Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are enjoying the day with good food and the people you love. Today I want to say thank you. Thank you for reading la Domestique and joining the conversation. Thank you for your comments, tweets, and sharing on the la Domestique facebook page. My passion lies here, and the best part is sharing it with you all. A while back I was honored to be nominated by Victoria Haschka of the blog Eat-Tori to participate in the My 7 Links. This project sponsored by Tripbase seeks to unite bloggers by sharing lessons learned and provide a look back at posts from the archives of our work. As I dug through the backlogs of la Domestique, I felt a surprising amount of pride and joy. This site was born on March 27, 2011, and after I’ve grown and learned so much since that day. Taking a look back provided perspective on where I am today. I’m so thankful to have this creative outlet, as well as the love and support of my tech savvy husband, Len.

So, here it is. A look back through the archives of la Domestique:

My Most Beautiful Post

Cook in the Moment: Gray Sea Salt & Grilled Lamb

Gray Sea Salt & Grilled Lamb (c)2011 LaDomestique.com

Shooting a simple meal in the summer light that day was pure magic. Everything about this post came together so beautifully and looking back I feel these are some of my best photographs.

My Most Popular Post

Focaccia with Caramelized Onions, Pear & Blue Cheese

Focaccia with Caramelized Onions, Pear & Blue Cheese (c)2011 LaDomestique.com

Blue cheese week elicited quite a response here at la Domestique. People either loved it or hated it. Those who are freaked out by blue cheese challenged me to make it enticing. Learning to cook with blue cheese and balance its pungent flavor against autumnal ingredients can make for some fantastic cooking. I think the season of fall, use of interesting flavors, and rich styling all contributed to making this one of my most popular posts.

Most Controversial

Cook in the Moment: Ribollita

Ribollita (c)2011 LaDomestique.com

Little did I know that making a rustic Italian soup inspired by kale from my garden would cause such a response. After much research, I learned that there are as many versions of ribollita as there are cooks in Italy and the most important part is staying true to its spirit: a simple, hearty peasant soup made with day-old bread. The recipe was reviewed by Jenny at Food52 and I was overwhelmed by the response. A passionate discussion of what ribollita should be ensued in the comments section. In the end, the recipe was well received and it was great to see so many people respond to this traditional Italian dish.

My Most Helpful Post

Storyboard: Salt

Storyboard Salt (c)2011 LaDomestique.com

I thoroughly enjoyed the week spent learning about salt this summer. Sharing the many different varieties of salt and how to use them in the kitchen was, in my opinion, a very useful post. Cooking begins with salt and understanding how to season food is paramount to unlocking flavor. This post provides insight into how salt is produced and the importance of supporting artisanal harvesters. Every cook, from beginner to expert can benefit from reading this post on salt.

A Post Whose Success Surprised Me

Cook in the Moment: Clams in Fennel Broth

Clams in Fennel Broth (c)2011 LaDomestique.com

I was struggling during clam week. I can’t remember exactly why, most likely it was just the pressures of life and a little bit of self-doubt creeping into my creative time. However, readers really responded to this simple recipe and I was completely caught off-guard. It’s moments like these that help me get through a rut. Your comments of encouragement renew my passion and energy every time.

A Post I Feel Didn’t Get the Attention it Deserved

Spring Crudités Platter with Aioli

Spring Crudités Platter with Aioli (c)2011 LaDomestique.com

Published in the early days of la Domestique back in May, this post was full of fresh vegetables from my garden and vibrant colors. I had a great time with the styling, using my French hen tablecloth and white ceramic serving pieces. I feel it showcases my love of grouping like items to create simple, punchy, and curated style.

The Post I am Most Proud Of

Soup & Sriracha, a Bowl of Enlightenment

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup (c)2011 LaDomestique.com

This post was conceived after a failure. I had an opportunity for a professional writing gig and did not get the job. This failure caused me to cast a more critical eye towards my writing. I wanted to do better and could see clearly there was room for improvement. They say moments of failure teach us a lot, but only if we are able to listen. I’m very proud of this post, as it marks a re-kindling of my passion for writing and storytelling.

Now it’s time for me to nominate another fellow blogger for the My 7 Links project.

Sweet Sugar Bean is a blog  written and photographed by Reneé about “Food, recipes, and stories from my little green kitchen.” Reneé is a chef and avid gardener who will win you over with her friendly, fun writing style and professional, inspiring food photography. I get a lot of joy from reading her blog, and find her to be the type of person you instantly want to befriend. She brings new life to everyday recipes with fun twists and flavor profiles inspired by her work as a chef. Sweet Sugar Bean is a breath of fresh air. It’s a happy place I highly encourage you to visit.