Results of the 2023 Great Blogger’s Bake-Off Coming Soon!

OMG!!!!!!! A huge round of applause to all of you bakers out there. I just saw the entries. All I can say is WOW!!!!! Everyone did such an amazing job this year. You all totally out did yourselves. Now, my job as judge is even harder than ever. Everyone is most definitely a winner though, no matter what the final results turn out to be. Thank you ALL so much for participating and submitting so many wonderful recipes. Hopefully I will have made my final decisions within a few days. I have to really look at everything and put my thinking cap on.

In the mean time, I will share some of our entries we received this year, as well as the interview with Mel and Irene. Everything looks so delicious!!!!!! Thanks. I just gained another 10 or so lbs just by looking at everything. 🙂

Irene won The Star Baker Award last year for her Nova Scotia Style Oatcakes. https://mysliceofmexico.ca/2022/10/15/nova-scotia-style-oatcakes/.

One of our favorite features of THE GREAT BLOGGERS’ BAKE OFF is the chance to share with you one of our incredible baking creatives who has made a very delicious contribution to THE GREAT BLOGGERS’ BAKE OFF over the years.

Irene, we are thrilled to be featuring you. On so many levels, you are a shining example of the very best of the WordPress community – the international, multi-cultural, creative talent that has been a phenomenally positive force on WordPress. We would love to know about your online publishing and your experience when it comes to INSPIRATION and ENCOURAGEMENT.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO START OUT PUBLISHING ONLINE AND TO STICK AT IT?

Growing up in Mexico, my friends and teachers frequently asked me about my Japanese background, so I got used to asking my parents if some particular food, word or tradition was Japanese, Mexican, or a blend. When I came to Canada as a young grown-up, I found myself talking again about food, words and traditions, but the questions had mostly turned to Mexico, my country of origin. I knew some answers, but sometimes it was hard to put them into context or, shamefully, there were many I simply did not know. That motivated me to find meaningful answers to those questions, and what started as brushing up on colloquial Spanish, Mexican history and its food, became a new experience, and stuff I learned in school or took for granted, acquired a new dimension. 

Throughout the years, I have shared those findings with my husband and daughters, friends, teachers, colleagues, and even curious strangers, so five years ago, I was very excited to begin documenting them in a blog.  What motivates me to continue publishing is the kind feedback I receive from readers and fellow bloggers, especially when someone has tried (and liked) a recipe, or finds a story relevant or interesting.

HOW HAVE YOU PUT YOUR OWN UNIQUE TWIST ON YOUR WORDPRESS SITE AND THE POSTS YOU PUBLISH?

I read and follow many great blogs about cooking, literature, Mexican history, Spanish language, gardening, and personal stories.  I have found that in general, Mexican cuisine sites sometimes incorporate one of the other aspects, but not in great detail, and history, literature and gardening sites may talk about Mexican food, but if a recipe is included, it is not fully developed or explained.  I enjoy following the background of a recipe, many times finding fun facts or unexpected twists that put ingredients and methods into context, then testing and sharing full recipes with directions; or sometimes, I start with a personal memory, a piece of history or a gardening tip, and it leads me to a dish that has significance and enhances the story.  I really think I have found a niche that allows me to share recipes and reach, and engage with, readers interested in food, but also one or more of the other topics concerning the dishes. 

HOW HAS PUBLISHING HELPED YOU TO DEVELOP AND EXPRESS YOUR CREATIVITY?

Publishing a recipe requires more than copying ingredients from my notes. I check the background, see if ingredients will be readily available outside Mexico, and find sources or substitutions; then, I test the recipe, and try to find ways to photograph the cooking process so the steps will be easy to follow, and to showcase the final product.  Staging the food is a lot of fun, and I never use fake props or inedible enhancers.  I also credit the word prompts and other challenges provided by fellow bloggers; since English is my second language, it is always a welcomed exercise to try and make the prompts fit in my stories.

WHEN READERS VISIT YOUR SITE OR READ YOUR POSTS – WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THEM TO REMEMBER OR TAKE AWAY?

Anything that is relevant to them; it could be a story that brought back a memory of their own, a recipe that calls for their favourite ingredients (or the forgotten veggies that were mutating in their fridge, LOL), a tip that will help in their garden, or a photo of a flower or dish that made them smile.

WHAT KIND OF BAKE WOULD REPRESENT YOUR PERSONALITY?

I think maybe small cakes, like squares or petit fours.  They are versatile (sweet or savory, decadent or lean, etc.), neat and orderly (perfectly aligned or arranged on a tray), and require precision and creativity. 

IS THERE A DISH OR RECIPE ON YOUR SITE THAT HAS A SPECIAL PERSONAL CONNECTION OR IS VERY CLOSE TO YOUR HEART?

I think because of the nature of my website, in which almost every dish has a backstory, there are many recipes that connect to my childhood, or cooking and sharing with my daughters.  One at the top is my banana bread, because it reminds me of both my late brother, and my mom, with whom I developed the recipe with our secret ingredient, one time she was visiting here in Canada.

HOW HAS THE WAY OTHER WORDPRESS USERS EXPRESS THEMSELVES ENCOURAGED YOU?

When bloggers share their personal stories, traditions, and memories, they make their websites special and unique, regardless of the topics they cover (fiction, bio, travel, gardening, or of course, cooking).  That model encouraged me to pursue mine as an account of my own way of experiencing Mexico (hence the name “My Slice of Mexico”), and the support, comments and feedback I receive is what keeps me going. 

Thank you all, and especially the awesome GBBO organizers for giving everyone an opportunity to share their bakes, widen audiences, and discover new sites through this epic contest. This year’s theme “Express Yourself” promises to be another great platform for showcasing all bakers’ creativity; I am looking forward to joining the fun, and discovering new websites and baked creations!

Irene, thank you so much for this wonderful interview, and for the extraordinary work you put into your website MY SLICE OF MEXICO. It’s an honor to be able to share your story here to stir our excitement for THE 2023 “EXPRESS YOURSELF” GREAT BLOGGERS’ BAKE OFF. And thank you Mel, for putting all of this together for a deliciously fun event every year. You do an amazing job pulling us all together through food and baking.

Stay tuned. I am only just beginning. We have lots more still yet to discover. 🙂