I Feel I Owe You an Explanation

So, yeah.  It’s been a really long time since I’ve written, but it’s not as though I haven’t been eating.  All summer long as I prepared fresh salads, grilled meat, chicken and seafood and assembled summer-like desserts, I wrote in my head.  But somehow life just got in the way – or that’s what I told myself – and my focus shifted from writing about my food adventures to starting an “extreme fitness program”, a new job and settling into life in a new home.

And let’s face it – an “extreme fitness program” doesn’t exactly gel with fruit pies and comfort food.

I also decided when I first began writing this blog that I wouldn’t “cross-pollinate” with my other interests – movies, books, sports, fashion, travel….well you get the idea.  I’ve seen too many blogs run out of things to say and then, BOOM! before you know it you’re no longer reading about the writer’s shoe obsession, but a visit to their grandmother’s best friend’s house instead.

So, instead of veering off-topic and sharing my frustrations with the new job, grossing you out with details on the amount of sweat I was losing daily and the joy of decorating my new “Living Alone” home, I just chose not to write.

But then the guilt set in.  And the inevitable comments, “When are you going to write again?”  “Why haven’t you posted recently?”  “I miss getting your emails”  Yadda, Yadda, Yadda…..Blah Blah Blah.

And I also realized I really missed sharing my food adventures.

Inspiration did strike throughout the summer and I managed to jot a few ideas down.  But really, how often can you write about grilling (insert protein here) and a side salad made from (insert fresh summer ingredients here)?  I realized my summer menu planning took the “Rule of Three” to a whole new, and somewhat foolproof, level.

Just recently however, I attended my first-ever “Food Blogger Conference”.  While I didn’t walk away completely fired up about food and writing, I did leave feeling rejuvenated – excited to share my thoughts about food, menu planning, food politics, ingredients and yes – the importance of eating locally.

I also left with a bagful of samples – cookies, chocolate (which I turned into Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream), dried fruit and more.  And what I realized is that even though I want to keep my blog focused on food, (and not travel or books or rabbit poop) I can expand beyond my original focus of feeding families.

But don’t be alarmed!  Everything I make, eat and discover is just as good for one as 10!  So stay tuned for the new, improved and expanded Cooking for Madison.

I promise I won’t stay away so long…. after all, I did acquire a shiny new ice cream maker and some canning supplies.  I can’t wait to share those stories soon!