School, Seattle, The Northwest… The World?
October 9, 2009 at 10:40 am 1,595 comments
I think the first time it happened was near the end of April last year.
I was standing in line for lunch, feeling bored and hungry and a little irritated, when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and faced a girl I didn’t recognize, whom I’d never met before. She looked a little nervous and said, “Sorry, I just had to ask – are you the girl with the food blog? My mom and I really like your photography.”
It was such a strange feeling and such an unexpected moment, to be recognized. It didn’t feel like fame, but I had no idea how else to put it. I thanked her, gave a real smile because I was grateful and honored, and went on with my day in a much better mood. But it’s happened over and over again since then.
On Facebook, I have an album called “Food Photography.” It has around 250 comments and is “liked” by 40 people, many of whom I never talked to until they complimented me on my baking. I’ll be sitting in environmental science when someone will quietly complain, “I’m so hungry!” and give me a meaningful look. The sophomores who ride my bus smile at me and ask if I’ve made anything neat recently. And teachers stop me in the hallway to say they’ve heard about my blog, and could I please write down the address for them?
Even though I’m a senior and my high school is relatively small, I’m not well known. I have classes with the same people over and over, and I’ve never been much of a social butterfly. And I know I’ve said this before, but it’s true – when I first created 17 and Baking I didn’t tell anyone about it because I thought it was embarrassing. I didn’t think it would be cool to have a food blog. I thought people would think I was weird. So I kept it to myself and tried to hide it from the world.
I only showed it to one of my friends when I’d written about him, and I thought he would get a kick out of seeing it. To my surprise he ended up making a blog of his own (suited to his own interests) and linked to mine. Unlike me, though, he wasn’t shy about sharing, and soon many of my classmates had seen his blog – and through it, mine. (If you are interested, he has a great economics blog called the Marginalist.)
To my surprise, people didn’t think it was uncool or strange. Food is universal. Food brings people together. Because really, when it comes down to it, who can resist anything warm and fresh from the oven, whether a sweet chocolatey cookie or a soft chive-studded cream cheese biscuit?
As I began to write this post this morning, I received a message on Facebook from an old friend I haven’t talked to in four years, N-. “Hi Elissa,” she wrote. “I don’t know if I’ve told you this before, but my big sister goes to Berkeley and she loves to bake, and she likes your blog.” N- continued on to tell me that her sister decided to have a bake off with her new roommates. One of them suggested a certain cookie recipe from “this blog… seventeen something…” to which N-‘s sister (whom I’ve never met) exclaimed, “That’s Elissa!”
It was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever heard, to have spread not only through school and the food blogging world but to college students in California simply having a bake-off. It lifts me off my feet and makes the sun shine out of my heart. Thank you for reading my blog – thank you, thank you, thank you!
Normally I wouldn’t, but I’ve got to ask – if you’re reading this, please leave a comment! Whether it’s your first time visiting or I’m welcoming you back, I’d really appreciate it if you left your location. I’m just curious to know where my readers are. I’ll start… Seattle, WA!
I don’t often opt for savory over sweet, but breakfast is one of those things where I crave salt over sugar. I’d had my eye on these Chive Biscuits for a while when I decided to make them. Part of the appeal was the inclusion of buttermilk and cream cheese. More than anything, that made me think of soft, flaky, and savory biscuits. They didn’t get as tall as I expected, but with chives from our own backyard and a squiggle of clover honey, they felt like home.
Cream Cheese and Chive Biscuits
From Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook
Makes 12 biscuits
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
4 ounces cream cheese, cold, cut into small pieces
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and chives. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and cream cheese until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger clumps remaining.
Pour in the buttermilk; using a fork, mix in buttermilk until incorporated and the dough just comes together. The dough will be slightly sticky; do not overmix.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured fingers, gently knead about four times, until all the crumbs are incorporated and the dough is smooth. With a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll the dough to a 8-b-11-inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Using a bench scraper or long offset spatula to lift the ends of the dough, fold the rectangle into thirds (like a business letter). Give the dough a quarter turn. Roll out the dough again (to the same dimensions), and repeat the folding process. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Return the dough to the work surface. Roll out as before, and repeat the folding process. Give the dough another quarter turn; roll out dough one more time, again into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, divide the rectangle into 12 equal squares or rectangles. Place on prepared sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the biscuits are golden and flecked with brown spots, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.
Printer Friendly Version – Cream Cheese and Chive Biscuits
Entry filed under: Breakfast/Brunch. Tags: breakfast, chives, cream cheese, herbs, savory.
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17 and Baking 
1. Andrea C | February 5, 2010 at 4:00 am
all the way from Melbourne, Australia – great blog – so impressed. Congratulations.
