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. Rachel | August 11, 2010 at 8:45 am
Orange County, CA
I am SO excited to try these biscuits. They look absolutely amazing! I love, love. love your blog, keep doing what you’re doing!!!
2. Flora | August 11, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Hajduszoboszlo, Hungary :)
3. Liz Martin Ishimoto | August 12, 2010 at 6:23 pm
l just love your blog. Love the recipes, pictures, and the writing.
Honolulu, HI
4. Tanya | August 13, 2010 at 9:28 am
I’m 14 (15 next month!) and I absolutely love your website! :)
good luck with your website and your amazing baking/ writing/ photography skills!
Knoxville, TN :D
5. Jessie | August 13, 2010 at 8:55 pm
Victoria, Australia
Keep it up,
love.love.love
6. Jessica | August 15, 2010 at 7:04 am
Seattle!! :)
7. Kayla | August 16, 2010 at 1:14 pm
I’m from Florida!
I’ve been reading your blog for a long time now and I love it! You are so talented! Your photos are stunning and your recipes are divine!
I think it’s amazing how there are TEENS that love to cook and take the time to share it on a blog! I am a fellow teenager but I’m really into health food. They should have a TEEN FOOD BLOGGER CONFERENCE! Don’t you think? I vote for you to attend if they ever have one! I know they do them for the adults! What makes us any different?!? :)
8. Elise | August 19, 2010 at 1:06 pm
I live in Richmond, Virginia. Your blog is great!
9. Melissa | August 20, 2010 at 8:20 am
Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia!
10. Dawn | August 20, 2010 at 11:54 pm
I live in Hawaii, but since my husband is in the Navy, I have followed your blog from Bahrain, Spain, Japan, Rhode Island, Florida, California and Australia.
11. Sam | August 21, 2010 at 6:23 am
Hi. I’m Sam. I’m 13, live in New Jersey, and I looove baking,
writing, and animals!!!
Baking is a real passion to me. I really enjoy making up recipes
and trying out new ones! One of the most recent things I made
were PB cups! I didn’t make up the recipe (T-T) But the way I
make them, they have to be my recipe! (Secret ingredients) >.>
<.< Don't tell. XD I live w/ my family, mom, dad, sisters, and my best friend, Maddy the Maltipoo! ^w^
12. Eva | August 21, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Auckland, New Zealand!
Just found your blog through Sophisticated Gourmet’s blog, which I found through Pioneer Woman’s blog, which I found through Bakerella’s blog… I like me some food & baking blogs! They make me *smile*. Looking forward to having a good look around & trying out some recipes. YumYum!
13. Kirsty Heaton | August 22, 2010 at 10:17 am
Amazing food and photography – love it!
Pembroke, Wales
14. Sarah | August 22, 2010 at 6:37 pm
I live in Beaverton, OR (a few hours drive from you!) and have just discovered your blog!
I have been thinking about making a blog for a while, but never really knew how to get started. After reading through yours though, I realized I could make a baking/cake decorating blog!
I’m 17 too you see, and I too thought blogs were uncool until I realized my best friend has a famous fashion blog and I realized how wrong I was.
Thanks for the inspiration! :)
15. stephanie | August 22, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Tasmania, Australia
I love love love your blog!
16. karla ramirez | August 22, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Hey Elissa, I love your blog. Are you in college yet?
A fan in Columbia, Missouri
17. lynne | August 23, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Your blog is soooo yummy and I totally love your blog!!
oh and honolulu, hawaii
18. Andrea | August 27, 2010 at 1:26 pm
I’m enjoying looking through your yummy blog, and I’m in Eugene, Oregon.
19. Sara | August 27, 2010 at 4:48 pm
London, England
20. Morgan | August 28, 2010 at 2:37 am
Melbourne, Australia!
21. Sandra | August 28, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Right now I living in Issaquah, Washington, but I am from the Adelaide area of South Australia. I really enjoy your blog, and have tried several recipes – my husband loves your Tangerine Meringue Tart and Double Chocolate Cherry Truffle Cookies!
22. Isabelle | August 29, 2010 at 7:38 am
Aarau, Switzerland!
23. Ana | August 30, 2010 at 5:34 pm
I’m from Spain but living in San Diego, CA
24. Melissa | August 31, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Easton, Pennsylvania!
25. Melanie | September 1, 2010 at 2:36 am
I`m living near Cologne, Germany
26. Daniela | September 1, 2010 at 3:49 am
I am in Fortaleza, Brazil
27. Heather | September 1, 2010 at 4:48 am
I was born and am currently living, in Seoul, South Korea but have lived most of my life in Bellevue and Seattle, WA ^^
28. Nina | September 1, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Warsaw, Poland
29. Lydia Jibaja | September 2, 2010 at 4:45 pm
I’m from Iquitos-Peru in South America.
You’re blog is really cool.
Saludos!
30. Julie | September 3, 2010 at 3:51 pm
McLean, Virginia
31. Joanne | September 3, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Coram, New York.
32. chloe | September 5, 2010 at 1:15 am
Finally I found your blog today…and I got someting to ask you regarding my daughters birthday please email me then I/ ll tell you details..
33. Sallie | September 5, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Raleigh, North Carolina.
34. Heather | September 6, 2010 at 3:59 am
Salt Lake City, Utah
35. Amanda Abby | September 7, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Bentonville,Arkansas
P.s. I love your blog! It’s nice to see there’s another teenage baker out there besides me :)
36. Hannah B. | September 8, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Fayetteville, Arkansas :)
37. Debbie B. | September 8, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Just found your blog! Keep it up – can’t wait to read future posts!
Arlington, VA
38. Sheena | September 9, 2010 at 8:38 am
Sydney, Australia
39. Vanessa | September 10, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Hello, Elissa! I’ve been reading your blog for a little bit now, and I love it! Thank you for sharing such wonderful stories that are accompanied by fantastic pictures that make me salivate!
I’m a reader all the way from Honolulu, Hawaii! :)
40. Annika | September 11, 2010 at 10:16 am
What a beautifull blog!
Tampere, Finland
41. Joolzmac | September 11, 2010 at 8:17 pm
South Australia
42. nicola | September 11, 2010 at 11:30 pm
elsia,
how sweet of you to share your love of baking with the world and others who have the same passion C:
nicola, south australia, australia.
43. nicola | September 11, 2010 at 11:31 pm
**elissa.
SOZ.
44. Heather | September 12, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Love your blog! I’m from Vancouver, BC, Canada. Pretty close to your hometown!
45. Xinmei | September 13, 2010 at 6:22 pm
I love this! I can’t believe that you are only 18, your photos are amazing and your baking is even more (if that’s possible) amazing. Keep on baking!
Oh, and I’m from the UK, somewhere near London :)
46. Samantha | September 15, 2010 at 1:45 pm
I’m in Southern California, but I wish I was in Seattle…..
47. Alba | September 15, 2010 at 3:08 pm
I’m from Valencia, Spain. I loooove your blog, your recipes and your nice pictures. Keep up the good work! :D
48. Tina | September 16, 2010 at 4:43 pm
California
49. Noelia | September 17, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Estella, Navarra, Spain
50. Bethany | September 18, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Los Angeles, CA