The Thing You Missed in 2011!

Like most of you today, I’m feeling somewhat reflective on the previous year.  We can hardly be blamed for feeling this way since the media inundates us this week each year with year-end roundups, death lists and several other segments each designed to have us looking back to wonder how it all passed so quickly.  

I tried not to treat today any differently from any other but I’m weak and I gave in to the ritual and took a brief look at the past year here at Sis. Boom. blog!

Food bloggers usually save their yearly roundups for their ‘blogoversaries’, their blog’s birthday, and I am no exception.  This post, however,  is not  about the highlights.  Those annual reflection posts  are the times we sit back (with a glass of chardonnay if we do it right) and wax poetic on our interesting accomplishments, our  challenges, the new friends and cooking groups we made, and stuff like that there.  

To be different I thought I would take a look at the posts of 2011 that for some reason or another failed to get an audience.    I really can’t tell you why some posts just went off into the ether but they do.   None of the posts below are posts I would have guessed would garner no love.  While some may have gotten a comment or three they actually hardly made a ripple in my blog stats.  

Perhaps it had to do with the timing of the post itself?  Or maybe they weren’t written with enough SEO dohickeys in the text — because I don’t know how to do that.  (Truthfully, I don’t want to worry about SEO anyway.  Bloggers don’t have a chance against Epicurious and the others anymore.)

I love these losers as much as I love all my children, however, so I’m going to give them just on more chance at your adulation before I pack them in to dive into the new year with its new cooking adventures.  (Please do check out my authentic Chinese Chicken Salad post before you move into 2012 with me.    It is craving love too but  I disqualified it since its only been up two days.)

So without further explanation, these are the least viewed Sis. Boom. blog! posts of 2011:


Lamb Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots 

I guess I was a bit confused over the rules for “Wordless Wednesdays” posts.  Can I help it if some dishes just give me a lot to say? This dish had me running at the mouse to tell you about my Aunt Christine and her bitter, angry fifth ex-husband and a lamb I once knew named Talulah.  (No relation to the tagine.)

Bison Burger

My husband brought home bison thinking it was French hamburger.  (Pronounced “beece- AWE”).   The cabernet onions were the real takeaway from this one.

Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps


Frequent travel and hotel food had me craving these low cal wraps when I returned home.  I can usually count on low cal foods being traffic losers.

Rustic Swiss Chard Tart

This post had an embedded Christmas Present for all who read it.   Did you read it and get your gift?  Food Gawker rejected this photo!  

Rhubarb Parfait

An annual confection I make every year when rhubarb is in season.  These were packed up in mason jars for a picnic.    The topping is not just whipped cream and its absolutely worth the extra time when everyone gushes about it.

Mojito Melon Skewers

This dish teaches the lesson that sometimes it is the simplest of recipes that can have a disproportionate positive reaction by your guests.   I was kind of embarrassed at the attention these got when I brought them to an afternoon outdoor lunch.  

These came from from Matt Armandariz’ new book“On a Stick” which I reviewed here.   

Pastitsio


I don’t know a lot about Greek food but if its as good as this I have some more culinary studying to do.  This post was an entry into a contest that was to net an actual trip to Greece.  Stay tuned!  (I just hope the contest isn’t measuring traffic stats!)

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

I brought these to a very non-American type picnic where they sat uneaten but not unappreciated.  The culinary culture clash was explained in the post…

Zinger Blended Iced Tea

Urbanite actually picked up this post about my favorite “cocktail” — something I make and drink all year ’round since it is calorie free.   All two of their readers came over to read it.    I had writer’s block that day but  my readers had “Sis Boom Block” and never came by to read this one.

Lime Marscapone Sorbet

I deviated from David Lebovitz’ masterpiece on the art of the frozen dessert just ONCE in favor of this beaut from Nigel Slater and nobody came to read it.   Even still, it is one of my favorites even it confused me further on what the difference between sorbet and sherbet is supposed to be.

Honey Glazed Duck

The one French Fridays with Dorie post that got no love this past year.  I’m sure the fact that I was nearly a month late with it had nothing to do with it!

Happy New Years from Sis. Boom. blog!   The adventure continues….