2. Iris | February 5, 2010 at 12:16 pm
I’m a government attorney in Sto. Dgo. Dominican Republic
Quite impressed with the quality of your blog, I can’t believe you actually have time to put it together and present such quality work aside from all your other responsibilities. Congrats!
3. Nicole | February 7, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Hi from South Carolina, US.. I love your blog. I have looked for something like your blog for resources. I am young and the only one baking or cooking in 4 generations. I have used quite a few of your recipes. And they came out every bit as good as your pictures portrayed them to be. I am so happy that there are younger women cooking and that i isnt only reserved to the older women in church. Kudos to you and much success to your blog. :)
4. Su | February 7, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Caracas, Venezuela!
5. Lisa | February 7, 2010 at 8:48 pm
Hello from Richmond, VA. I love your blog, I’ll be coming back regularly! :)
6. Mariana Favorito | February 8, 2010 at 2:07 pm
São Paulo, Brazil!
Everything that you do is sooo sweet and cute! greetings from another 17 year old girl that loves to cook!
7. Michele | February 8, 2010 at 5:27 pm
Sammamish, WA. I’m a senior in high school, too. :D
I just made the peanut butter chocolate chunk muffins on Saturday and they turned out great!
8. Katie Hoot | February 8, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Hi! I am currently living in the Dominican Republic. My family and I are missionaries here. I love your blog and was wondering if you would like some Dominican vanilla. It is really good and tasty!
Drop me an email sometime!
9. Lily | February 9, 2010 at 4:34 pm
I’m 18, from Berkeley, California, and adore this blog to no end.
10. Adrienne Lennox | February 9, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Hey!
I’m 18, and now living in Charlotteown, PEI, Canada though Manitoba, Canada is my real home.
I’m currently taking the Pastry Arts course here at the Culinary Institute of Canada, and stumbled upon your blog while doing some research for the kitchen tomorrow.
This is a fantastic blog, you have such a gift with words, a camera, and food.
11. Vini | February 10, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Hai, I love ur blog.. ♥
I’m a mother of 2 little boys and i love to cook and baking..
I’m from Indonesia..
yup, it’s far far away.. ^^v
12. Morgan | February 12, 2010 at 1:10 pm
hey! i read about the blog just yesterday in Justine Magazine, and since I just love baking and writing as well, I had to check it out! Thanks so much for exciting new recipes to try along with blog posts that describe things I can actually relate to. Keep up the great work!
By the way, I’m from Rockford, Illinois!
13. Isabelle | February 13, 2010 at 3:52 pm
You are an inspiration!
Issaquah, WA.
14. Clearly Dee | February 13, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Hello from Austin Tx
15. Lisa | February 13, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Hi everyone from Cedar Hill, Texas! :) I love this blog and this precious young lady!!
16. Warren Guykema | February 14, 2010 at 10:50 am
You are an amazing young woman. I’ve shared your blog with my family (and with my cousin Elissa in Philadelphia, who is a fine cook.
Warren in Olympia, WA
17. Tanja | February 15, 2010 at 3:26 am
I’m 19 and baking :)
from Lucija, Slovenia
18. Emily | February 15, 2010 at 9:47 pm
I admire you so much. Keep it up!
Bay Area, CA
19. Connie | February 16, 2010 at 12:58 am
Your photos are great but it is your words that make each entry so vivid.
20. Ellen | February 16, 2010 at 10:24 am
I bake it like my momma here in Richmond, KY (raised in Pauma Valley, CA!)
21. Warm Vanilla Sugar | February 16, 2010 at 8:23 pm
I found your blog while browsing through the bloggie awards!
I’m from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
22. Mina | February 17, 2010 at 9:55 pm
I love your blog! You are an amazing photographer and an unbelievable writer…. not to mention your baking skills! Thanks so much… keep it up!!!
23. Tori | February 17, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Southwest Washington is where I’ma from.
I’m 17. I love baking. I like your blog.
(o.k. can I tell you a secret? I thought that my baking obsession was weird, too. You reminded me so much of myself that I’m starting to think it’s really o.k. :)
24. Ema | February 18, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Belfast, Northern Ireland
sometimes I’m tempted to lick the screen, enough said
25. Juliana | February 19, 2010 at 9:23 am
Juiz de Fora, Brazil :)
Just love your recipes!
26. bakenshiz | February 20, 2010 at 12:11 am
A NJ kid who’s found on the computer or at the oven or both x)
and so inspired by this awesome and passionate baker!
27. Mel | February 21, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Your site is wonderful!
Wellington, New Zealand!
