pointed to your blog. (I linked to you too.) Welcome. I'm a foodie that lives awfully close to the Cupertino 99 Ranch Market (so thanks for the mango tip). I'm reading "Watching the Tree: A Chinese Daughter Reflects on Happiness, Tradition and Spiritual Wisdom," and there's a whole chapter of Chinese obsession with food and its connection to well-being in chapter titled "Let Food Be Medicine."

Here's a bit:
"One fundamental difference between us Chinese and the English is this," I once told my brother James when I was visiting him in his medieval rooms at Cambridge. "We Chinese live to eat, whereas the English eat to live."

"There is another evene more significant variance," he replied. "To the English, the most important component for happiness is sex. To us Chinese, it is food."

[She is dreaming about zhong zi and James goes on to chide her for not knowing the Double Fifth legend. Later she describes her first taste of zhong zi in Hong Kong. The Italian nuns at her school took to a dragon boat race:]

They were piping hot and difficult to unwrap. Mother Valentino finally had to cut the threads with a pair of nail clippers. When I opened mine, a delicious bamboo fragrance hit my nostrils. I bit into the glistening sweet rice, which was filled ground dates and ginkgo nuts. It was the best thing I ever tasted."

In same chapter, author Adeline Yen Mah continues, "The knowledge and enjoyment of cuisine is considered an art as well as a measure of culture."

I'm thinking of inviting seven couples to celebrate Double Seventh July 31st. I'm running out of time, yes I know. What is the food like for that?

[Tom Cole]

Evelyn, thanks for reading and linking! I don't think of Double Seventh Day (the Chinese festival roughly analogous to Valentine's Day) as a food oriented holiday, so I'm not sure there are any featured dishes. Anybody know?

Perhaps since it's a midsummer festival, you can serve your favorite summertime treats (heirloom tomatoes with basil, baked white peaches topped with vanilla gelato and berries, ...)

[Senia]

Hi Tom! Rockin'! Congrats on a month of blogging! You and S will always be the folks who made me home-made bread which was soooo delicious! Who knew you were this much of a foodie?!?!

Love this blog so far, will check back often! Found you from Evelyn's blog. (You're not the last one to start blogging... I started a month ago too, about psychology and intuition.)

BTW, that's gorgeous detail when I click on the picture of the heirloom tomatoes (July 17).

CONGRATS!
:)

Best,
Senia

[Evelyn Rodriguez]

Well, I couldn't act fast enough to make the Double Seven event come together. I was curious if there were any special foods served though and appreciated your reply.

You and I were on same wavelength as far as summer food goes. I love hanging out at Cafe Barone and just having a caprese salad with a baguette. I had some fantastic heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and Spenger's balsamic vinegar for dinner a couple of times last week at home. I'd just written a long post on white peaches on my blog. (Funny at the farmer's market buying Spenger's vinegar when I ran into chef for the restaurant I've been anticipating now for a while - Tanglewood at Santana Row - they are using small bakers, small ranchers, small fish markets, small farms, etc. Great folks, set to open Aug 23rd.

Anyhow, instead of Double Seven I am doing a light summer dinner & salon at my friend's gallery - she has a quaint French patio outside - on Santa Cruz Ave, Menlo Park, on August 15th...celebrating Italy's mid-summer festival Ferragosta. I'd love to invite you and your wife. (You have my email through the comment.)