To say that I love baking seems unusual, baking is so much a part of who I am and what I do that I rarely think to say it. However, I do love baking. I love eating just as much.
For years and years I have enjoyed and used the blogs of many other people. I harboured some guilt about never contributing to this online food community, but managed to stifle it! I never really thought that I had anything new or valuable to contribute to this virtual baking world. Participating in The Great Irish Bake Off helped me see that there can never be too many recipes or pieces of advice out there. In the presence of these talented and exceptional bakers, I realised we can all learn from each other.
I have been baking as long as I can remember. Until recently I was sure that I had baked regularly as a child with my mother. I have vivid memories of making shortbread. I am now, as an adult, assured by my mother that this was a one off event. That she made shortbread just once. That doesn’t diminish the pleasure of the memory, the rolling of the dough and using a fork to make patterns around it’s edge.
Food always happens in a context, and sometimes it is the situation that it is eaten in that makes it enjoyable. A hotdog with all the toppings at a baseball game tastes fantastic as does a delicate macaroon at an afternoon tea. For this reason, I hope that this blog provides recipes and ideas for many different occasions and events that are made better by food.
Life is all about simple pleasures. I believe that baking is a complex alchemy with layers of personal, cultural and emotional significance. A freshly made loaf of bread and a tart raspberry curd afford both simple and complex pleasure.
This blog is about seeking out that pleasure in the form of delicious things. Some are recipes that I have developed myself, some are the borrowed recipes of others and some are delicious items made by the hands of others. The blog also aims to provide hints and tips, and the sharing of various skills and ideas.
Natalie Babbit’s book ‘The Search for Delicious’ was my absolutely favourite childhood book. After years of borrowing it, I finally bought if for 50p when the library sold it. The book is about many things, but at it’s heart it is about a united and individual experience of the good things in life.
I hope that this blog shares with you things that I find delicious, so that you too might share that pleasure.
Bridget xxx
P.S. Please please feel free to contact me or ask any questions.I would love to hear how you have found the recipes.
P.S.S. If you notice any very beautiful pictures on my blog, chances are that they are thanks to Helen or Liam!
Bridget is originally from Co. Wicklow, Ireland where she grew up on an organic farm. She now lives and works in Dublin as a Mental Health Occupational Therapist. She was a contestant in The Great Irish Bake off 2013 that aired on TV3. She bakes and eats as a hobby.
This is lovely, best of luck Bridget
Hi Bridget,
I have just found the Irish Bake Off on Youtube and am watching from British Columbia, Canada. I so much enjoyed your participation in the show and was sad to see you go. Thanks for setting up this blog and posting some of your recipes.
All the best,
Michelle
Hi there,
We run a blog over at https://doodlemoosedesigns.wordpress.com/category/monday-munchies-2/ and we run a weekly segment called Monday Munchies which I thought you might want to be involved in.
Every Monday, we illustrate a recipe from a food blogger, homecook, chef, baker, or food business. So far, we have a had great interest online for our illustrations.
I thought that this may be something that would interest you. It would be a way of promoting one of your recipes, and we would link to your site as well as any social media outlets you have.
We are offering the illustration free of charge, so all we ask is to use one of your recipes to showcase and promote!
If this is something that would interest you, please get in touch. We would be delighted to work with you and have you involved.
Kind Regards,
Gillian
Hi Bridget
I was lucky enough to taste your rhubarb and white chocolate blondies last week but can’t see the recipe on your website. Can you put the recipe on your blog please? I can’t stop thinking about them!!!!!!
Thanks & Kind Regards,
Niamh.
Hi Niamh,
Thanks so much for your comment! I have made the blondies 6 times in the last two weeks, they are a bit addictive! I am working on the blog post, editing photos etc and it will be up on the blog by Thursday evening. I hope you can wait that long!
Thank you again for your lovely feedback!
Bridget
Hi Bridget,
Fantastic recipes and blog – would be great to feature your work on our new Irish food site if could get in touch?
Kind regards,
Daire
I’ve just discovered your blog, thanks to your parents visiting our Alpaca farm last weekend and telling my husband about it. Your recipes look stunning and I’m looking forward to trying some out.
Regards
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth. Thanks so much for the message. I can’t wait to meet Jim and Amaran…and I’ll find some way to justify two alpacas featuring on a baking blog! Keep an eye out for them!
Hi, gorgeous blog! I’m just wondering if you have an email address that I can contact you on? Thank you!
Hi Bridget,
I hope you are very well. I’ve been checking your website from time to time over the years for a new recipes and I’m wondering are you posting somewhere else or will you let us know when you start posting again?
Blessings,
Jenny