28. Sue Robinson | February 22, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Love your site!
Wake Forest, NC
29. Hannah | February 22, 2010 at 4:39 pm
You are inspiring! I am 16 and I am considering starting a baking blog as well. Love your photos!
Saugatuck, MI
30. Ania | February 22, 2010 at 4:39 pm
totally understand and share your passion :)
London, UK
31. Marta | February 22, 2010 at 4:54 pm
You are one talented 17 y.o.!!! Don’t ever let bad critics put you down (you know, there will always be one or two of those…)! Even not knowing you, one can tell immediately you have it all to succeed in life – baking, photographing, writing, designing… You have it all, remember that! Congratulations!! I’m Marta, from Lisbon, Portugal :)
32. Clara | February 23, 2010 at 8:30 am
Geneva, Switzerland
Just found your blog and it is great! I’ve already printed out a couple of things I want to try – well written and great photos!!
33. Tami | February 23, 2010 at 4:47 pm
New Hampshire!
34. Brooke | February 23, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Salina, KS
United States
You looks so talented im pretty sure your going to go far, i wish i could bake as well as you maybe someday. Good Luck on your future
35. Debbie Gan | February 23, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Hi! i’m from Singapore! :) Your blog has inspired me to pursue my love in baking further, and i love reading your post :) They’re always so interesting!
36. Misty | February 23, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Hey!
37. Jenn | February 23, 2010 at 8:31 pm
Well I go to school in Findlay Ohio but my permanent residence is in Hamlin, New York.
38. mgm | February 24, 2010 at 5:11 am
I’m from Barcelona, Spain!
39. jels | February 24, 2010 at 3:01 pm
I stumbled upon your blog through the 2010 Bloggies and I’ve been coming back since… I wanted to go back to your very first post but I do it one at a time, day by day, page by page because I don’t want to rush it… I want to just sit back, read and bask in all the goodness that your writing brings.
I am not into cooking and most especially not into baking but there is something in the way you write that makes my soul crave to read more.
Anyway, I’d like to join the rest of the world and say Hi to you, Elissa… keep writing, keep baking, keep living beautifully.
— greetings from Makati, Philippines :)
40. Katie | February 24, 2010 at 6:07 pm
Ft Wayne, Indiana :)))
i’m 15 and i love to bake too! unfortunately, i dont always have the time because im pretty busy with school and my social life haha.
anywho i just found your blog a few weeks ago because i was looking for a food blog that updates pretty regularly and one that isnt really lame or has poor writing you know, and then i found yours and i was hooked! i have to admit, im not really into blogging; i just use facebook hehe, but i honestly think yours is the best blog ive ever read =)
keep up the good work!
41. Candace | February 25, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Bonsall (North San Diego), California. Good Luck with the Bloggies!
42. Sarah | February 26, 2010 at 10:53 am
Phoenix (Gilbert), AZ!
LOVE you blog—your writing, your photography, everything!!
43. Valeria | February 26, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Hi, I just couldn’t help but making a comment. I’m also seventeen, I’m studying computer engineering and like you, I absolutely love baking for my friends and family… To answer your question since you wanted to know where your readers are, I’m in Caracas Venezuela… very far from Seattle, but that doesn’t keep me from reading your blog that by the way is amazing…
44. Paula | February 26, 2010 at 6:41 pm
Hi! I’m Paula and I love going to book stores and flipping through all those amazing and beautifully pphotographed books.Oh! By the way I’m from Brazil and I love reading your blogs,especially the one about brigadeiros.
45. Carolyn | February 27, 2010 at 4:42 pm
I’m a Hollins college student from northern Virginia! All of your recipes look so delicious that I am definitely going to follow through and try some out. Baking for me is a passion too and its wonderful to find a young baker too! Good Luck in everything and keep on blogging!! :)
46. Brianna | February 28, 2010 at 12:45 am
Hey :) I’m Brianna and i’m from Auckland, New Zealand, so i live pretty far away! Your recipes are amazing! I love baking myself, it’s one of my biggest passions.
Thankyou for sharing your amazing creations with us all :)
Keep it up.
47. dimsum | February 28, 2010 at 2:11 am
LOVE this blog in Kailua, HI! Never enjoyed it before but now like to bake :)
48. Miguel | February 28, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Hey Brianna, I really enjoy reading your blog so keep posting your recipes and stories. Greetz from Amsterdam, The Netherlands =O)
49. Miguel | February 28, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Sorry!!!! I meant to write Elissa but the name Brianna got stuck in my head from post number 548. Sorry!!!!!!
50. Andrew | February 28, 2010 at 10:51 pm
West Bend,Wisconsin!
I love your website. :)
Everything is so neat and really good.
Keep going strong! :D