Meeting on the Internet

No, this isn't a story of how Chris and I met... as it wasn't via these here interwebs, after all (rather on a hot and dusty softball field... a story that I may one day indulge you with, if you're lucky... only because it'll be a post with few words and even fewer pictures).

This story is (or will be) a little bit how I "met" a food blogger online, and a lot of how to both get up the nerve to invite one into your home and subsequently, prepare for it. Or... more easily said - how to host a food blogger.

One of my typical disclaimers: it's quite true, I haven't written a food-related post in a couple of weeks so take the fact that I refer to myself as a 'food blogger' below with a grain of salt

1. Meet a food blogger (uh... not hard, there are thousands of them) and over 2.5+ years, develop a friendship - realizing one of you went to college in the other's current hometown and enjoy a friendly rivalry based on ACC sports (during which we were united in our love for anything not Duke).

2. Come to terms with the fact that you met someone online and realize you're okay with it - it's the 21st century, after all.

3. Learn that said food blogger would be traveling to your neck of the woods for a hanami of her own and build up the nerve to invite her and her husband for over brunch.

4. Pour through cookbook after cookbook, trying to think of the fanciest brunch menu ever contrived and then realize that she'd see right through it. Nix also the idea of cooking all things from her long recipe index but get somewhat sidetracked oohing and aahing over her homemade marshmallows.

5. Finally, relax, confident that the big meeting will be loads of fun and great conversation... tastiness of the food not as certain... but someone as sweet (and Southern) as she is will be gracious, regardless - of that, I have no doubt.

Thus concludes my not-very comprehensive tale of how to (get up the nerve to) host a food blogger. I couldn't be more excited about my first taste of how this internet is making our world so small and connected. You, on the other hand, are saved from me waxing poetic about just that as Abby and her husband, Brad, arrive in about 30 minutes so I'm off!!

to be continued...