Monday, August 22, 2011

5 years, still no beef

Today marks five years since our first post here at where's the beef?. It's getting difficult to remember what we did with ourselves in our blog-less days with only a dial-up connection to check our email. (I think I read more books... and I suspect Michael watched more sport.)

In that time we've written about 401 different restaurants across 563 posts and tried 602 vegetarian recipes. That includes 75 breakfast venues and 25 pubs, 31 flavours of home-made ice-cream, 42 soups and tofu cooked 56 ways in our kitchen alone.

We've more trouble counting the friends that we've made, the things that we've learned, or the number of days in that time that have been cheered by your comments, tweets and emails. As a thank-you for your support, we'd like to run a giveaway for our Australia-based readers this week. The prize is a $60 gift voucher to spend at the Radical Grocery (if you're in Melbourne) or at the Cruelty Free Shop (if you're anywhere else in Oz)... PLUS we'll donate an additional $60 to the World Food Programme in your name. We reckon these folks all do great work and we'd be proud to support them on your behalf.

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us what or where you're most looking forward to eating this spring. It could be a seasonal ingredient, a recipe just not quite right for winter, a favourite picnic spot or beer garden... there must be something that you've been hanging out to have these cold couple of months! If you do not already have an email address or twitter account attached to your commenting profile, please send us an email entry as well to wheresthebeef_blog[at]yahoo.com.au, so that we can contact you in the event that you win. Entries close at midnight ending Saturday August 28 and the winner will be randomly drawn and announced on Sunday August 29.

Between now and the prize draw we've got a few posts for you following the five-year theme. Cheers!

31 comments:

  1. Congrats to both of you! Yay! So excited. 5 years! (This also reminds me that I have been engaging on this time consuming, addictive activity called food blogging for a long time now).
    Spring is in the air, and I really want to make some salad with fresh peas and broad beans soon. I’ve been thinking of pairing them with labne, or something smooth and tangy like that....

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  2. Wow congrats guys! I don't think I even knew blogs existed five years ago! ;)

    My food excitement for spring isn't so much about the food itself but location. I live in Albert Park and can happily gobble up a veg burger from Andrew's at any time of year! But am seriously looking forward to light-filled evenings of eating this yummo treat (plus chips!) while lounging on the lush green grass of the nearby St Vincent Gardens. Sigh. If only I could be doing this today (plus book!), not sitting in my not-so-light-filled office. Oh well, soon, my precious, soon...

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  3. Congrats on reaching such a great milestone!! :) It's a long time, especially when you put it into figures like you have!

    The thing I'm looking forward to most about spring is the daylight lasting longer and eating outdoors in beautiful weather!

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  4. Congratulations. :)

    Besides the sunshine, I am looking forward to lots of roasted asparagus (I know it's available year-round now thanks to importing and what not, but I can't quite bring myself to buy it in winter!) and hopefully some nice yellow zucchini so I can finally make that green and yellow zucchini pasta recipe from Vegan Planet.

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  5. yeah same. i only just found out about it this year and will recommend it to my friends.
    there is a vegan place in the city called "RUSU realfoods". it is in building 8 level 4 caf at RMIT University and they serve amazing gluten free and all meals are vegetarian and vegan. They do have zucchini pasta from time to time.
    they are only open between 11am-4pm weekdays during the semester
    xo newintstudents blog.
    you can check us out at: www.newintstudents.blogspot.com

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  6. Congratulations - am so pleased you just keep on blogging as I love checking out all your posts and when I think about a place to eat I often check on where you have been. I have recently made beetroot brownies from this blog and loved them and probably have lots more dishes bookmarked to try!

    AS for spring - the asparagus is always something to look forward to - and more salads and smoothies and daylight - we might even get a proper summer this year :-)

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  7. I am big on ice cream and iced coffee, so I am hanging for warmer weather (even here in Perth it has been a particularly brutal winter!).

    It's a half hour drive, but the Junction Ice Creamery in the Swan Valley has the most delicious soy ice cream in about 4 or 5 flavours, so I intend to hit that place up as often as my wallet and waistline will comfortably allow ;)

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  8. Congrats to you both for 5 years of blogging - what an achievement! Thanks for all the great recipes and extensive reviews which have been extremely helpful!

    I'm with Susan and Johanna. I always look forward to asparagus in spring, perhaps as I never ate it as a child I love it intensely now. I also love spring as there are more daylight hours, gardens are emerging from winter dormancy and weather is warming up! :D

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  9. Happy Blogniversary to "where's the beef"! :)

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  10. Congratulations, well done and here's to another 5 years (and more!!)!

    I'm firmly on the asparagus bandwagon, rather unoriginally. Just screams spring. And also that tease you get at the very end of spring when the cherries start to appear.

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  11. Congrats on 5 years of blogging, that is so awesome and I'm not sure if we would have ever met if it was not for your blog!

