… on the 2nd April 2010, not long after I had spent the evening watching the brilliant Julie and Julia on dvd, I typed the words ‘food blog’ into google and was astounded by the plethora of incredible, delectable and tasty treats that were a feast to my eyes… I was utterly and instantly enthralled and it was at this moment that I decided to immerse myself into the world of food blogging… two years later and I am still hooked…
… as many of you will know, it is like a drug… you cannot stop… those endless late nights… just one more blog to catch-up on… just one final recipe to write… the constant threat of inventing and re-inventing new ideas… I love it and would never look back although sometimes I think i’d quite like a nice lay down without having to think about anything much for a while…
… and I want to improve and explore new things… I am going to create a belleau kitchen youtube channel and am planning a series of video blogs, something I have been meaning to get into for a while but it needs to feel right and be in my style and with my sense of humour so that I don’t bore you all to death… plus I also have an idea to take Random Recipes on an exciting journey outside my blog… can’t say too much more just yet… but watch this space!
… so to celebrate my second year as a food blogger and the fact that with Easter on the horizon it’s all about sweet things, i’d like you all to bake me something lovely… now don’t forget that it still needs to be a random recipe, so I expect you to either choose from a book dedicated to baking or randomly pick from the baking section of a book that has itself been randomly selected…
… I decided to put all my cake, chocolate and baking books together, of which I have 9 and have randomly chosen a sweet little book called Scrumptious Cupcakes published by Paragon Books… I think my mum bought it for me from the airport on her way home from New York last year… and on page 46 I have chosen a bit of a retro recipe for Chocolate Fruit and Nut Crispy Cakes… yummy!
so, the rules are as follows:
1. put all your baking books into a pile
2. randomly select a book
3. randomly select a recipe from within that book
4. bake that recipe… and remember, no cheating… it’s a challenge and you’re only cheating yourself!
5. please include a link back to my blog and include the random recipes logo somewhere in your post
and don’t forget to email me a link to your entry to dominic@belleaukitchen.co.uk… last entries on the 28th April…
… and as if this month’s theme wasn’t enough of an incentive to take part I also have a lovely birthday gift for all of you who enter… the very sweet Ruth from Makey-Cakey has created a set of recipe cards from her abundance of recipe cuttings… she took an old Cadbury’s chocolate book and used the pages to make little envelopes, into which she has placed 2 random recipes… I have at least one of these to give away to each person who enters this months challenge so don’t forget to send me an address along with your entry…
… go on then… get on with it…!
Dom, I for one cannot wait to watch 'Dom Takes Over You Tube'- fantastic! And as for the future of RR- tell us more! Meanwhile, on with the pinny and on with this month's brilliant baking challenge (just up my street)
I've had the pleasure of meeting the very sweet Ruth from Makey Cakey!! What a fabulous idea (and great treat)! Can't believe that it has been 2 years of Belleau Kitchen…I've got a lot of baking events on this month…so might have to unleash a RR on one of those nights!
Brilliant and how exciting… new ventures, can't wait to find out more.
Will definitely bake you a birthday cake, I hope my random selection will be something special… !!
Congratulations on 2 years of blogging! I watched Julie & Julia long after starting my blog on the insistence of friends and loved it. Look forward to the expansion and world domination of Belleau Kitchen!
I LOVE the RR challenge this month as almost all my books are baking but I will omit the macaron book!! *super happy smiley face* 🙂
Even better than 2 RRs… it's 5 RRs in each envelope that will be winging their way (real, not virtual) to participants :o) Rx
I love your exciting new plans and look forward to hearing more about them. I got a Flip video camera and tripod for Christmas with the intention of making some blog vids, but haven't go around to it yet. It's quite a scary thought to put your voice and moving image out there! Baking books, I have a few, but then again too few (many) to mention…sing along…I did it my way.
Only 9 chocolate, cake and baking books? What is going on? Many congratulations on your 2nd blogiversary – where would we be now without Belleau Kitchen. You've done wonders and I'd be bereft without you, so roll on you tube and the continued advance on taking over the world – all sounds very exciting and a bit scary!
Congratulations Dom. Very impressive blog. Can't wait for the videos. 🙂
Sign me up Dom! Yes, that's right, the Knight of the Round Table will be baking part in this month's Random Recipes 😀
Its just two years (crikey!). Congratulations.
What you do Dom you do very well, and thats you make it look so effortless (I know its not!) and so homely too…
After seeing you on TV a few times you seem to have the knack and the confidence to present well on screen so go for it!
One plea: can you do a video on bread/sourdough please as its one of your strong points and (selfishly) I need all the help I can get.
Thank you. xxx
(oh and I love this months RR)
thank you Susan… what a lovely thing to say… I will do a sourdough thing for you, of course x
am blushing sweetie x
oh I know, I was given a bloggy camera thing at a Sainsbury's event I went to and i've never used it… until now!
Lovely challenge and a great little prize as well. Looking forward to the YouTube adventures!
What a lovely idea for a challenge. I am v v excited about your video endeavors. What a treat that will be.
I was very excited about your new venture on Youtube! Not so much about the baking challenge. This is going to be very difficult as I am not the best baker in the world, but hey …..I'll give it a go.
I am not a maker of sweet things and cakes as I don't believe I'm very good at it! But I will try and hopefully it will be amazing!x
Oh crap. I just did my random recipe selection and got Eric Lanlard's Christmas Cake. Permission to pick again? Pretty please??? I don't even like Christmas Cake let alone in April.
Happy birthday, blog brother! Happy birthday, to us! 🙂
Congratulations on your two year blog birthday! Great theme for RR this month – will definitely join in!
Happy 2nd Blog anniversary Dom! I am certainly looking forward to bake something and eat it! 🙂
Happy anniversary – really looking forward to your youtube adventures.
Rather looking forward to this random bake.
Happy blog birthday and I'm waiting (ever so not patiently) for details on the YouTube adventure! This should be a great Random Recipes month – I've been wanting to bake from some of my cookbooks anyway, so this will be the perfect excuse 🙂
Looking forward to watching your YouTube cooking show! This is very exciting as I am an eager student. Happy Blog Birthday as well! Can't wait to see what I'll be baking! Thanks again for another fun challenge!
I am SO excited for you and the YouTube Channel is a GREAT idea! SORRY I am late replying Dom – was at Vanessa's do on Sunday and then busy packing on Monday, then on the train yesterday! I am IN for RR as usual and I will bake you something to knock your socks off!
Karen
XXXX
Feeling a bit caked out at the moment after making a whole cake auction's worth of cakes last week! (http://makey-cakey.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/going-going-gone-post-of-epic-cakeyness.html) But I'll get to it later in the month – promise ;o)
Rx
I've just selected my random recipe – mint chocolate macaroons from The Great British Bake Off book – literally terrified… This must be RR payback for getting an old favourite last month!