Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be pressing pause on new recipes for the next two to three weeks so I can devote some uninterrupted time on the cookbook.
It takes a lot for me to concede defeat and accept that I can’t do it all – run a business*, renovate a home, work on a cookbook and maintain my existing recipe posting schedule. Lockdown certainly didn’t help matters to increase my workload – though on a cheerier note, as of Monday of this week, the lockdown rules have been substantially relaxed here in Sydney. 🙌🏻
I found myself getting up earlier and earlier (currently 4.30am 😩), going to bed later and later. And while I always declare that I operate best under pressure, the reality is I’m only human and darn it, I need my beauty sleep!!!
* Yes, I finally realised this year that I have a real business! This “it’s just a food blog” somehow grew into a proper business over the past year with a team of 9, including RecipeTin Meals, the recently established philanthropic division where we use recipes from the website to make homemade meals for the vulnerable community here in Sydney.
Another fail! Well, it was ok…but not good enough for the cookbook! 
Planning mode. No, this is not a cookbook for vegans…
I’m in a particularly intensive planning stage of the cookbook right now and am struggling to split my focus between new recipes for the website and the cookbook. To be honest, it was the cookbook that was suffering – because I would never hit publish on a recipe I didn’t give my all.
So on Sunday night, I made the call for the first time ever since I started the website – to temporarily press pause on new recipe content for this website.
It somehow feels like failure – this is my job after all – and like I’m letting my team down. We worked so hard to create a stash of new recipes to get ahead, test and retest them, make videos and photos. There’s weeks’ of digital media for ridiculously delicious new recipes ready to go, just waiting for me to write up.
The problem? It takes anywhere between 4 to 8 hours to write the posts, depending on the complexity of the recipes. As an example, last weeks’ Flan Patissier? That took me a good 8 hours to write the post, edit the photos, do the step photos, describe the ingredients and write the recipe. And many multiple times that in recipe development and testing time!
Yes, a lot goes on behind the scenes to produce the recipe content that gets published on this website. And I love everything about what I do, and I look forward to getting back to it!
The Flan Patissier recipe that took around 8 hours to write up. 
I think this final version was the 23rd Flan Patissier I made in the last 4 months!
But for now, the cookbook. I’m going to give myself 3 weeks to make a big dent in the cookbook, then I’ll be back with new recipes!
In the meantime, you may see some old favourites coming back to the homepage over the next few weeks with new videos or photos that I’ve had ready to go.
And, well, you know me. I probably won’t be able to resist popping back into your inbox to let you know how I’m getting on, and a peek behind the scenes of the making of the cookbook!
Until then, stay well! I’ll be back with brand new recipes before you know it.
Love – Nagi & Dozer 🐶 x
REMINDER: Mock cover! Mock cover! 😇
Life of Dozer
New discovery during cookbook recipe development – how to make Dozer eat carrots!!! Puree them with a hint of spicing, top with a braised baby carrot, drizzle with organic olive oil and finish with an edible flower. 😂
I agree with all others…take care of yourself Nagi! You have so many loyal readers who will wait patiently for your return knowing that you’re looking after yourself and dozer and having a break! Please take a break for ‘you’ and don’t just work flat out on your cookbook!! We all want that for you xo
Take care Nagi, we’ll miss you! I’m still cooking my way through your recipes so I’ll use your wee break as my catch up 😊
No worries Nagi, it’ll take me that long to cook your Ultimate Lamb Roast. Take care
Please take it a bit easy and get the hard work done on your book without the distractions of new recipes a couple of times a week ; there are so many great recipes on your site to keep us going until you return (with Dozer).
Best wishes to you and Dozer, you will be wonderful.
Please take care of yourself, Nagi! I am glad you realized you can’t do it all, although I will miss seeing you in my inbox! ❤️❤️
Back you’re a perfectionist and everything you do is a huge success! We’ll miss you and your sidekick Dozer. So looking forward to your cookbook it’s going to be a winner. Take care and be kind to yourself. We appreciate your generosity.
Sorry that should read back not back…..etc
You are absolutely amazing, Nagi! I can understand how it might feel like a failure, but it really isn’t at all. It’s quite the opposite really… you are trying to take care of yourself so that you can continue to take care of so many others as you always do. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup! Also, you’re setting an excellent example for all of your followers about how important it is to take care of yourself so that you can continue to do what you do. We absolutely adore you (and Dozer!) in our house, we talk about you like you’re one of our best friends! Please take really good care of yourself xo
We love you so much in our house Nagi, 90% of the meals we cook are your recipes. Take care of yourself xo
I’m so glad you are able to recognise when you need to let something go for a while. It’s so important. You can’t be everything to everyone. I love your posts, and if you do a repeat one or two while you’re off I’ll enjoy them too. Good luck with your book project. I’m looking forward to buying it. Much love and hugs to you and your wonderful staff.
I am sure I am not the only one who can’t wait for the cooking book to materialise. So take the time to get it right. We have lots of your recipes to be going on with. Hugs for you and Dozer.
Oh Nagi we are all waiting with bated breath for the release of your cookbook so you take the time that you need, look after you and go do your thing girl. Love your recipes and especially love your Dozer stories 🙂
Hi Nagi,
Please don’t worry about pressing pause on the blog! While I often glance at the “most recent” recipes, I usually search your recipe archive by ingredient, cuisine or type of dish, and I imagine many other readers do the same. I think there’s quite enough on this site for us to be going on with, while you focus on the cookbook, so don’t stress about it 😉 I often feel like I’ll never be able to cook all the recipes I like on your blog in my entire lifetime and I probably use your recipes (between dinners and baking) 5x per week 😂 x
Look after yourself. We are eager for you to get that book done.
We are so very grateful for all that you and Dozer have done to keep up our spirits, in these very difficult times, and to improve our skills. 💕
Those who eat at my house thank you too🥰👏👏👏
Personal mental health should always be a top priority. Stay healthy and be happy! Looking forward to your book.
Nagi, your posting today broke my heart. I’m 69, and although I’ve accomplished a reasonable amount in my lifetime — taught English to some wonderful kids, worked on a great Canadian magazine, raised two amazing kids alone, went to law school as a single parent, and worked as a government lawyer for 25 years — I’m in complete awe of what you are doing with your (much younger!) life, and what you contribute to your readers, your community, and the world. I am, I think, a life-long feminist, and one of the most liberating comments I’ve come across in feminist theory is this one: “We can’t have it all and we don’t want it all!” Words to live by. You keep one finger on pause as long as you need to. Your life will be happier and healthier as a result, and we — your devoted readers (and fellow dog lovers) from all around the world — will be here, eager for your return, and standing in line at the bookstore to get our hands on your cookbook — for ourselves and those we love. Best wishes always from Vancouver Island, Canada — Laurie Soloway
Thank you Nagi! For your time and effort, I always learn from you. Good luck, with the forthcominig cookbook.
If you are a failure, then I want to fail just like you. You are amazing, my favourite ‘go-to’ when I need inspiration. AND the only one whose recipes for chicken my husband will eat.
Taking care of “you” is very important and we will all survive for a few weeks. Be well.
Change the word failure to, learning process.
Looking forward to your return after a well deserved break Nagi
What a wise move. You can’t keep giving when your own tank is running on empty! Hit the reset button and snuggle up with Dozer 🤩