What a year this has been, readers.
First and foremost, I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued support, enthusiasm, and photos throughout the past year. Seeing how you incorporate Westerosi and medieval recipes into your holidays and viewing parties never ceases to delight me. Food is an invaluable way to bring people together, and it’s a joy to see so many of you enjoying it with friends and family.
I’d also like to thank you for your patience with the increasingly sparse posts during the past few months. The planets properly aligned, leading to a number of wonderful things: At the end of summer, I was fortunate enough to be able to unexpectedly buy an old farmhouse in Vermont, and have been working to get it back into the shape it deserves. That involves a little carpentry, a bit of creativity, and a lot of stripping 70s era wallpaper. It’s hugely gratifying, but time consuming. In November, I won NaNoWriMo, and threw my first Thanksgiving.
And then over the holiday, I got engaged. That’s right. As of now, I’m planning a wedding feast (no Freys or Lannisters invited, thanks), hopefully with a barrel of cider and a giant pit-roast. The cake, of course, could be nothing except lemoncake.
We also have a cadre of rescue animals, and are planning to tear down the ceiling of the kitchen (there are beams up there!). Life’s been crazy, and I very much miss all the wacky cooking for my blogs. I have a number of amazing recipes to try out, just waiting in the wings; I’m especially looking forward to Stargazey Pie…
That was a lot about me, all of which is to say: You are all great. Food is wonderful. Check back in the new year for some exciting new blog developments and new recipes. With all this additional house-space, I’ve got all kinds of schemes up my sleeves. :)
Thanks ladies. Your cookbook has done so much to inspire awesome food nights around our gaming table and in regular meals too. I hope you come up a second book soon. Take my money, please!
Welcome to Vermont–or north of the Wall!
Sorry Mary Ellen but north of the wall is Canada…
All lack-of-blogging transgressions will be forgiven IF you post pics of the house, the kitchen, and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, what will no doubt be a truly EPIC wedding. Without blood. Or death. Which GRRM fans don’t get very often… :-(
I’d wish you a Happy New Year, but I think you’re already well on your way. Thanks so much for all your beautiful work, and I raise my mug of wine to many delicious posts yet to come! :-)
Congratulations on the house and the engagement and a Happy New Year.
Thanks for the update! I got a copy of your book and love it!
Congratulations on your new house and engagement! Look forward to new recipes this coming year! :)
An exciting year ahead!
Congratulation on your engagement!
Congrats, Aoife! I expect nothing less than for Brego to come galloping up on a trusty steed in full regalia. :)
Welcome to Vermont! If you can get through the cold and wind of the next couple of days and still be smiling, you’ll do just fine here. Congrats.
Thanks! The house is far warmer than my Boston apartment, so if the dog doesn’t run off again, I should be good. ;)
Congratulations!
Congrats on, well, everything! Good to hear 2013 has been so kind to you.
Especially good to hear about the house and the engagement! My wife and I have talked about doing the exact same thing – buying an old house in Vermont, preferably one sitting on a few dozen acres – and doing some animal rescues. And a lot of gardening and farming. And Vermont will have single payer in a few years. That alone would make a move worth it to many people.
May you have a joyful, blessed wedding with no Freys, Lannisters of Boltons to be found. And be wary of meat pies.
Thanks! And despite the coldest of colds, I can’t recommend VT enough, especially for semi-living off the land. I’m hoping to get chickens in the spring, and plant an enormous brewing garden! :D
Hey, there I was browsing and there you are mentioning my Stargazy pie suggestion! I guess I’m star struck. Good luck with the pie, the house and the marriage; from all your recipes I’ve tried, I’m certain it’ll be a wedding to remember!
I’ll make a point of actually uploading pictures this year for House Wakefield’s third Game of Thrones premier feast. We’ll be thinking enviously of your farmhouse as we try and make a four meter square box bedroom fit fourteen guests. Starting to regret subletting the living room, but the London housing price bubble is a cruel mistress.