Saturday, August 8, 2015

AN ODE TO COFFEE: WITHOUT YOU, WE ARE NOTHING / HAPPY 10TH BLOG ANNIVERSARY TO MY BLOG

Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love.
- Charles Maurice de Talleyrand 
The fresh smell of coffee soon wafted through the apartment, the smell that separates night from day.
- Haruki Murakami
Without my morning coffee I'm just like a dried up piece of roast goat.
- Johann Sebastian Bach
Coffee, a marvelously fragrant, suavely bitter, darkly intense and dreamily frothy brew that has the power to instantly uplift your mood and make you see things from a different perspective. A devilishly magical potion that immediately confers happiness, helps us wake up from the deepest of slumbers and stay active all day long. A social and ritualistic drink that brings people together around a table, seals friendships and creates warm memories. A romantic beverage that inflames baristas and java aficionados from all the corners of the world. A unique decoction from Ethiopia without which we pathetic humans cannot survive. An elusive glimpse at paradise. A confidant and a muse. A delight to the senses. A crutch on which to rely. Cement that keeps our lives together. An euphoric stimulant. High octane. Fuel for the body. Muddy water. An ink black drug for the soul. Nectar of the gods; sacred, bewitching, psychedelic, ethereal and therapeutic. Pure gold.

Enthrallingly powerful like God, yet sinfully sweet as the Devil himself. Both a poison and a medicine. Pleasure and pain. Heaven and hell contained in a simple vessel of porcelain.

Cupe Of Coffee
We all know how it went when Europe changed from a culture addicted to depressants to one high on stimulants [...] Within two hundred years of Europe's first cup, famine and the plague were historical footnotes. Governments became more democratic, slavery vanished, and the standards of living and literacy went through the roof. War became less frequent and more horrible.
- Stewart Lee Allen
No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness.
- Sheik Abd-al-Kadir
What would our mornings be like if we couldn't rely on a strong cup of joe? Would we be able to get rid of our head fog and start work normally? Would we still be enchanted at the prospect of "going out for a coffee" if we would be deprived of our espressos, lattes or cappuccinos? How would we feel if meals ended with an uninspiring glass of orange juice or water? Would we enjoy Tiramisù or moka cake as much if they were deprived of their star ingredient? Probably not!

Coffee rules our existence. Whether we want it or not, it is omnipresent in daily life (at home, at the office, at the restaurant, on the train, etc...) and is part of our culture (most countries nowadays have a deeply rooted relationship with it). We are addicted to this precious liquid and there's no way of escaping its seductive grip or subjugating call.

So why fight back? Sooner or later, you will give in and capitulate to the Grandmaster of cosmic foam and diabolical murkiness. Resistance is futile and you know it.

                                                     ____________________________________

Today my humble blog turns 10. Yes, you read it correctly. Ten!!!

It really feels surreal to think that I first hit the publish button a decade ago, when I was considerably younger (in my late twenties), naiver and the whole blogging universe was a great deal more laid-back, uncomplicated and friendlier than nowadays.*

Anyway, I can't believe that I have made it so far, even if this activity has cost me a lot of blood, sweat and tears! It would be a lie if I told you that I hadn't had restless nights because of my blog and that Rosa's Yummy Yums has only made me happy. All the contrary. There were/are times when it seems that all my efforts are in vain and I want to throw it all away, and hide in a corner and cry. But thanks to my readership whose faithful and encouraging support means the world to me, and despite my meltdowns, ups and downs and vacillating commitment, I have persevered. Every follower's kind word, sincere compliment and visit gives me the energy to continue putting one foot in front of the other and makes me want to try to push beyond my boundaries. 

Each little encouragement fuels my hope and prevents me from capitulating, so I wish to thank you all for being around, regularly checking on my posts and always finding the right way to motivate me. I owe it all to you!

* Money, stardom, superficiality and over-sized egos had not yet corrupted the small community of enthusiasts that we were and transformed that seemingly simple milieu into an absolute jungle... I'm not saying it is all bad, but a bit of the authenticity and honesty of the blogosphere has died the day foodism became hugely (and unreasonably, might I add - in 2015 it appears that everybody's a gourmet) fashionable and big corporations have discovered that they could benefit from bloggers (we all know how profit and trends can kill things).

70 comments:

  1. I was anxiously waiting for your 10th year bloggiversary post! As you know, I've been following and admiring you and your work for many of these years. I fully understand the frustration, the feeling that blogging (food blogging at least) is not the same that it used to be. Sponsored posts are more the rule now than the exception, and it seems that spontaneity is a little harder to find.

    but it is there. It is here. And I am glad you are still around!

