Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Brown rice with cream of cannellini beans, roasted garlic-infused olive oil and baby spinach




I was just reading a comment to a blogging friend's new post and unexpectedly got inspiration for my own post.

A few weeks ago I mentioned some of my pet peeves in the kitchen. Today I present you with a list of blogging pet peeves.

1. 'Please read my post before you leave a comment' or 'Commenting is not mandatory'
I know there is much more important stuff going on in the world than my blog. I understand that cutting your toenails is a more practical way to spend your time than reading my post. I even get it if you happen upon my blog, you scroll through the pictures and leave because: a) you don't like the recipe; b) you think the pictures are bad; 3) the design just gets on your nerves. I get it. I've been there, I've done it. But why, o why do you leave a comment that blatantly proves you did not read a word of what I just wrote? We all know why, but don't do it, don't be a traffic whore, people won't click onto your blog after reading your comment anyway.
The same goes for people who do read your post but don't really pay that much attention and comment anyway. I love getting comments, I love interacting, I really do. But if you are in a rush and don't feel like reading the whole post, don't feel obliged to leave a comment: a) that blatantly shows that you didn't get my point AT ALL because you just skimmed through the post; b) asking me how I am enjoying life in Florence if I just mentioned more than once that I live in Milan.

2. Why the heck can't I comment on some blogs?
There are a few blogs I follow that I have problems commenting on, but not all the time. Just nine out of ten times. It drives me bananas. On one I usally can't even get my cursor into the comment space. On another I write away only to click onto publish and watch it load endlessly to no avail. Beats me. 

3. Unrelated links in my comment space.
I am pretty new to blogging and I have surfed the blogosphere and left comments (and still do sometimes) mentioning posts in them too, but: 1) I always mention a post that was somehow related to the topic; 2) I rarely leave a link to my posts and if I have, there was a specific reason. Normally I just mention I posted on the topic and people are free to visit me if they are further interested.
Also, I always make an effort to visit the blogs of all those who leave comments and I often link to blogs I enjoy. Meaning I am happy to help people increase their traffic, but perhaps if you leave a funny or interesting comment, people will be more curious to check you out.

4. Typos
We all make typos, we all sometimes miss a few of them here and there. I probably made some right here and don't realize it. But if each and every post is filled with typos, then you are not revising what you wrote. Which is fine if you are writing in your journal but not as fine if your journal is a public blog. In my opinion at least.

5. Why do I keep coming back?
I read some of the blogs I follow on Blogger, others are in my blogroll and many more are in the Favorites of my browser. Each time I read through this list there are some links I skip automatically and some other links I click onto but groan inside as I do so. While I read them I keep checking how much is missing to the end. Why do I keep coming back? Why do I feel forced to? Why I am I wasting my time reading when there is so much good stuff out there? (Note to self: remember to use the same approach with books and articles). The solution is: delete. Delete if that blog is ok but the author irritates the hell out of you every time you read a post. Delete if the blog is just plain boring. Delete if the pictures are so bad or the font is so tiny or weird that you skip on to the next blog as quickly as you can. Delete if you are reading that blog because it was one of the first you discovered and you are sentimental, but to be honest you really don't like it that much. Delete if you dislike the blog even if everyone else is raving about it. Delete if that blog is torture to read but the author left you a nice comment eons ago when nobody commented yet and you feel an obligation towards them. Same goes for a blogger you are not into that comments all the time. Just delete. I comment on people's blogs that I enjoy even if they never visit mine. Who cares, if you love what they do? Delete those blogs that you log onto more often than their authors do. If they haven't written a post in 16 months, they probably won't in the next 16 either.

What are your blogging pet peeves?


This is not a recipe per se. This is just another dish from my detox week. It is a cream of cannellini beans with brown rice and quickly sauteed baby spinach drizzled with roasted garlic infused olive oil and a dusting of black pepper.

Ingredients (for two)
1 can of cannellini beans, partially drained
1 cup whole grain rice, boiled
a small bag of baby spinach
olive oil
garlic to taste
salt
pepper

Drain the beans, keeping the liquid so you can add until your reach the desired texture while blending. Grossly chop a few cloves of garlic and fry until golden brown in olive oil. Stop and smell the air. Smile. Drizzle some into the beans before processing, adding in the browned garlic too. Boil the rice in plenty of salt water and drain. Use some of the garlic oil to quickly sautĂ© the spinach on high heat. Style your dish by putting the cream on the bottom, the rice over it in a mound topped with the sauteed spinach and drizzle over the remaining oil and a dusting of freshly ground black pepper.

