Happy Anniversary to You? To Me?
all the best from the first year at Stir the Pot
On February 10, 2024, I sent out my first newsletter at Stir the Pot. You probably couldn’t tell by my super cool and very relaxed tone in the piece, but I was nervous as hell. I’ve been terminally online since I was 9-years-old. You name the message board, chat room, or weird website, and I was there. Hell, I used to pretend to be a 35-year-old veterinarian named Jeff in AOL chat rooms as a kid because I thought it was hilarious. But all of those experiences-- and strongly worded posts about spay and neuter programs--were from behind a username. It wasn’t me-me, it was internet-me. Even in the heydays of my old company, it was still a brand, and I was its employee, not an independent personality. That changed with Stir the Pot, where it’s been all me since day one. I was surprised by how much that intimidated me; would anybody give a shit? But then you lovely Pot Heads came around and helped me build a place where we could all be our deeply goofy and flawed selves. I can’t believe it’s only been a year. We’ve lived a lot of life since then.
Plus, in the last 4 days there’ve been over 500 new subscribers here. WELCOME! Let’s get you caught up. I want to spend this weekend highlighting some of my favorite stuff from the first year here at Stir the Pot. I can get so focused on “What’s Next?” that I lose sight of all that’s been accomplished along the way. What’s the point of all this hard work if you never look back and appreciate it? That changes right now. I’m hanging up a digital banner and celebrating one year of stirring the pot with you. Grab a glass of champagne or sparkling apple cider and let’s toast to betting on yourself. It’s amazing what a year and a little perspective can do. Wanna upgrade to a premium subscription? Here’s a lil discount to help get the celebration going.
If I’m not at my computer or on my phone, I’m in the kitchen. I’ve made a name for myself creating practical cooking advice and recipes for people who want to eat good, home cooked food without making it their whole identity. It might not be the sexiest work, but there are few things more important than food. Let’s pretend you had the good fortune to have all your meals made for you until you turned 18, after that it’s all you. That means by the time you reach 45, you will have been responsible for almost 30,000 meals. Even with repetition, leftovers, and dining out, that’s still a hell of a lot of meals that you need to come up with. Feeding yourself and the people you love is a hell of a lot of work. That’s why “What’s for dinner?” can be one of the most aggressive things you ask someone. It breaks people, but I’m not going to let that happen to you. I’m committed to helping everyone who wanders into the kitchen, whether it’s your first time at the stove or your 30,000th. Here are some of my favorite Stir the Pot pieces full of cooking advice from 2024:
When it comes to recipes, the response was clear. You all love practical, versatile recipes that feel like a treat without a shit ton of effort, and that you can store away for later. Three posts stood above the rest and for good reason. Here are your favorite recipes from 2024:
Lord knows I love a deep dive and as a history nerd, sometimes I just can’t help myself. The Food History segments I wrote for my old podcast were so real. Don’t be fooled, I am that nerdy. If I’m interested then I assume, rightly or wrongly, that some of you will be interested too. I love sharing all the crazy stuff I learn about our environment, food system, and the ingredients we use, and I appreciate you all indulging me. Here are my favorite deep dives from the last year:
And in the biggest surprise of all, my top three most popular pieces of the whole year aren’t full of recipes, my funniest jokes, or crazy trivia, they’re my most personal. Writing about myself in this way was BRAND NEW and anxiety-inducing. This year I talked all about the difficulties of building a career as women under the veil of domesticity. I wrote about how this labor is so often undervalued, under-appreciated, and/or unseen because the people who overwhelmingly perform it are women. Whether you’re a mom, a wife, or the person who’s in charge of the daily task of feeding everyone and keeping the pantry stocked no matter your budget, you found that spoke to you in all of these pieces. If you thought I was nervous before the first edition of Stir the Pot piece was published, you should’ve seen me when I pressed send on these essays. Here are the three most popular posts from 2024.
Thank you so much for spending your weekends with me here. Every Saturday I wake up, grab a cup of coffee, and spend my morning reading your comments, yapping in our chat, and getting to know so many of you. If I’m being honest, that’s basically how I start every morning these days. You are as much part of my weekly routine as any of my irl friends, probably more. I think about you when I’m planning out my recipes- not too much acid for Jane, nut-free stuff for Amy, and cilantro alternatives for super-taster Roxy. I hope you can feel me keeping you company in the kitchen too.
One of my favorite things this year was launching the Stir the Pot chat. It lets all of us get to know each other and damn, all of you are so impressive. We’ve got people from all over the world and from all walks of life. Paid subscribers can start chats and this flat hierarchy means that we all get to shape what the chat is. Looking for a recipe? Everyone is ready to share photos from our favorite cooks, drop a link, or even share family recipes. Merrit always has great suggestions. Have questions about substitutions or what to cook up for a camping trip or dinner party? The chat has you covered but it’s more than a place to talk about cooking. Each week, Scott starts our Friday Happy Hour where we all share a drink after a long week. Our Monday morning Gripe Session let’s everyone get whatever stress (like a coup run by losers) off their chest so they can have a better week. We’ve created bonds, a safe place to speak our minds without being worried about people being buttholes. Carolyn started a chat and checked on all of us in Southern California every single day during the fires last month. Every.single.day. Who does that? You all do.
If you haven't already, I urge you to be a part of our chat. It's worth the cost of the subscription all by itself. It brings me so much joy to see new names pop up in there each day, sharing photos, recipes, talking about gardening, or our favorite subject, cute pets. It’s really great. Add to that the highly requested Meal Managers, the recently neglected but soon-to-be resurrected
, and lots of new stuff I’m dreaming up right now, I’d say this first year at Stir the Pot has been a fucking success.Stepping out on my own and away from a brand voice has enriched my life and given my work so much more meaning. Thank you for letting me entertain and cook with you this last year. It’s been my pleasure, and I can’t wait to see where we go from here.
Xoxo,
Michelle
Congrats 🎉 Thank you for being so accessible to everyone. Your recipes and advice are invaluable.
Us Potheads are just a reflection of you. YOU attracted such a badass collection of people because, of course, YOU ARE A BADASS!! Much appreciation.