    Congratulations on an amazing blogging milestone!

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  2. Congratulations on 10 years of blogging! So glad to get to visit your site. Love these coffee quotes!

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  3. Sitting here drinking my cup of coffee and celebrating your 10th Anniversary. Congratulations Rosa!

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  4. Joyeux anniversaire de blog ma très chère Rosa... J'espère de tout cœur que tu continueras de nous faire partager ton incroyable talent photographique... nous ne sommes pas pressés, nous t'attendrons le temps qu'il faudra.
    J'espère aussi que nous aurons l'occasion de partager un jour une tasse de café ensemble, en vrai et que nous pourrons parler tatouage pendant des heures.
    chaleureuses et affectueuses pensées.

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  5. Happy blog Anniverssary dear!!
    You have an amazing blog And I love it!
    Love coffe too🍰🍦🍧☕!
    Happy blog anniversary and congrats:)

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  6. Happy Blog anniversary Rosa! It's always a delight to come in this wonderful space of you.

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  7. That's awesome Rosa to see this post. So thoughtful and well said. A very big congratulations on your 10th anniversary of blogging. I've been following you right from the beginning. Wishing you many many more years of expression and blogging. All the best. xo

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  8. Ten years is a significant milestone, and it's good to see you back writing and sharing your beautiful photos with us. I raise a cup of coffee to you, Rosa.

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  9. Congratulations on ten years. That is a real milestone Rosa.You deserve an extra cup of coffee or two this morning.
    Sam

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  10. HAPPY 10th BLOG ANNIVERSARY!!! A big hug to an amazing talented food blogger that makes the blogosphere a better and prettier space. Many Congrats dearest, Rosa!!!

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  11. Ten years, wow that's amazing Rosa. As you said blogging has certainly changed from the supportive community it once was but I'd like to beleive there are a few of us left who enjoy it for what it should be. Have a 2nd cup of coffee to celebrate community !!!

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  12. Herzliche Gratulation, es hat mich gefreut, nach der langen Pause wieder von Dir zu lesen !

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  13. A very happy 10th to you. I have always loved your blog, your photography, your writing (and thoughts), and your recipes. I am happy that you stayed true to your passions and stayed honest and humble. You are extremely talented and I find pure joy visiting your blog, my friend. Cheers, and here is to 10 more! I raise my cup of coffee (café au lait!) to you xo

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  14. Congratulations on 10 years! Your candid posts and beautiful photographs are always worth waiting for.

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  15. Wow! Congrats on 10 years! Beautifully written.

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  16. Bonsoir Rosa cela fait un bail que je n'étais pas passée mais tes billets sont toujours une merveille. ♫♪ Happy Birthday to you ♫♪ pour ces 10 ans de blog déjà c'est fou.
    Eh oui sans un bon café matinal pour bien commencer la journée ou partager un moment de convivialité entre amis que serions-nous. Joli mois d'août pour toi (bien qu'il soit déjà entamé) bisous et bonne soirée :)

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  17. Congrats on 10 years! Always happy to see a post from you. Love the Bach quote!

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  18. Happy 10th anniversary Rosa, so nice to see you again. Coffee is a wonderful way to celebrate. Take care!

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  19. Joyeux bloganniversaire Rosa ! 10 ans, c'est quelque chose !!! Bravo !

    C'est vrai que la blogosphère n'est plus ce qu'elle était. Mais, c'est comme dans la vraie vie, il faut savoir distinguer le bon grain de l'ivraie. Tu sais, il y a encore des pépites si on regarde bien.
    Mon opinion est qu'un blog, même si cela demande beaucoup d'énergie, est un loisirs et rien d'autre. Les visites nombreuses et les commentaires, c'est flatteur, bien sûr, mais cela ne devrait pas être le "moteur". La vraie motivation devrait rester le plaisir que l'on prend à créer. Que cela plaise ou non. Tu as du talent, donc pas de soucis.
    ;-)
    Pour ce qui est du café, je le croyais indispensable comme on veut nous le faire croire. Aujourd'hui, je n'en boit plus que 2 tasses par jour au maximum et surtout plus à jeun le matin. Mon estomac et mes intestins me disent merci et ma qualité de vie s'est nettement améliorée.
    En tout cas j'espère que tu vas bien et que tu as toujours du plaisir à "blogger".
    verO


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  20. Congratulations for 10 years for great work Rosa!! Keep it coming! look forward to seeing where you take it. And, aye, coffee is nectar of life! :D

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  21. Happy anniversary. Congratulations on your 10th year! :)

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  22. I wish we could sit down for a cup of coffee together to celebrate, Rosa! Happy 10th anniversary - that is an incredible achievement!

