Some of you may remember this from Facebook, but I made this pavlova a few months ago. And then I never wrote about it on the blog. Like, ever. Some of you may have wondered, “Where did that wee pavlova go? Did it not work out? Why is Shannon holding out on us like this?” Friends, I would never hold out on you unless it was for good reason. Truth: those tiny individual pavlovas were not meant for this blog; they were meant for my first-ever semi-regular freelance food writing job. What? We have several great food magazines in St. Louis, and one of them was just insane enough (in a good way) to ask me to write for them.
I feel stupid for not telling you this sooner. I meant to, but it was one of those things where there was an approach and prompt (giddy) acceptance, an assignment given and completed, photos taken (proudly, my own) and work submitted. And then, I sat there. Do I tell them? Do I wait? If I tell them, what do I say? Everyone knows that I’m not exactly the queen of self-promotion, and yet all of you manage to be here week after week. I’m not a horn-tooter. Some people take this as me not being excited (typically it’s the opposite) or me not knowing how (I can toot a horn like no one’s business as long as it’s not myself), and yet, it’s just me, being myself, not liking to wave furiously in public going “hey everyone! look what I get to do.”
So, hey everyone: look what I get to do! I get to write for Feast Magazine, a stellar local food culture magazine which I have loved for all the years it’s sat on a shelf waiting for me to grab it. It’s beautiful; do yourself a favor and look at a few of the articles. Pretty stunning, right? Yes. The writing is consistently excellent (they even had a James Beard Foundation Award nominee this year), and the photos…I can’t get enough. The worst thing they could have ever done is have me take my own pictures, and I’m sure at some point they’ll regret that. For now, they seem to like me. I hope it stays that way, because I really crush it out on them, and it’s a little like they’re taking me to a food prom by asking me to work with them.
Aside from real, clock-in/clock-out jobs in the past, I’ve never written regularly for a magazine; only for myself. My first assignment went really well, and I can’t wait to do more in the future. I hope will click over and visit my little article, and I hope you browse around while you’re there; I know some of you will love it, because it’s right up your alley. What We’re Cooking is a new web section for them, and that’s the column I’ll be writing for (I think) for the most part. Maybe they let me do other things someday: who knows. For now, I’m just immensely stoked to be there, and happy to be a part of such a well-respected publication.
So if you’d like to hop over and get my recipe for individual pavlovas with fudge sauce and caramelized pineapple, please do: my article is right here. I do a few paragraphs about how they make fantastic summer party desserts, and they truly do. If you read it, I promise to show you some other ways you can top a pavlova, and I also promise to help you troubleshoot should you have any issues (which you shouldn’t, because I messed with them for days until I got them right). Leave a comment over there if you feel so inclined; I like hearing from you no matter which forum you choose. And you’ll completely want to add their feed to your reader of choice once you look through; the What We’re Cooking section is being done by a handful of fantastic local bloggers, and there are loads of other gorgeous recipes on the site as well from local chefs, so I’m positive that many of you will really like it.
Remember: glorious pavlova recipe = this way. horn-toot.
29 Comments
Oh Shannon, that’s so exciting!!!! I’m so happy for you. You’re gonna do such an awesome job writing for them. I told you, your book tour isn’t too far off… 😉
Thanks, Amy! You all are so, so nice…for serious, we all joke around and i love that and somehow you are the most frigging supportive bunch of people: i am so lucky. for real.
book tour! I hope that new house of yours has an extra guest bedroom, and i hope nate likes crazy, because if there’s ever a book tour (crossing fingers) i’m bunking with you.
um, you will OBVIOUSLY be staying with us. I can’t wait to decorate a guest room. And I will fill it with cookbooks for you to peruse before bed 😉
*yes* that you remember my bedtime reading habits is equal parts disturbing and awesome. Either way, I love it. 😉
CONGRATS, Shannon!!! What a well deserved opportunity to do what you love! You have been most prolific in posting lately and every time I click over you have something wonderful waiting for me. I keep putting off commenting until I have enough time to comment on each post and catch up, BUT this warrants immediate attention! 🙂 How wonderful! Though it doesn’t really surprise me because I think you are a perfect match for Feast. I have always thought their food articles were stunning yet doable. The authors always seem to have thoroughly tweaked their recipes, providing assurance that your results will closely resemble theirs. Even when its something you don’t want to make, you learn something. This description could be for your blog as easily as for Feast. 🙂 Way to go! ( Some day soon I envision Deb struggling through snow and traffic to get to your book signing. In the meantime, I am thrilled to have a food celebrity right here in StL.)
Thank you, Wendy! Is that your way of saying i’m posting too much? 😉 I try not to do that too much because i completely understand trying to catch up with blog commenting (because i am in a near-constant battle with reading/commenting/catching up). I hope they like me as much as i like them. They are pretty awesome, right? “stunning yet doable” is a perfect way to describe their approach, i think. I’ve made several recipes in the past from their pages and they’ve all been wonderful and not too crazy on the ingredients or on the preparation, which is nice.
the idea of deb struggling in the snow to get to my book signing made me a wee bit teary and also made me smile a bunch; thanks for that. 🙂 i hope someday (although i hope she doesn’t have the luck i did with that situation, for sure!)