    I am most looking forward to making your salted caramel ice cream, yes I know I can and do make ice cream occasionaly in winter but it is not the same.

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  12. 5 years and still going strong and stronger! Happy bloggy day. xoxo

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  13. Congratulations on 5 years, I really enjoy reading your blog.
    I am looking forward to Holly trying ice cream for the first time, I think it will be on a beautiful spring day eating casa del gelato in the park - perfect :)

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  14. I'm desperately looking forward to a picnic at Weston Creek near the mouse-house playground I used to run around in as a kid.Oh, warmth, get here faster!

    Also, Happy Birthday! Thank you for all the fun and delicious reading :)

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  15. Congratulations on 5 years and still going strong! For spring, I'm just looking forward to al fresco dining in general. Tucking into food while enjoying fresh spring air = awesomeness.

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  16. Congrats on five years! Where's the beef is one of the first food blogs I ever followed, and easily one of my favourites, I hope you guys never stop! For spring, I am excited to eat cold food! Can't wait to eat fresh salads for lunch and dinner, I always crave them as the weather gets better

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  17. I'm happy just congratulating you on such a fantastic contribution to the cyberfoodosphere! Superb work for your first five years, C & M. :) Duncan

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  18. Awesome work Cindy and Michael! Thanks for all the fabulous posts and promoting the world of vegetarianism. Happy 5 years.

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  19. Congratulations on five years, you guys are my favourite food blog! I'm looking forward to the burst of activity in my garden as the soil warms and the seeds that I've sown 'spring' into life. Here in Perth I'll be looking forward to hitting the beach and hoping my Melbourne body doesn't get burnt too much!

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  20. Happy birthday. Seriously guys, when are you going to publish your own cookbook? You both have serious cooking and writing talent that you can turn into a profession. Thank you for sharing all your amazing recipes. I especially love the ones that appear on your "old favourites"!

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  21. Happy anniversary! That's like really old in blogging years. Hope you have the stamina to keep up the awesome for another five years also, then another, then another, etc...

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  22. Yay spring! I am excited to listen to the Lucksmiths (Midweek Midmorning is a spring classic!) and participate in all-day picnics in the park, while eating picnic food (best - tofu salad [like egg salad], potato salad, pasta salad, and bbq "ribs") and drinking Coopers Pale.

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  23. Oh wow five years - congratulations! Spring for me is about getting the garden bed ready for all the beauty that summer will bring - although I am looking forward to using all my spring broad beans in the many varied ways set out in Plenty!

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  24. Congratulations on five years! You guys are definitely me favourite food bloggers, and 90% of the inspiration for starting my own (sporadic) blog!

    Like everyone, I'm looking forward to picnic weather, but what I'm most excited about is fresh peas! I plan to shell a bunch, blanch them, and serve with fresh pasta and the homemade 'ricotta' I've been obsessed with lately. Can't wait!

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  25. First time commenting... congratulations! I enjoy reading your reviews and recipes, and find your blog a great way to keep up to date with the veg friendly offerings in melbourne. thanks!

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  26. Congrats on 5 years! I love finding new recipes to try and places to go on your blog. This spring I'm looking forward to lots of lunches involving rice paper rolls and sushi. As much as I LOVE soup, I'm a little bit over having it most days just to warm up at lunch and will be happy to be able to spend my lunch break making rice paper rolls or sushi that I can eat in the sun in our backyard.

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  27. Big Congratulations on this fabulous achievement to you both:) I'm a pretty new visitor to your blog, but find your recipes enticing (I am not vegetarian) and your reviews interesting and informative.

    Looking forward to an excuse to enjoy chilled soups. Cucumber and Yoghurt has got to be one of the most refreshing combinations, but a Nigella Spiced Pink Soup - beetroot based - is my favourite and it's so colourful and shockingly pink it matches all the spring colours.

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  28. Congratulations! 5 years is a LOOOONNNNNGGG time in the blogging world!

    I am really looking forward to picnics. Just picnics in general. Being able to pack a few things, go to a park, enjoy the sunshine, nibble on some food, bird watch and children watch (my own, as they play!)

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  29. Congrats guys! I can't wait to get into weather warm enough to justify (vegan) ice-cream, and as my housemate recently suggested we try our hand making our own soy yoghurt, I'm going to ambitious and say I'm going to homemade strawberry frozen soygurt a go!

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  30. Our family has a delightful group of mixed hens free ranging in our large backyard. We get such pleasure watching them lie down, wings spread and eyes half closed as if they were drunk, in the increasing sunshine that warms their dust bath in Spring.It's also the only season the English Bantams lay in. I look forward to my 3 little kids searching for those tiny eggs and fighting over who will have whose egg, softly boiled with the crunchiest white toast.

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  31. wow congrats michael n cindy!!! i rarely comment but having now been reminded that you guys have graced us with ur awesomeness for all these years now, i felt the need to give my congrats :)

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