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  23. Chere Rosa, quel plaisir de pouvoir te relire, admirer cette photo qui donne envie immediatement d'aller se faire un petit cafe. Tu es trop forte et toujours plus, quels progres tu as fait en 10 ans! Tous mes compliments pour cette constance et tres bon blogversaire.
    Je t'embrasse.

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  24. Been a fan since 2008 and couldn't be happier for you! The only thing I regret is not having met you while I was in your town. I think about that often :( But! Hey! At least there's social and your lovely blog!

    Happy anniversary on 10 amazing years! Cheers to more!

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  25. Happy 10 year anniversary - have loved your site since I began blogging in 2007! So happy you are here ...

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  26. Happy Blogoversary Rosa!!! I will never forget the first time you visited my blog. (you were one of the first) I thought to myself, "I want to be a blogger just like her!" Of course, it didn't happen that way, lol...And yes, we all feel the frustration at times but right at this moment, I wish things were better around here so I could get back to blogging:)

    You have a wonderful blog and your dedication shines through with each and every post. Thank you so much for spending your valuable time with us Rosa. May you have many more years of blogging joys and not so many disappointments. You are a bright Star! Congrats!!!

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  27. Happy Anniversary! Continued Best Wishes! xox

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  28. Congrats on your anniversary Rosa! Though my current blog isn't all that old, I too have been blogging about 10 years - and I agree the landscape has changed greatly. Thanks for still posting your beautiful photos!
    Donalyn @ http://thecreeksidecook.com

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  29. Cheers Rosa, with coffee of course ;)
    Here's to another 10 years!
    There's nothing better for a celebration, I totally am a "roast goat" without it :)

    Looking forward to seeing more!

    Nazneen

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  30. your final paragraph is, unfortunately, spot-on. i'm so glad you came back, if only for this post, which is celebrating a fantastic and noteworthy milestone!

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  31. Happy anniversary! That's a monumental one, too. I hope you celebrate -- not just with coffee -- but with Champagne. ;)

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  32. My dear Rosa, Happy 10th blog Anniversary! You are dear friend to me! Welcome back, I miss you.

    I LOVE coffee!!!

    Hugs,

    Yelena

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  33. Happy 10th blog anniversary Rosa, You are an amazing photographer, your photos always draw me into your world! Cheers to another 10 years!

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  34. Yay Happy 10th blog Anniversary :D

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  35. Happy 10th anniversary my dear Rosa. Couldn't have been a better celebration for such a special milestone. I am a 100% coffee fan, and I hang on to every written word here.
    Big hugs

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  36. Rosa, my dear, dear friend, congratulations on this milestone - a decade of food blogging. You have brought such beauty to the world wide web with your food, photographs, stories and travels. My life has been enriched by visiting your blog. Here's to you and many more years of sharing! Hearty congratulations!

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  37. Congratulations, Rosa! You continue to inspire me with your gorgeous photography and honest words. xo

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  38. Congratulations! 10 years is a long time to commit to your passion and stick to it. I admire you !!

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  39. Très joyeux anniversaire Rosa. Que de progrès en 10 ans, quelle belle aventure... C'est vrai qu'on peut finir par perdre son âme dans cette jungle... Il suffit de revenir aux fondamentaux comme le partage, l'échange et un réel intérêt pour la cuisine. Je t'embrasse.

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  40. Happy 10th! May you continue to sooth my soul with your hearty, love-filled recipes. May your blog continue to cool my eyes with its super cool images. God bless.

    Loved the look of your 'golden frothy goodness'. A visually beautiful and poetic post. Thank you, my love. Stay exactly the way you are.

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  41. Ten years is a long time...Congratulations :) Btw as I sipped some great coffee as I read your post...wish I could have shared the pic here!

    All the best for the next ten years :)

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  42. A big warm congratulations to you, Rosa! Your blog is fantastic and I know in 10 more years you'll still be around. Off I go to turn the expresso machine on.;)

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  43. happy anniversary to your wonderful blog hugs

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  44. Happy Blogversary, Rosa! So pleased you posted for this special event. I'm not a coffee drinker, but love those photos!
    I appreciate your comments each and every time I post; yes, you're right. Blogging has changed considerably since we began. I look back at 2008 when I started and found comments in the 60's! Now they're down to 10 or 15. We just don't have the time anymore to comment on everyone we read and love, but you do....am so impressed!

