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. Bethann | April 6, 2010 at 11:40 am
Littleton, Colorado where it was 60 yesterday, and it should snow tonight.
2. Kristen | April 6, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Burlington, Vermont- your blog gives me such inspiration! keep on being wonderful!
3. Ashley | April 6, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Lynn, Massachusetts
4. Shaheen | April 7, 2010 at 10:39 am
Bombay, India!!!
5. Elise and Nallely | April 7, 2010 at 11:40 am
St. Louis, MO!
6. Sarah | April 7, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Brooklyn, New York!
Elissa, I absolutely love your blog. It has become the number one most-checked website on my computer besides the NYT home page. Your writing is so beautiful and I’m continually amazed by your photography. You’re so wonderful!
7. Yan Ee | April 8, 2010 at 5:24 am
Hi there, i am from southeast asia Singapore :D, happen to chance upon your blog. It is a pleasant find, i have already marked your URL :)! what a wonderful blog you have! Your pictures are fabulous, very inviting!
8. Stephanie | April 8, 2010 at 6:06 am
Sydney, Australia
I heard of your blog through a magazine and I think I’m officially hooked! Your food loooks amazing and I’m going to try and conquer that rainbow cake soon! :)
Keep it up!
9. Chantal | April 8, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Hey I’m from New Zealand!
I heard of this site through a magazine and I love it!
10. Erin | April 8, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Milwaukee, Wisconsin!
11. Nadia | April 8, 2010 at 10:41 pm
Great recipes, lovely photos!!
I’m from the Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
12. Sarah-Jane | April 9, 2010 at 4:27 am
London, England :)
13. sooyoung | April 9, 2010 at 8:43 am
my family is actually heading out to seattle this summer, any suggestions for good places to eat/see?
14. Brianna! | April 9, 2010 at 12:34 pm
LOVE YOUR BLOG!
so glad I found it!!
15. Deana | April 10, 2010 at 8:40 am
Nice blog. I’m from Broken Arrow, OK — just East of Tulsa.
16. dre | April 10, 2010 at 11:52 am
orange county! and i love this blog…so much! The ginger carrot cake is amazzzzzing!
17. hannah @ thepastrykook | April 11, 2010 at 7:58 am
singapore!
and i adore your blog! you’re really talented (:
18. Hannah Elisabeth | April 11, 2010 at 9:03 am
Boston, MA! Home of baked beans & boston cream pie
19. Maggie G. | April 11, 2010 at 5:35 pm
Jax, FL. I think it is definitely SO cool that you Blog. I love your photos. They remind me of paintings. Hmmm, Still Life with Biscuits
Maggie
20. Ashley | April 11, 2010 at 10:57 pm
I’m in Shizuoka, Japan, but originally from Bellingham/Seattle. I think it’s great that you are doing something like this, especially at your age! Glad I found your blog. :)
21. Sonya | April 12, 2010 at 8:20 am
Keene, NH! Only during the school year, though. Otherwise I’m just an hour or so north in Danbury, NH. Haha.
Love your blog. Your pictures are absolutely gorgeous!
22. Taylor Shelton | April 12, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Fountain Hills, AZ
I just stumbled upon your blog today, but I am already very impressed and intrigued. I plan to check back regularly and try out some of your recipes. :)
23. stephanie | April 12, 2010 at 10:40 pm
Hey,
I’m from Vancouver Canada. I just started reading your blog today and I really like your writing style and photography. Stunning photographs!
24. Jennifer | April 13, 2010 at 9:18 am
Love this blog! I’m so impressed and very inspired!
25. Zabwan | April 13, 2010 at 11:01 am
just found your site but i love it, and will be back to visit!
i write a foodblog in South Africa – pls visit!
I love to bake too, and have collected some wonderful recipes over the years. you might enjoy them!
26. Alissa | April 13, 2010 at 10:03 pm
name: alissa (i find it funny how we have like, the same name!!!)
location: im a texas girl (:
mmmkay, here we go….
1) i loveeeee your blog title
2) im 14, and even though im young, i check your blog every 2 days and try one of your recipes every other week. im a die-hard 17 and baking fan
3) Could you, idk, design a t-shirt? because i would totally buy one.