18 comments:

  1. Will definitely try this this week! And have a few good detox ones of my own for you too which I will post as soon as I get off my lazy derriere and edit some food pics! Though, wondering, how liquid is the cannellini cream? can't tell from photo.
    Also, SORRY you can't comment on mine, but am loving disqus... any chance I could talk you into creating a disqus account? It would help with the commenting and you don't have to use it on your blog or anything!
    Baci

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  2. Oh my, now I am thinking of all the typos I have in the first version of each post and all the comments where I might have missed the point, but I swear I only comment on posts I really like!

    Anyway my pet peeve is Music: I might be looking at your blog from the office, I don't want everyone to know I am not working!!

    Oh and good job on sticking to detox plan! I never manage to stick to healthy habits for more that half a day ;)

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  3. My biggest blogging peeve is definitely spam and when I have writer's block.
    Great looking dish, it looks very comforting and satisfying :D. I love canelli beans.
    *kisses* HH

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  4. First of all, I love the idea of creamed beans. That never occurred to me, though I've made blended bean-y things before (e.g. hummus). What a great idea, to thin the liquid a little!

    Second of all, I have to admit I read through your pet peeves thinking, "Oh no, have I done that?!?" I'm super self-conscious now! I don't want to be a bad or lazy blog-reader! ACK!

    Third, I love your blog, and I'm so glad I stumbled upon it. I will try not to violate any of your peeves in the future!

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  5. I definitely can relate to your blogging pet peeves. I'm more excited when I get 1 genuine comment than 100 comments that just say "nice post, nice dish!".

    And funny thing, I went through a delete spree a month ago on my Google Reader - took me seriously over an hour to weed through it all... and somehow, after a week, most of the blogs were back in there - it's like they won't go away! lol

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  6. Ohhh I had just written a long comment and blogger went into maintenance... talk about blogging pet peeves!!!

    I guess the reason why I haven't started using google reader is mainly to try and avoid subscribing to blogs I like for 1 or 2 recipes and then having to feel obliged to go back there regularly (why do we???). For now I just remember the ones I really like and read them! :-)

    On another note... you do have a great way to do detox! I love this rice: cannellini beans are my favourite "fagioli"! :-)

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  7. Moomser - yours was not one of those blogs. That was just a matter of figuring out how to get the right profile in. But I don't get the ones that don't work for no fathomable reason. Look forward to your posts. Oh, by the way, the cream is sort of like a cream soup consistency.
    Pola - we all make typos, it is unavoidable. But on some blogs it is like a minefield. That is annoying.
    HH - little me doesn't get that much spam yet but I imagine it must be a pain.
    Nervous Cook - oh, I have even done them. It just is fun to vent about them hehe. What I meant is, it is fine to be lazy or skim through a post, we all do. But why do people feel compelled to comment?
    Peggy - I just recently did a big delete, but have already filled the space with new blogs.
    Manu - that is annoying! I think we feel like we have to religiously read blogs that we are not that into because we know how much hard work goes into one and that it is upsetting to know someone is consciously deciding to delete you. Truth is we can't be liked by everyone, just like in life...

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  8. *gulp* I think I'm guilty of hte typo thing. Although I have to say that each blog post gets read about 4-5 times but there are just some things that I miss. My friend who is an editor says that if you don't see an error within three times you'll never see it lol. But yes pet peeve is when people leave links in the comments section when there is already space for a link to their blog-I mean that's overkill no? And when people habitually copy recipes but don't attribute. Hehe I did go on didn't I?

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  9. This post made me smile. I discovered you via a comment you left on Poires au Chocolat (no typos, don't worry!) and love your blog. Love that you're so frank about the traffic whores out there, commenting on each and every post, and that you're passionate about your blog and really like to interact with readers. I hate it when people have clearly just skimmed the pictures then deposit a 'looks lovely' type comment at the bottom.

