New Year, New Approaches

 

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Happy 2018 everyone!

It feels like,  and has been, a year and a day since I last wrote in here. You can thank some over zealous Russian hackers for that. After slowly recovering from the death of my father in late 2015, and health issues of my own that consumed 2016 I gradually worked my way back into the kitchen and into the frame of mind to resume blogging full-time, only to realize that the site had been hacked in early 2017 and about 75% of my content was now gone.

If you have been a reader from the early days you would know that that literally adds up to thousands of pages and hundreds of recipes. To say that it was an emotional blow would be an understatement however it was the kick I needed to realize that starting afresh in many way can be just what one needed.

It had been a rough year and a half and I realized I was forcing myself to prematurely bounce back from the grieving process. I decided to continue my hiatus and to use the time to slowly revisit and reshape the site in a manner that was organic and true to myself.

taste vinoteca
Mouthwatering bites from Taste Vinoteca

What have I been up to?

In that time I took up photography and bullet journalling, participated in a food-writing workshop, have been learning Korean(!) and launched another venture in that vein. I also continued popping up in food-related areas on such platforms as Loop, Trinidad’s popular “Cup of Joe” TV program, and even the Travel Channel!

Now I’m back with a new layout, a super-tight backup and online security system and a renewed vision. In my time off local food sites and food bloggers have proliferated. The scene is so different now from when I had started, and that makes me happy. I have never subscribed to a one size fits all approach to Caribbean food let alone Caribbean blogging. The more avenues for expression that exist the more one can pick and choose who aligns with one’s own personal vibe. Likewise, sometimes it’s the little differences as well that allow us to expand our idea of what is possible, or even ‘authentic’.

What an exciting time!

Mango Chow (from my upcoming ebook "Vegan Glam by Request"
Mango Chow (from my upcoming e-book “Vegan Glam by Request”)

Looking Ahead

I’ll continue to play my part in Trinidad and Tobago’s online foodsphere, albeit in my own small way. And as for those missing posts? I have recovered most of them and will re-photograph, re-purpose and re-publish them gradually alongside new content. I look forward to rediscovering them and I hope you will too 🙂

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