A Year to Remember

I guess it was this time last year, that lonely day when Dan and I were talking over AIM. For the first time in a long time, the Onions had been disbanded. Freshman year of college had started and I really didn't know many people yet. I wasn't sure if I was built for this sort of journey. Gone was the stability of my life at home. Gone was the stability of my life at Neshaminy (I still love that place). Everything was turned on its side.

And of course, gone were those early mornings in A-Hall when we would come into school and Dan would ask us what we had for dinner the previous night. It was always refreshing. A perfect icebreaker.

So when Dan and I were talking over AIM on September 6th, 2007, and probably in the days leading up to that date, we wanted to find a way to keep the Onion community alive. We wanted that legendary question to climb to the new heights, and each of us would have the privilege of riding on its coattails. We wanted to answer the question, "What did you have for dinner last night?"

When BFD made the blog, we each posted on its first night of existence. What most people forget is that the blog almost died in the days soon thereafter. After the initial day of posting, September 6th, there wasn't another post for nearly a week (of course, a drought like that is hardly unusual in retrospect). But once Ian joined the two man squad, things really got rolling.

What does this all mean, then? Why do people love the food blog? Why do I love the food blog? The answer, actually, cannot be narrowed down to one reason. The blog was a means of keeping the Onions together. It allowed me to write, as an outlet of sorts. In the first weeks of college, it helped me feel close to home. I could go on and on. The food blog has everything: witty writing, a ridiculous premise, entertaining fads, a fantastic design (props to BFD), loyal readers, and mouth watering descriptions of food.

For several reasons, this last year has been one of the most important of my life. Undeniably, the Food Blog was a big help through the entire experience. But enough of this chatter. I'm going to describe my ideal version of a day's worth of meals.

Ideal Breakfast:
I know I know. Breakfast causes cancer. But my Mom makes mad Chocolate Chip Pancakes. If I could have anything for breakfast, a plate of those sweet delights would be at the top of the list.

Actual Breakfast on 9/6:

None. We didn't go out to eat until around 1:30.

Ideal Lunch:

I'm a man who likes to go out to restaurants. So on a perfect day of food, it would be a crime for me not go out at least once. So for lunch, we'll go to J.B. Dawsons. I'll order a French Onion Soup to start, then I'll have Crabcakes for the main course. God, I love crabcakes. And Dawsons has really good dessert too, so I'll get a warm brownie ala mode. Absolutely delicious.

Actual Lunch on 9/6:

A load of shit. Through the pouring rain, we went to the usually godawful Pit, and today didn't disappoint our expectations. I foolishly got a fried fish sandwich, of which I took two bites before I put it down. I also had sausage patties, which weren't as bad, but were far from inspiring.

Ideal Dinner:

We'll stay in the house for this food adventure. My Dad makes steak as good as any restaurant out there, so we're in for a real treat now. Filet Mingon, seasoned and cooked (medium rare) to perfection, with baked potatoes on the side. Also, fantastic bread, buttered with loving care. This is stretching it a bit, but really good Amish Macoroni Salad would be the icing on the cake.

Actual Dinner on 9/6:

There was no way that we were going through the rain again for the same crappy food, so we instead order Campus Corner. Pizza and Onion Rings. Not bad, all things considered.

So on this disgusting, rainy day, we can celebrate with our memories of a fantastic year gone by. I propose a toast. To the Food Blog! May this be the first of many exciting anniversaries!