14 September 2010

Have You Caught the Buzz with Project Food Blog??




I am one of thousands of food bloggers who has been given the opportunity to participate in Project Food Blog at Foodbuzz. The Project Food Blog challenge is open to any food blogger who is part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher Program. Foodbuzz is a community and comprehensive marketing, advertising and distribution program designed for food bloggers just like you and me. Have you caught the BUZZ!!!!Project Food Blog is the first-ever interactive competition where thousands of Foodbuzz Featured Publishers are competing in a series of culinary blogging challenges for the chance to advance and a shot at the ultimate prize.  As contestants we will see who will rise above the pack and become the next Food Blog Star!!!! Will it be me!!!! Why not!!!!It will be so much fun to participate and become more deeply embedded in the Foodbuzz community!!!!

What makes me want to compete in this challenge is for the same reason why you all are all "NUMBER 1" in my books. As  food bloggers you and I have a passion, dedication and even an urgency to create dishes that knocks each others socks off !! We toil in the kitchen to create, and ultimately photograph, the captivating recipes you see on blogs like More Than Burnt Toast. This could be as simple as a time honoured family recipe that feeds my soul or sharing the latest gourmet combination. I am fearless!!! In our community we support each other and encourage our fellow bloggers to reach for the stars and this humble food blogger is up for the challenge! I would really appreciate your support in the first step of this challenge!!


When I am not travelling or attending cooking classes local ingredients and wines inspire me. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market.  Each day I am inspired to share my finds with you!

When I was young I was a very picky eater. As we do for our own kids, I am sure that my parents agonized over my lack of nutrients and enjoyment of food as I pushed my food around my plate. How does a picky eater morph into someone who is "willing to try anything at least once" is beyond me!! As you get older your palate changes and you can learn to love food and be excited by the possibilities of sharing a great meal. As a teen I collected recipes and dreamed of the day when I would have dinner parties and friends sharing animated conversation, laughter and outstanding food at my table. Let's just say my first dinner party was not a great success with canned potatoes and carrots being in the picture somewhere. Believe it or not I thought it was delicious!!That was many years ago and I have come far beyond burnt toast and canned ingredients when I share my culinary passions on More Than Burnt Toast and at Foodbuzz.

A few years ago I attended a cooking school on a small island in the Agean Sea off the coast of Greece. This was a life-changing vacation that altered my perception of food and how it should be enjoyed on a daily basis. Travel helps us to better understand and appreciate other people and their cultures. Nothing is more intimate, or more effective at breaking down cultural barriers, than cooking and sharing meals together. When you have like-minded people from all parts of the world breaking bread at the same table magic happens!!! In the classic movie "Zorbas the Greek "the main character sums it up the best, "On the coast I felt for the first time what a pleasant thing it could be to have a meal. We started eating and drinking, the conversation became animated. I at last realized that eating was a spiritual function and the meat, bread, and wine were the raw materials from which the soul is made."




Our community of food bloggers is always there to support each other and somehow make a difference. Yes we enjoy sharing our daily lives and recipes but we are also there for each other when times are tough. Working together to create change or to connect as a community is what brings me back to blogging each and every day.

In 2009 our network BloggerAid – Changing the Face of Famine was born from a vision that ordinary people like myself can achieve extraordinary results. Having launched the site for bloggers, we were keen to find a project where food bloggers from around the world could co-operate and make a real difference. We understood immediately that food bloggers could best relate to a cookbook. The BloggerAid Cookbook was born with the dedicaction and hard work of many. We strived to pay tribute to the home cooking of our grandmothers while celebrating the exoticism and richness of a world brought closer together by our hopes to make a difference and raise funds for the World Food Programme.

Whether it be bringing attention to a friend who is fighting cancer, world hunger, or the tragedy's of natural disasters like tsunami's or earthquakes our food blogging community has a strong voice. Those of you who know me personally know that this is a deal I have made with myself to support my fellow bloggers in whatever way I can.  “You must be the change you want to see in the world”. Mahatma Gandhi

My blog began as a place to share my food discoveries with anyone willing to read as well as with my daughter L'il Burnt Toast who was headed off to university. It continues to be a gathering place for family and friends to pull up a chair at the same virtual table and share what we have. I continue to lend an encouraging word, a smile and a helping hand.  I enjoy my life in food and relish sharing it with each and every one of you in this challenge as I have every day on More Than Burnt Toast.


Click here to see my profile on Project Food Blog and vote for me. Voting opens on September 20th.


