One year old

Some of you might recognize this cake; some of you might not. Whatever the case, the "yay" is up again because Salty/Savory/Sweet turned a year old today!

Yay!

January 2008

"After a disappointing date…noodles"
"Turkish for twelve"

I've never had an "about" page or even a decent "hello, I'm beginning a blog" entry, so in honor of this anniversary, I'm going to finally give a proper introduction.

February 2008

"So cute, I just wanna pinch its doughy little cheeks"
"Astoria, Astoria"

Hi.

My name is Sarah. I'm twenty-eight years old, and I was born and raised in New York City, Queens. I'm a copyeditor, copywriter, proofreader, and jewelry crafter. I went to elementary school in Bayside, to high school on the Upper East Side, and to college in upstate New York. After graduation I worked as a paralegal for one year, followed by five years of working for a book publisher of sci fi and fantasy. I currently reside in Northern Colorado, where I am a graduate student in fiction.

March 2008

"A Swiss fulfilled"
"Noods, 'cukes, and nori"

Uhh…I don't know what else to say without sounding like either a personal ad or a job interview, so I'm going to skip on. Yes? Okay.

April 2008

"Two Chicks in the Big Easy: Beignet…done that"
"A socks-rockin salad-off"

Because of my upbringing I've always been enthusiastic about food, but it wasn't until a summer just before my junior year of college that I started becoming more discerning about what I was eating.

May 2008

"Mantou and baozi shifu"
"In which I ♥ NY (More Than Ever): Third Floor, and Sunnyside taco-ing"

Then, I was temping as a receptionist at a real estate company, but the phone hardly ever rang. For the first few weeks I basically twiddled my thumbs—until I realized I could use the computer to surf the internet.

June 2008

"Bright-eyed in Brighton Beach: Cafe Kashkar, M&I International Foods, La Brioche"
"Crabbing on rice at Imperial Palace"

I came across Chowhound, then in its earliest form of sprawling message boards in plain text. There I found an entire community of people hell-bent on finding the best and tastiest the city had to offer, and as I read more and more I realized how exciting and meaningful food could be, and how much better I could strive to make my every experience with it.

July 2008

"I heart outdoor food: Brooklyn Flea and New Amsterdam Market"
"One day in June…"

My awareness of what I was and could be eating skyrocketed, and hasn't dwindled ever since. When food blogs started blossoming all over the web, I became an avid fan. Not only were there words, but now there were pictures! I considered starting one of my own, but it was always just a passing thought.

August 2008

"Pio Pio: Roasted chicken for giant appetites"
"Kimbap and calamari on the Fourth of July"

But fast forward to last January, when I found myself with free time for the first time in months. I seized the moment. At first I figured a blog would be just a way to keep track of recipes and memorable meals, but it quickly turned into a way of noting the big and small events of my life, with food as both the subject and the vehicle for my memories.

September 2008

"From Jersey to the Bronx: Mitsuwa and Lobster Box"
"In the Catskills, the end draws near"

A lot has happened for me this year, almost all of which I've managed to note in this blog. In April, I realized I was going to bid farewell to New York City for a while. In May, I swapped roommates. In June, I was a bridesmaid for my friend's wedding, which also led to an unexpected meeting. In July, I left my job of five years. And in August, I moved out to Fort Collins to pursue an MFA degree in Creative Writing/Fiction.

October 2008

"Tour de Fat: A beer-fueled bike festival"
"A very merry broccoli salad"

The last few months have contained bits and pieces of my adjustment from living in NYC to living in Northern Colorado, from being a nine-to-fiver to being graduate student, from living with roommates to living alone, from eating out a lot to mostly cooking at home.

November 2008

"Eats from around the globe at the World Unity Fair"
"The Gas Station Chronicles: Caribbean Food Shack"

Most, if not all of it, has been pretty good. All in all, 2008, you were a pretty decent one.

December 2008

"A visitor in town: Thanksgiving, away from home"
"Cutting the cake"

So thanks, everyone, for reading, and for continuing to read. Knowing you guys are out there is what makes this blog worthwhile. As for the coming year—well, I have no promises except to keep writing until I make it to the next one.

I hope that isn't more than I can chew.

Cheers everyone, and happy grubbin' in the new year!