You did a great job, Shannon! I’m so happy for you…writing/working for a food magazine is my dream job! I think your passion and knowledge when it comes to cooking/baking really comes through. Plus, you have so many good tips to share. Hope there are many more of these to come!
Thank you, Monica! It’s been a trip, for sure, to have someone ask me to write professionally for them…and an honor. And a little surreal. all of those things. 🙂 probably because it’s one of my dream jobs as well. I’ll be happy and excited to see where it goes.
Yay!! You’re the bomb Shannon!
Thanks, Emma! 😉
Congratulations! It seems like this opportunity is a perfect fit for you! I especially love your one-line bio: writer, graphic designer, and stay-at-home mom who writes an award-winning blog… Good job!
Thanks, Aunt Peggy! So far it’s been pretty fantastic working with Feast, as i’m sure it will be in the future; they’re a great bunch of people and they have such a beautiful publication. I wrote that bio (and struggled with it, especially the “award-winning” part because i just don’t love saying that all the time), but i thought it turned out okay.
Yeah, girl! Get it, get it. You’re going places! Like we didn’t all know this was going to happen 🙂 I love the combination of ingredients you used to top your sweet little pavlovas. I can’t wait to see what you write for Feast next!
Thanks, Brianne! Maybe you all did, but i didn’t, so i guess now i want the confidence in me that all of you seem to have. 😉 I can’t wait to do my next assignment: it’s fun working with someone versus just on your own for recipes, because it really challenges you to think outside of what you would normally do. I love it.
Yay! I know I already told you this, but SO COOL!!
This dessert sounds fab, especially the caramelized pineapple. And your pictures are great. I’ve been having a bit of an obsession with yellow lately, so of course I love these 🙂
Thaaaaaaanks! I’m still like, so nerded out by it; I wonder if that’s normal? 🙂
it was really good: we do grilled pineapple a lot around here during the summer, and i thought it would be a natural next step to try and caramelize it; it goes super well with the chocolate sauce (and i mean, what doesn’t go well with the chocolate sauce, really.) 😉
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?! YES! AWESOME!!! SO SO SO Happy for you!!!!! You totally deserve this! Woo!!! (and that was my response to the first paragraph)
Seriously, I am so excited for you and to see what amazing things will continue to come out of your kitchen (and your “crafting room”? I’m curious and excited for that too, since I long to be much craftier than I actually am…)! All three of these things – pavlova, fudge sauce, caramelized pineapple – sound delicious on their own. Can’t wait to try them together!
You rock, Shannon!
“whaaaaat?!?!” may be the most fitting response to me writing for an actual publication. 🙂 Thank you! My first assignment was a little nerve-wracking; it reminded me of college where every time i’d have a new professor to write things for, i’d get nervous wondering if this was the one who was going to tell me i was terrible at writing. the first one is always the worst one, right? so now that that’s out of the way, i feel like i can settle in a bit. It helps having you around for encouragement; like i don’t know that i could have worked up the nerve without you continually cheering me on, Ashley. Thanks for that. 🙂
i know! we’re totally going to craft this summer! I promise to never make it too involved (no crazy special materials) and i’ve tried to pick some projects that would be pretty practical and useable for everyone, so we’ll see how it goes. I’m hoping we have fun.
SO proud of you.
*hugs* thanks, Jen. 🙂
I couldn’t be happier for you! A well deserved opportunity – you’ve earned every bit of this. I DON’T EVEN HAVE WORDS! I will, instead, do a victory lap around the house and squeal at the top of my lungs…
can you have 2.0 or one of the cats film that? just sayin’…it would help me feel joy. 🙂
Of course they love you… You’re fabulous! Congratulations, Shannon. There’s nothing better than writing for a magazine that you love. I’m so excited for you. These pavlovas look amazing!
OMG, I’VE BEEN IN A TIME WARP AND DIDN’T READ YOUR LAST TWO POSTS – AND THIS IS LIKE THE MOST IMPORTANT POST EVER!!!
EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FEAST MAGAZINE!!! I’ve already opened it in another tab to read it… and i’m so excited!! For pavlovas, and for the article! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Ok, I couldn’t wait, I READ IT! and I love it (shocker). I have actually never had a pavlova (gasp!) but after reading your description my keyboard is practically covered in drool…
I am a little belated in my congrats but I still wanted to tell you how excited I am for you!! You totally deserve it!! Keep up the great work Shannon 🙂
oh elizabeth, thank you so much! i’m really excited; like kid excited, which is equal parts embarrassing and fun, i suppose. I can’t wait to do another assignment. 🙂
Congratulations! What a cool thing!
Thank you, Sarah! so nerve-wracking, but i enjoy every minute of it.
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