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  45. Rosa, happy 10th birthday to your blog! A whole decade... I'm so impressed that you have persevered. I know what you mean about the ups and downs and commercialization of the blogosphere. That said, there are still good people (like you) who are kind, generous, and continue to maintain their creative voice.
    I'm grateful to you for all of your kind and encouraging comments over the years. I hope you feel the same kindness coming back your way.
    And yes. Coffee is key. I can't imagine life without it.
    xoxo from California,
    E

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  46. Hi Rosa, Congratulations!!!! The last 4 months I had not had coffee, seems to make me jittery, miss it so much. My husband still drinks it so at least I get to smell it. Lovely post!

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  47. Félicitations pour 10 ans! Cela va faire 10 ans pour moi en 2016. Que le temps passe vite. Et j'aime tellement tes photos de café et toutes tes photos. Bon week-end!

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  48. Happy 10th Anniversary Rosa. What an incredible achievement! I have been blogging for just over 10 years too, we must have started around the same time. I do pop over here from time to time but am a silent reader. I love your words and the deep sense of understanding you have about things and the world around you. I echo your sentiments on blogging and coffee .. 100%. I do miss the simpler days but it is the true bloggers who persist, like you. Sending you all my love from down under and lots of delicious coffee vibes xx

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  49. Life has been hectic so I'm sorry to be very late in wishing all the best. 10 years of blogging is something to be very proud of.

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  50. What a gorgeous demi tasse of coffee. Happy 10th!

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  51. Happy blogaversary to you! An amazing thing, well done you!

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  52. Happy 10th Rosa. I know you are a great commenter because I see your comments on many of the blogs that I follow. I am sorry that I haven't been better about commenting on your blog. It is amazing . . . Will try to do better. I remember the good old days of blogging.

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  53. Congratulation Rosa! I can not believe it is 10 years already. You are still going strong!

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  54. Happy 10th, Rosa! What a wonderful milestone. Let's celebrate as and whenever we meet. Till then, lots of hugs and kisses xoxo

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  55. I can't believe it's been 10 years. Congratulations. Your coffee photos are beautiful, by the way. Happy anniversary!

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  56. happy birthday!
    Thank you for the cafe, I love it!
    It’s to early for champagne! it’s seven o’clock.

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  57. Congratulations Rosa! I agree with you about coffee...here in Sicily coffee is worshiped! :) I love to sit in a cafè and work on my blog while having a nice hot espresso!

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  58. Congratulations Rosa. Happy 10th dear. Your blog is lovely and love the coffee pics too. :)

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  59. Congratulations on 10 years of blogging! I hope I can keep mine up for that long...so far it's been about 10 months! ; )

    http://madelinemarieblog.com/

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  60. Congratulations on your 10th blog anniversary keep it up, love to see many more years here

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  61. Coucou Rosa, un petit passage chez toi pour te souhaiter une très belle fin d'année.
    Des bises

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  62. Wow - 10 years is a huge milestone. Massive congratulations on a decade of beautiful posts and sublime creativity. As blogs homogenise to the corporate beat the truly original will continue to stand out like beacons.

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  63. Happy Blog Anniversary Rosa! Your blog has grown and evolved over the last decade. I have had the pleasure of following you for almost a decade. I love you blog. Its a beautiful place.

    By the way, I consider coffee the nectar of the Gods (smile). This was a wonderful ode to the cup of coffee.

    Happy new Year!

    Velva

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  64. Happy Blog Anniversary! All the best for 2016♥

    summerdaisy.net

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  65. Happy 10th year blog-i-versary! How exciting Rosa! Now that's longevity!
    Happy 2016 too!

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  66. Happy anniversary on your blog. Where does the time go? Here's to you, your delicious cup of coffee and may you have a fantastic 2016!

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  67. Oh, ton dernier billet date un peu, quand même ! :-)) Je passe néanmoins ici, parce que j'aime bien et que c'est toujours très joli, pour te souhaiter une belle année ... Bises
    Hélène

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  68. A belated, but heart felt Happy Blog Anniversary to you Rosa. Rosa Yummy Yums blog will be missed, yet I will follow your new adventures. Good luck to you. I echo your thoughts on how blogosphere has become, and it saddens me too. You are an honourable blogger and I admire you. warmest of wishes with your new endeavour.

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