Monday, November 30, 2009

Weekend Herb Blogging #212 Hosting



This week it's a warm welcome for first time host Marillyn from Just Making Noise.

If you're new to Weekend Herb Blogging or you haven't taken part in a while, here's a quick summary of the rules.

You have the week to post about any herb, fruit, vegetable, flower or plant. Your post can be informative, spotlight a particular ingredient and/or include a recipe where your chosen ingredient is one of the primary ingredients in the recipe.

Post should include the phrase Weekend Herb Blogging and a link to the rules and to your host.

You can post anytime during the week but remember to email your host by the deadline which is:

* 3pm Sunday - Utah Time
* 10pm Sunday - London Time
* 11pm Sunday - Rome Time
* 9am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) DS Time

Send your entries to
marillynbeard AT gmail DOT com
with WHB#212 in the subject and the following details:
  • Your Name
  • Your Blog/URL
  • Your Post URL
  • Your Location
  • A photo: 400px wide

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Smoked Garlic Aioli

Lynne from Cafe Lynnylu is hosting and this week I've found something new and a little different - Smoked Garlic

Smoked GarlicĀ© by Haalo


Thursday, November 26, 2009

Polka Dot Cookies and Cakes - PR Fail

As bloggers, we all get approached from PR companies, businesses and individuals wanting to use our platform to pimp promote their wares. As you can see, I don't have any advertising and more importantly, I don't want any advertising.

Yesterday, I received one of those typical approaches from a business in Sydney called Polka Dot Cookies and Cakes. Being a Sydney based business I thought it a bit strange they approached a Melbourne based blogger so I took a look at the stats to see how they found my site.

Well, they spent about a minute on this site, enough to land on the home page and move straight to my contact page. What brought them here was a list of Australian Female bloggers, so I don't think it would be too much of a stretch of the imagination to say that if you're on that list and write anything about food you've probably received the same email.

I wrote back to them, the same reply as I give to hawkers - not interested.

This morning, I awoke to find that Polka Dot Cookies and Cakes had replied to my email with this gem


So because I'm not interested in their product or using my site to promote their product, that makes me a goose? The reply was sent to me by someone called Libby which I can only assume is the business owner Elizabeth, so we can't pin this behaviour on an employee.

Apart from being a ridiculous reply, this is a poor display of maturity and very bad business behaviour. It's especially nonsensical when she's written to me in the first place asking that I mention her product and business.

I wrote back thanking her that I now had something to write about to which she replied with this classic:


When I first saw this reply, I had to laugh. Showing it around the office it was met with "Are you serious?" and a shake of the head.

So here's my question for the general public:

If you're a blogger that has been approached by Polka Dot Cookies and Cakes and are considering promoting her products, are you happy to be associated with this type of behaviour?

If you're a customer or contemplating being a customer, is this type of attitude something that fills you with confidence?

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Pear Strudel

It's easy to be lured by the arrival of nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots and cherries but that doesn't mean we should neglect the everyday fruit, like pears.

With just four ingredients, I've made an amazingly tasty Pear Strudel.


pear strudelĀ© by Haalo

Monday, November 23, 2009

Weekend Herb Blogging #211 Hosting

Avocado shake and Cranberry orange scones are just a hint of what you'll find in the recap - many thanks to Winnie for hosting!

This week our host is Lynne from Cafe LynnyLu

If you're new to WHB or you haven't taken part in a while, here's a quick summary of the rules.

You have the week to post about any herb, fruit, vegetable, flower or plant. Your post can be informative, spotlight a particular ingredient and/or include a recipe where your chosen ingredient is one of the primary ingredients in the recipe.

Post should include the phrase Weekend Herb Blogging and a link to the rules and to your host.

You can post anytime during the week but remember to email your host by the deadline which is:
  • 3pm Sunday - Utah Time
  • 10pm Sunday - London Time
  • 11pm Sunday - Rome Time
  • 9am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) DS Time
Send your entries to
lynnylu AT gmail DOT com with WHB#211 in the subject and the following details:
  • Your Name
  • Your Blog Name/URL
  • Your Post URL
  • Your Location
  • A photo:400px wide

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Poached Donut Peaches

Winnie from Healthy Green Kitchen is hosting this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and this week I've found something new to me at the local Farmers' Market - Donut Peaches!

donut peachesĀ© by Haalo

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Spicy Salami and Potato Mini Muffins

I knew it from the first moment I laid eyes on these mini muffin cases, that yes, they would be mine and at this time of the year when entertaining becomes a full time occupation, these cases would prove to be quite handy.

mini muffin casesĀ© by Haalo

Monday, November 16, 2009

Weekend Herb Blogging #210 Hosting



Many thanks to Astrid for hosting - the recap is now up for your enjoyment and while you are there, please send some good wishes to Astrid and her cats.

This week we welcome a new host, Winnie from Healthly Green Kitchen.

Your entries must be in by the following:

3pm Sunday - Utah Time
10pm Sunday - London Time
11pm Sunday - Rome Time
9am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) DS Time

or you can follow this link to find the corresponding time in your area.

If you haven't taken part or it's been a while, here's a quick summary of the rules.

You have the week to post about any herb, fruit, vegetable, flower or plant. Your post can be informative, spotlight a particular ingredient and/or include a recipe where your chosen ingredient is one of the primary ingredients in the recipe.