You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Content must be credited to this author.
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32 comments:

  1. A beautiful post! Blogs are a great platform.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. I'll be anticipating more good offerings from you in your Project Food Blog endeavor. Looking forward to a delicious autumn!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  3. A very interesting read, Val. Your 'heart' shines through and your spirit is the epitome of a good blogger. My crystal ball says "you will go far in the challenge". You've got my vote.
    P.S. I'm so loving reading all these entries. We've got some fierce competition out there.

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  4. A Lovely heartfelt post . . .and I've loved all your posts since I started following a few months ago. Keep up the great work!

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  5. I can easily see you becoming the next Food Blog Star, Val. I'm looking forward to your stories and recipes. Lovely post today.

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  6. Lovely post Val. I enjoyed reading every bit of it. You've got my support in the challenge. You've done so much for world hunger with your BloggerAid. All of us owe you a big round of thanks.
    Sam

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  7. Well said! You are awesome Val,I love your stories and food and you've given me hope for my 9 year old, very picker eater granddaughter.

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  8. I'll be watching you advance through each of the ten challenges to the top of the pyramid. I off to check the competition. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

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  9. You go gal! You certainly have earned a spot in the competition. I'm off to read your profile. Have a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

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  10. I love your blog!
    I have to eat raw food, and although I love it, I enjoy living vicariously through you! Your food looks deeelicious!!
    Good luck!!

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  11. I enjoyed reading this and had to smile over your collecting recipes as a teen. I pretty much did the same thing, choosing dishes and stemware from catalogs when I was young. I love the food blogging community and the people I've met along the way. Good luck to you in this! I wanted to join, but am no longer a featured publisher. : (

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  12. You certainly have my vote. During the years that I have been reading your blog, I have always been blown away by your stories, your compassion, and your prolificness (is there such a word? I just am always amazed at your constantly updated content and recipes).

    Best of luck!

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  13. Beautiful post, Val! I'm SO happy you're doing this challenge!! What a fun way to connect and build your repertoire. :-) I hope you have a marvelous time!! :-) I love your posts and your love for family and the things that bind us together. :-)

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  14. It's clear that you are very passionate about blogging, cooking and sharing with the rest of us. It's admirable. :) Good luck to you!

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  15. You write from the heart and it is a pleasure to come here and read you. Hope I am able to follow you with this challenge. I will cestainly vote for you; yor blog is fantastic.
    Best of luck!

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  16. I will enjoy reading your posts. I"m not sure if I'm going to participate. I said I would, but I have so much happening....I love your passion.

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  17. What a lovely post Val! I loved reading about how you have evolved into the fantastic food blogger that you are today. Your passion really shines through in this post!

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  18. Great post Val - and I'll be there to support you when voting opens!

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  19. Beautiful, Val...I love your passion, your knowledge, your thirst for more!!! Best of luck, BBFF!

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  20. You have my support! Will definitely vote on Sept 20!

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  21. Good luck to you in the challenge! I'm looking forward to cheering from the side lines.

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  22. It was very nice to get to know a little more about a Foodie which I love following.

    Val...I truly believe you are a winner no matter what the outcome will be in the end.

    Great Wishes and Good Luck ;o)

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

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  23. You definitely have my vote!

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  24. What a beautiful post that opens yet another window into your world, Val. It is so unnerving as a reader to be opening up these posts from so many I read regularly to find them - you - completing with one another. I have developed, in my mind, relationships with each of you that are special and important to me. First, and foremost, based upon respect for the writing and work within each site. You are a blogger with heart and soul. That is obvious by the comments here, today.
    :)
    I agree, you are a winner, regardless of the outcome!
    Valerie

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  25. Great post Val.... I love reading all the background... and a cooking school in the Aegean? Sigh...
    Best of luck to you!

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  26. Good luck in PFB, it looks like it's going to be a lot of fun!

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  27. Fantastic post...will be voting :) And good luck to you :)

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  28. I am so glad I got to meet you at the Foodbuzz Festival last year. Imagine my surprise and delight to see Father Adam's and my smiling faces on the top of your post!!

    Your post is lovely and genuine. Best of luck in the contest Val!

    You got my vote!
    LL

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  29. You are so right! It is about family and passing along traditions. You have my vote. Check out my post at http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/1/view/638. Good Luck!!

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  30. I will be voting for you as you advance through the challenges. You have a terrific blog and spirit.

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  31. What a blast Valerie.. I'm so glad you got to attend! I see some more of our foodie friends, it must have been a hoot!! :)

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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