    Having said that, your recipe does look lovely :-) Simple, clean flavours and the contrast of cannelini beans and rice with the earthy spinach must be gorgeous. Will be making this for a mid-week supper very soon, and definitely returning to read more of your blog!

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  10. That dish looks so comforting; personally, I get so annoyed by sites that have so much pics and ads that is takes me 5 minutes just to finally load it (my computer is a dinosaur). So I like yours, it is clean and to the point! :)

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  11. Lorraine - once again, I make typos all the time. And I read again and still miss them. There is however a difference in reading a post with 2 or 30 typos. The second just makes the reader feel like the author is not interested or in a rush. And habitually not attributing: bad habit.
    The little Loaf - hi! Actually comments are the place where I probably leave the most typos because I tend not to read them again. So I guess I was just lucky! ;o) Re traffic, I just feel like getting traffic for the numbers and not because people enjoy visiting is missing the whole point of blogging. But I guess it is not my job, so I have a different perspective.
    ToB - I agree, although I do at times indulge in posting lots of photos (and I noticed that since I added the spam filter it takes the blog longer to load...). I love that you just keep your posts coming!

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  12. Hi there, now what shall I say about the post that I have just not read, that will make it sound as if I have. Comments like that, music blaring, word verification and then it still needs approval! I love blogging even if it is addictive and I try to keep stepping away. Oh and before I forget Buon Ferragosto.

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  13. I try to comment on all my fav blogs as often as possible, but it isn't always easy. I have recently started to delete feeds from blogs that try as I might I just can't get past one thing or another like photos. I just can't read a blog post that has disgusting photos. If the food doesn't intrigue me how can the food?
    But, you, my friend, I adore in every way and am coming to yours for a detox program! All of your detox posts have been great - now if I had some will-power!

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  14. I sometimes get one sentence comments: "Great job!" or "That looks yum!" after I write a pretty heavy post, which goes back to your first point about commenting. It annoys me too when people make a totally non-related comment that proves they never read it. But I guess I let it go because my posts tend to get too long and I can understand that people have ADD online! Hahaha!

    I am guilty of skimming sometimes though. I know! I'm a hypocrite! >__<

    Another pet peeve I have: music. I don't think blogs should be blaring out music. It's annoying!

    Also can't stand constant links to previous posts. A few is okay, but if you've got 10 "teasing" links to different posts, then it can get grating.

    Btw, loved the cream of cannellini! It's so easy...just blend with liquid! I definitely want to try this. Maybe with salmon!

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  15. Lindy - yes, it gets very addicting. Buon Ferragosto to you too. You know you are one of those blogs I have trouble commenting on, but I enjoy visiting.
    Andrea - thank you! And I agree with your points. My detox power has vanished in the meantime, as I am approaching my vacation and know I will go way overboard anyway.
    Sophia - Besides the fact I love reading your long posts and often think about points you made long after leaving your blog, if people decide not to read it all or skim through it...nothing wrong there but don't leave an obvious comment just so people see your name. I am guilty of linking back to old posts sometimes too, but if your are not beeing too mysterious they can also decided not to read it. When you blend the cannellini, don't forget the olive oil infused with roasted garlic. It really makes a world of difference. Great idea with salmon!

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  16. I surely make a lot of typos in comments - I somehow always press the 'post' button before checking the comment's spelling, and always notice them when they are published.

    I find exchanging comments regularly with the same people helps to know each other a little better. But this works just with a few bloggers, the ones I like to think of as people I may become friends with 'in real life'. People I'd love to have a chat with, like you. With other blogs, I have a feeling they are trying very hard to turn blogging into a profession, which freaks me out. I don't want to make a job of this, I should be enjoying myself, not be focussed on how to get more traffic!

    I have a soft spot for wilted baby spinach, actually they turn this dish into something more glutton than detox for me.

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  17. "Traffic whores". Made me laugh out loud. I only have one pet peeve. It's this 'nom nom'. It's not even a polite onomatopoeia. If you're making that noise when you eat, then you should probably close your mouth. (hope you have a lovely break on the Med).

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  18. Sophia - Besides the fact I love reading your long posts and often think about points you made long after leaving your blog, if people decide not to read it all or skim through it love what they do? Delete those blogs that you log onto more often than their authors do. If they haven't written a post in 16 months, they probably won't in the next 16 either.

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