Post should include the phrase Weekend Herb Blogging and a link to the rules and to your host.

You can post anytime during the week but remember to email your host by the deadline.

Send your entries to
winnieabramson AT yahoo DOT com with WHB#210 in the subject and the following details:
  • Your Name
  • Your Blog Name/URL
  • Your Post URL
  • Your Location
  • A photo:400px wide

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Mango Ice Cream

Astrid from Paulchen's Foodblog hosting this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and in a prelude to summer I've found myself enjoying the company of mangoes

mangoĀ© by Haalo


Thursday, November 12, 2009

Locheilan Triple Cream

Locheilan Triple CheeseĀ© by Haalo


Triple Cream Cheese - three times better.

You can read more at the Cheese Blog.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Slow Roasted Garlic

garlicĀ© by Haalo

In the last few weeks, new season's garlic has become available and I'm not sure whether it's an effect of the particular variety but I'm finding them to be quite strongly flavoured. To offset this potency, I've resorted to slow-roasting the bulbs.


Monday, November 09, 2009

Weekend Herb Blogging #208 - Recap


It's been a great pleasure to organise Weekend Herb Blogging for the last year and it's been equally enjoyable to host. Each week, without fail, there will always be fascinating recipes showcasing the creativity and skills of our fellow bloggers.

This recap has been a bittersweet one when I was informed this morning that one of the participants has not only stolen the photos they are using but also stolen the posts. In fact all their previous submissions have been stolen and I will be contacting the various hosts to have them removed from their respective recaps.

I cannot say it any stronger or any clearer, content thieves are not welcome in Weekend Herb Blogging - they will not be accepted in any future WHB events, for me, there is zero tolerance for this behaviour.

I have pondered long and hard as to whether to make a public statement or deal with it behind the scenes but I think that silence plays its own part in allowing this type of behaviour to flourish and continue.

Now it's time to move to something far more enjoyable and what we're all here for - the celebration of four years of Weekend Herb Blogging and a look at the wonderful creations made.

I have presented the offerings in order of main ingredient.

Weekend Herb Blogging #209 Hosting


Our host this week will be Astrid from Paulchen's Foodblog

Send your entry to foodblog AT paulchens DOT org
with WHB#209 in the subject and the following information:
  • Your Name
  • Your Blog Name/URL
  • Your Post URL
  • Your Location
  • A photo: 400px wide
Entries must be received by
  • 3pm Sunday - Utah Time
  • 10pm Sunday - London Time
  • 11pm Sunday - Rome Time
  • 9am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) Time
The complete rules can be found here.

Friday, November 06, 2009

WHB #208 - Mahlab shortbread

To celebrate 4 years of Weekend Herb Blogging I'd thought I'd try to find something I hadn't used before and the solution came in the form of Mahlab

mahlabĀ© by Haalo


Wednesday, November 04, 2009

King Island Discovery Ash Brie

king island discovery ash brieĀ© by Haalo

Ash coated Brie from Tasmania - read more at the Cheese Blog.

Monday, November 02, 2009

Weekend Herb Blogging 4th Anniversary


From ricotta pumpkin ice cream to a basil elixir, you'll find them and more in this weeks recap - many thanks to Katie for hosting.

This week I'm hosting but there's a bit of difference - Weekend Herb Blogging celebrates its 4th birthday and with that it gets a brand new logo

WHB 4 years.jpg


It may have started as Kalyn says, as an accident, an alternative for those who couldn't take part in Weekend Cat or Dog Blogging but it certainly has taken on its own identity and grown to become quite a unique event. A celebration of all those often unsung heroes of the culinary world.

I would like to thank everyone that has taken part this year and in particular a special word of thanks to our hosts -
Wiffy, Heather, Siri, Scott, Ivy, Chriesi, Pam, Rachel, Chris, Marija, Dee, Cheryl, Susan, Laurie, Astrid, Yasmeen, Anna, Prof Kitty, Maninas, Cinzia, Katie, Graziana, Lynne, Dhanggit and Anh

Thank you for offering your time and assistance.

As part of this celebration, everyone that enters this week's WHB is in the running to receive one of my favourite herb books, Ian Hemphill's The Spice and Herb Bible


It's a random draw and the winner will be announced in the recap on Monday.


To join you'll have to send your entry to me by:
  • 3pm Sunday - Utah Time
  • 10pm Sunday - London Time
  • 11pm Sunday - Rome Time
  • 9am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) Time
If you haven't taken part or it's been a while, here's a quick summary of the rules.

You have the week to post about any herb, fruit, vegetable, flower or plant. Your post can be informative, spotlight a particular ingredient and/or include a recipe where your chosen ingredient is one of the primary ingredients in the recipe.

Post should include the phrase Weekend Herb Blogging and a link to this hosting announcement.

You can post anytime during the week but remember to email me by the deadline.

Send your entries to
whb AT cookalmostanything DOT com with WHB#208 in the subject and the following details:
  • Your Name
  • Your Blog Name/URL
  • Your Post URL
  • Your Location
  • A photo: 300px wide

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Pickled Beetroot

Katie from Eat This is hosting this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and this week I have baby beetroot

baby beetrootĀ© by Haalo on Flickr


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