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Happy Birthday Daring Bakers!
Date: Nov. 19th 2007
Category: Cookies and Bars, Daring Bakers
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When it comes to defining moments, it’s funny how they never seem defining as they’re happening. You don’t realize you’re in the right place at the right doing the right thing until it’s all done.
When I think back to last November 19th, I could never have imagined that one simple post about pretzels would have sparked the birth of one of the most incredible things to happen in food blogdom: the Daring Bakers!
None of this could have been possible if not for a person who I have come to call one of my dearest friends (even though we’ve never actually met in person!). Lis of La Mia Cucina has found a place in my life and I could not imagine not knowing her.
So how did it all start? After a few e-mail discussions, Lis and I decided to try making pretzels at home, something that we’d never done before. We thought it would be fun if we both tried the same recipe and blogged about it on the same day. On November 19th, 2006, we put up our posts.
The reaction was tremendous! So much so that we quickly decided to try the idea again in December, except this time we were making biscotti. As word spread, people began e-mailing us and asking to take part in the next baking “challenge”.
Today, we number more than 300. Together, we have woken up at 4:00 a.m. to roll croissants, we developed a passion for fourless chocolate cakes, we have invested in red velvet, we have built monuments to crepes, we have made St. Honoré our patron saint, we have paid homage to bagels, we have looked at ourselves in the mirror, we have tarted ourselves up with caramel and chocolate, we have girded our buns with cinnamon, we have conquered bostini and this month … well … that’s still a secret.
So now that a year is behind us, what lies ahead in the year to come? For starters, Lis and I are hoping to give the Daring Bakers a proper Web site. We currently have a blogroll that lists all of our members but it’s time for the DBers (that’s what we call ourselves) to get a spiffy new site. Toward that end, we’re asking for your help. If anyone is interested in helping us with a new site design, please get in touch with us (lamiacucina67@gmail.com or creampuffsinvenice@gmail.com). Unfortunately this won’t be a paying gig (although perhaps we can arrange the delivery of some baked goods … ), but it would be a great opportunity and would offer great exposure. Beyond that, Lis and I hope to watch this group continue to grow and explore the possibilities of baking.
To be sure there have been some growing pains, but the incredible experiences of the last year have far outweighed those. And it goes without saying that the last year has been made easier with the help of a few individuals who must be acknowledged. Every Daring Baker is special but without the tireless work of our blog administrator, Mary of alpineberry, I just don’t know how this group would function. Mary oversees our private blog and she handles the huge task of communicating with every new member of the Daring Bakers. Mary, I bow to you!
Lis and I also owe a huge thanks to Veronica of Veronica’s Test Kitchen. She took it upon herself to approach Ximena of Lobstersquad about designing a logo. Thanks to her the Daring Bakers have an emblem that it all ours. Veronica also takes on the job of sending the logo out to every new member. Many thanks, Veronica!
Having come full circle, Lis and I decided that we would honour the occasion with … what else … pretzels.
Happy Birthday to the Daring Bakers! Many happy returns!
Ciao!
Note: Pictured above are Pistachio Pretzels from the the December 1999 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.
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11/19/07 at 7:07 am
Happy Birthday DB!!! I’m ever so happy to be part of this great group and I love the challenges! Thanks for having initiated it!
Those cookies look gorgeous! I’d love to eat one now with my coffee…
Cheers,
Rosa
11/19/07 at 7:24 am
Oh Happy Birthday to the DBs. You’re so right about not recognizing the right moment and all. But I now so happy you & Lis got it all started and that I was smart enough to join.
Happy Day!
11/19/07 at 7:24 am
Oh and great cookie too!
11/19/07 at 7:48 am
Happy B-day to the Daring Bakers! Thanks to you and Lis for forming such a wonderful group!
11/19/07 at 8:28 am
You know, I was just thinking about that the other day, I had no idea when Lisa sent me an email “hey, wanna make Biscotti with us” that it would turn into such a fun monthly adventure! I can’t believe it’s been 1 year already! Happy Birthday! Great pretzel recipe….so tempting I would have no problem eating half the pan!!
11/19/07 at 8:45 am
Yahhhh! Happy Birthday to the DBs! I bow to you and Lis for starting this awesome group and I thank YOU for cajoling me into joining. You know you simply knew better: I love you for that. Congrats to all the DBS You ROCK!
11/19/07 at 9:10 am
I’ve loved reading all the Daring Bakers posts–it’s incredibly education, actually! Maybe it’s finally time for me to join…we’ll see. I had to comment and just say those cookies look so friggin’ good to me! And they are so simple. When I saw that you use a rum glaze I think I was sold. I’ve planned my holiday cookie agenda, and now I think I’m going to have to change it so I can make these…what are you trying to do to me!?
Julie
11/19/07 at 9:15 am
Happy birthday to all the daring bakers! What a great thing you got started. Even though I’m not a baker and don’t eat most of the things you make, I love reading the posts and seeing what everyone is making!
11/19/07 at 9:27 am
Happy birthday to the Daring Bakers and a big thanks to the you and Lis!
I’m so happy to be part of this group!
11/19/07 at 9:29 am
Happy birthday to the ever expanding group of the DBH!!!! Congratulations ladies who have seen this through from infancy!!!!