4)I tried the almond biscotti w/o the chocolate. it failed, but my dog ate it! and thennn i tried again, and it worked. soo i just wanted to say, THANKS (:
~alissa
27. Starting to Cook | April 14, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Syracuse, NY!
28. Zas | April 15, 2010 at 9:17 am
Knoxville, TN
You have an amazing talent for writing, baking, and photography. I just stumbled upon your blog today (linked through Smitten Kitchen), but after reading only a few posts I knew I *had* to subscribe! Keep up the great work – can’t wait to see what you make next.
:)
29. Deese | April 15, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Winston Salem, NC
Love your writing. You always make me feel like baking. I also feel like you give me a bit of insite into my little sisters life as you guys are the same age. So thank you for your awesome blog!
:)
30. Zoe | April 15, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Plano, TX!
31. mariamhansia | April 17, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Sausalito, California. I fallowed a link from smittenkitchen ive already bookmarked so many recipes of yours to try!
32. Erin | April 18, 2010 at 3:16 pm
I’m 14 and I love to bake, and also enjoy reading your wonderfully written posts!
33. Erin | April 18, 2010 at 3:20 pm
I love to bake! I love the recipes and your very creative posts!
34. Juliette | April 19, 2010 at 1:44 pm
I’m writing from Italy (but I’m dutch), love your blog! If you want to try some italian recipes contact me ^^ I have a big big passion for baking, too!
35. Brandy | April 19, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Albuquerque, NM
Love your 4th of July cake! :)
36. Mara | April 19, 2010 at 7:05 pm
Palo Alto, CA. I made your gingersnaps for my english class and they loved them! Thank you so much for sharing your stories, experiences, and recipes with everyone. :)
37. Olivia | April 19, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Auckland, New Zealand.
17 and baking too! Your blog is my favourite.
38. Marcella Thompkins | April 20, 2010 at 6:16 pm
I am from LA but I am currently attending UCSB. I am completely obsessed with food blogs, haha :) Yours is wonderful!
39. Patricia | April 20, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Just came across your blog!
Five minutes as a “17 and Baking” Reader and already loving it!
I am from Costa Rica but I read you from Atlanta, GA. :-)
40. Cortney | April 20, 2010 at 9:59 pm
I truly enjoy reading your posts. Your eloquent words and amazing recipes that you share, and how you tie them together are wonderful to see from such an insight young lady. Good luck to you!!
41. Lauren | April 21, 2010 at 11:23 am
Wonderful pictures, food and writing!!
42. Lauren | April 21, 2010 at 11:28 am
Gosh, I forgot to leave my location!! Provo, Utah :)
43. Stephanie | April 21, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Hey! Love your recipes, I am also 17 and love to bake! From S-burg, Pennsylvania! :D
44. claire | April 21, 2010 at 6:22 pm
hi, i’m from singapore and my youngest son is 26yrs old and just want to say you inspire me a lot. thanks.
45. Justina | April 21, 2010 at 8:33 pm
hello there im from Singapore!
like you, im 18 this year and i love baking. (but im an aviation student ^^,) you are really good and i love to read your wonderful entries. the words you write are always inviting and sometimes it makes me wonder how seattle looks like too.
ive never been there though. but one day! ;-)
thanks for sharing with us your wonderful creations, wonderful writings and most of all, your wonderful family/dad. keep up the good work!
46. Hannah | April 21, 2010 at 9:26 pm
I found your blog last week via Smitten Kitchen. I’m a nutrition and culinary arts major in St. Louis and find your cooking and blogging inspiring and beautiful. Keep on bakin’…
47. anne | April 23, 2010 at 11:53 am
I just found you and am so glad that I did! Coming from Minocqua, WI (Way northern WI). anne
48. Jessica | April 23, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Hey! Your blog looks really nice I love baking ‘our age’ who have such a passion for baking! I’m 19 and baking lol, and I live in Kingston, Jamaica! Check out my blog! Its fairly new but nice content so far! :)
49. Tegan | April 25, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Hi! I found your blog a while ago and love visiting it! I come all the way from Auckland, New Zealand!
50. Juli | April 26, 2010 at 10:18 am
Amazing site and a lot of the yummiest recipes… thank you from Germany!