Celebrating 1 year with the UAE food bloggers

It’s been a year since food bloggers based in the UAE formed a coherent and cohesive group. A lot has changed in one year. We started off as less than 10. We’re now boasting a group of more than 60 food bloggers (yes, all in the UAE). I didn’t know anyone’s faces very well last year. I now greet them as old friends. FooDee didn’t exist last year, even though I was food blogging. Now I have my own identity here. I was in a great place personally last year. I’m in a great place professionally this year.

FiA cupcakes by Yasmin Mebar

The one thing that has remained constant though, has been the support system in the group. I may get along with some better than others, but there’s always the group. It’s not one person that makes the group, it’s not one or a few that keeps us together… it’s all of us. I can count on all of them to rise up to my side if I need them to.

Gluten-free hazelnut, banana and date muffins with labaneh and cinnamon icing by The Hedonista

You’d think…60+ food bloggers…that’s a lot for one place. Don’t we trample on each other’s toes? No. Everyone – and I cannot stress this enough – has their own personality which shines through their blog and the way they write. Some are personal, some are casual, some are detached, some are very expressive and some write in more than one language. Either way, we get a veritable hot pot of cultures, nationalities, personalities, writing and more. Any way you look at it, we’re treated to culinary treasures we may not have found by staying in our comfort zone. I certainly would never have learned how to use chopsticks.

On September 23, 2011, those of us who could, gathered together at Tea Junction, each of us bearing cake, to celebrate a year of this melting pot.

I’d like to think I was doing such a great job of taking photographs and staying behind-the-scenes, that no one noticed I didn’t get to speak to the group like everyone else did at the beginning of the party and introduce the cakes I bought. To make up for that oversight, I’ve written so much here instead of getting to the point. Now you know what you should’ve done (remembered me!) to make me cut down on the flowery text here.

Anyway…I didn’t want to simply throw pics out there – I always do that. I spoke to as many bloggers as I could, and jammed it all together (like a hot pot) for your viewing pleasure. Have 15 minutes?

Tweets from the day:

View “Famished in Arabia birthday party” on Storify

Other blogposts covering the event:

• Sally at My Custard Pie
• Sidiqa at Spontaneous Euphoria
• Sandy at Ginger and Scotch

If you’re a UAE food blogger and want to know more about how to join this madcap, fun and foodeelicious group, click here. Also, all the pics used in the video can be found here.