Seven years ago, today, I created My Island Bistro Kitchen Food Blog.  On this, my 7^th Blogiversary, I am going to take this opportunity to give a shout-out to three people who were instrumental in inspiring my love of working with food and in cultivating my culinary skills.

First, my mother.  She never shooed me away when she was preparing food.  I’d see the yellow melamine bowl and Rubbermaid spatula appearing and I’d immediately find my little apron and pull a kitchen chair to the counter, not wanting to miss a minute of the fun!  Not once did my mother ever tell me to go off and play instead of standing at her elbow as she prepared food.  Rather, she’d let me stir whatever was being made and would explain the order in which the ingredients were to be added.  Once the mixture got to the point that it needed a little more muscle than I had, my mother would take over and I’d still stand by her side, watching and absorbing all the steps and learning. Sweet culinary memories.

Second, my grandmother.  She was, by no means, a fancy cook but what she prepared was mighty tasty.  She had a really large wooden pastry board that she’d heave on to the pantry table.  I loved when it was molasses or sugar cookie baking day because I always got to cut out the cookies that Gram would bake in her wood stove oven. And, when she would be making the Christmas Scotch cookies, I’d sit in her rocking chair with the big brown crockware bowl on my knee and cream her homemade butter. I still have her floral flour sifter (still works like a charm) and her small collection of cookie cutters (she would be beyond thrilled that I kept them and still prize them).  I remember well the day she coached me through making my first batch of bread at the age of 13.  She was so incredibly proud that day that I wondered how we’d ever fit this petite woman through the door!

Third, my high school home economics teacher.  Young and fresh out of university, we hit the jackpot when an enthusiastic home economics teacher arrived at our rural high school when I was in grade 9.  Super organized and always arriving at class with a solid lesson plan, she solidified my love of learning about, and preparing, foods.  I literally spent hours pouring over my class notes.  And, I still have some of the teacher’s recipes from foods we made in class!

These three people may never have realized the influence they had on my lifelong love of everything culinary but each certainly played a key role.  So, for that reason, I am acknowledging their role in how this food blogger and passionate home cook became a lifelong foodie.

Someone probably inspired your love of food, cooking, and/or baking.  Who was your biggest influencer or culinary mentor?

To check out my previous Blogiversary celebrations, click on the links below:

First Blogiversary
Second Blogiversary
Third Blogiversary
Fourth Blogiversary
Fifth Blogiversary
Sixth Blogiversary

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Today, I celebrate my third blogiversary, three years blogging about food.  For those of you who are regular followers of my blog, you’ll notice I often focus on food that is produced in my home province of Prince Edward Island on the East Coast of Canada and I frequently features stories about Island food producers.  As I have said countless times, we may be Canada’s smallest province but we sure do produce some mighty fine food!  Along with top quality food products to work with, Island-produced food  gives me great inspiration to cook, bake, and blog.

So, some “eye candy” to celebrate the blogiversary.

I live in a winter climate so I chose ice blue for the cupcake frosting, almost a Tiffany blue.

I like the turquoise-colored frosting against the chocolate cupcakes encased in the silver foil liners.  There are many pretty paper cupcake liners on the market but I have yet to discover the trick to keeping the oil/butter from seeping through and spoiling the look of them.  That’s one reason why I like the foil liners – they stay clean.

The cupcakes are themed around snowflakes and ice crystals.  Here’s a close-up of the detail.

I spent some time playing with the lighting today so these cupcakes starred in many photos!  (They were very patient subjects!)

One of the things I like most about cupcakes is that they are each a little mini canvas to work with.  They are also more casual than a cake and each guest gets his/her own mini cake.  As well, they are size and portion-controlled and don’t need to be served on a plate!

They may be a more casual option to a celebratory cake but that doesn’t mean cupcakes can’t be dressed up for the party!

Thanks for stopping by “the Bistro” today and celebrating my third blogiversary with me!  Cheers!

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