11/19/07 at 9:37 am
Those pretzel cookies are so cute. Now you have me really wanting to try them for the holidays.
11/19/07 at 10:06 am
So who wants the bumps?
11/19/07 at 10:20 am
Buon Compleanno!
I am honored and excited to be part of this fantastic group of bloggers.
11/19/07 at 10:26 am
Happy birthday! Can’t believe it’s a year already - I started reading DB posts before I started my blog, then had a lot of fun reading all about that infamous Martha pancake thing and now I’m a proud DB myself.
The pretzels look so yummy I tried to pluck them out of the computer.
11/19/07 at 11:36 am
First of all, these pretzels look fantastic. And as for the Daring Bakers, what a great thing to have started! I keep wanting to join, but I haven’t yet. I’m not intimidated by the tasks — it’s just that I’m so swamped with work and such that I feel like I’d have to bail on so many of the projects! One of these days…
11/19/07 at 11:56 am
Shall I sing here too?
Happy birthday to usssssssss! happy birthday to uuuusssssssssss! Happy birthday dear Daring Bakersssssss! Happy birthday to usssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!
*whistle*
xoxo
11/19/07 at 12:35 pm
Happy birthday to the Daring Bakers!! What a wonderful group - I am so proud to be a part of it!
11/19/07 at 2:32 pm
It’s amazing that it’s already been a year… But I’m so happy to finally get a chance to join in! I can’t wait to post the results of my very first challenge in just one week!
Happy 1st birthday to the Daring Bakers, and may there be many more!
11/19/07 at 2:45 pm
Happy Birthday, I’m so glad the you and Lis had a eureka moment, event if you didn’t know it then!
The pretzels look wonderful, and rum glaze - yum
KJxx
11/19/07 at 3:37 pm
A very HB to all of us DB’s! These are some fab intricate cookies to celebrate!
11/19/07 at 4:23 pm
Happy Birthday DB! Looking forward to another year of delicious creations
11/19/07 at 4:31 pm
I’ve read and seen many Daring Baker posts in the last couple months, but it was most exciting to read about how it all began! Thanks for starting up such a great project!
11/19/07 at 5:44 pm
Happy birthday to all those Daring Bakers! May your egg whites always be stiff and your ganache glossy
The pretzel cookies look awesome–would never have paired rum glaze with pistachio, but I’m having a lot of fun imagining how it would taste.
11/19/07 at 5:49 pm
Wow, I had no idea about the history of the Daring Bakers!! Happy birthday, DB!! I wish the Daring Bakers many more “birthdays” to come :0)
11/19/07 at 5:55 pm
Happy birthday to the Daring Bakers! Ivonne, you and Lis have provided much enjoyment in the blog world, even to those of us who only read your wonderful posts each month but aren’t daring enough to bake. Looking forward to another year of posts from the DBers.
11/19/07 at 10:59 pm
Yeah us…and what a great tribute to the DB birthday.
11/20/07 at 1:04 am
Happy birthday Dearing Bakers! To many more to come. Even though I’ve only been a DB-er since Bostini, I love it!
11/20/07 at 3:14 am
What a great choice for your pretzel! I will be making those this year as part of my Christmas baking!
It’s been a great year of baking and I am looking forward to the next one.
Big Hugs and Happy Birthday!
11/20/07 at 3:53 pm
And happy birthday to you, by proxy. I do hope your family came up with some presents for you!
11/20/07 at 9:44 pm
Happy Birthday to the Daring Bakers! I’ve been drooling over your posts and tryng to channel your talents for many months. I can’t wait until next month when I will get to join you.
Wonderful cookies! Just the thing to dunk in your coffee!
11/21/07 at 12:19 am
“Tante aguri a te, Tante aguri a te” Such well deserved success for such interesting people across the blogosphere, Bakers!
I think these look worthy of scouring about for some pistachios. Thanks for your dedication to making things happen
11/21/07 at 2:42 am
Happy, happy day. Mine will be happy too with some of these yummy pistachio biccies. Thank you for pushing my baking boundaries .
11/21/07 at 11:59 am
Those are enticing cookies Ivonne! Happy Birthday! I’m having fun being part of the DBers. Thanks to both of you.
11/21/07 at 9:15 pm
Happy Birthday to the Daring Bakers…such a fantastic baking community. You and Lis did good.
The pretzle cookies look like fun to make and are a perfect way to celebrate a year that started with a pretzel recipe.
11/23/07 at 12:15 pm
[…] a party taking place at Cream Puffs in Venice as Ivonne celebrates the first year of the Daring Bakers meme/challenge, and there’s always baking going on at Do You Know the Muffin Man? where Eric whips up some […]
11/23/07 at 12:54 pm
It has been so interesting to watch your group grow and grow and grow throughout the months. How neat!
Happy birthday to the Daring Bakers!
11/26/07 at 2:50 am
Happy Daring Baker Birthday Ivonne. Sorry I’m a little late.
11/26/07 at 12:32 pm
Happy Belated Birthday to the most daring-est bakers out there. You guys inspire to new heights of baking-itude.
01/7/09 at 9:16 pm
[…] Bakers. Today the founders, Ivonne and Lis, write about the beginning of the Daring Bakers, share pretzel recipes and give others a way to be a part of the […]