• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
DadCooksDinner
  • Home
  • Rotisserie
  • Recipes
  • Tools
  • Books
  • Merch
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Books
  • Tools
  • Merch
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Books
    • Tools
    • Merch
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Ramblings

    600

    Published: Mar 19, 2013 · Modified: Jan 26, 2015 by Mike Vrobel · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments

    Today's post is a celebration of a big, round number. This is the 600th post on Dad Cooks Dinner. When I saw that number in the Blogger dashboard, I was shocked. 600 posts? How long have I been doing this?

    I've been doing this since August of 2008. Not that anyone noticed. The first six months were the digital equivalent of crickets chirping in the distance…but even the crickets weren't paying attention. The only readers were family members, and they only read when I sent out emails begging them to visit.
    *And I wasn't above begging back then. Or now, for that matter…

    Then, in April of 2009, it happened - my post about Rotisserie Cornish Game hens was ranked by Google. I started to get a trickle of traffic. Since then, it's been a slow, steady climb; In 2012, I averaged more readers per month than I did for the entire year of 2009.

    Thank you to everyone who's stuck with me through the years. And for those of you who have gone back and read most of what I wrote, I apologize for all the flip-flopping. I'm writing these posts almost real-time, and sharing what I figure out in the kitchen. It kills me when someone leaves a comment asking why I said one thing in 2010, then another in 2012. I'm sorry! My cooking is evolving right along with the blog. I promise to keep you up to date with what I'm learning.

    That's the fun thing about writing this blog - I keep learning new things. Something else is always coming up, be it technology, photography, writing. Or, of course, cooking. And don't get me started about kitchen equipment. I know I'm gadget obsessed. I try to live up to Alton Brown's "Death to Unitaskers" standard, but there's always another shiny new gizmo I have to try.
    What's that? A flat gravy whisk? Oooh! I have to have one!

    So, what important life lessons have I learned in 600 posts?

    • Food is fun! Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. Probably a diet.
    • If you write with an open heart, readers will respond. There are a lot of good people out there, especially in the world of food. But...if the response is from a tone deaf Internet troll, it's a waste of effort arguing with them - block 'em and move on.
    • Write about what you care about. I didn't write about rotisserie grilling because I thought it would be popular; I wrote about it because I couldn't find information to help me out. Some of my favorite posts are ideas that kept pestering me until I let them out. Go where the motivation leads you.
    • Write what other people want to read. This is the flip side of the previous thought. You've heard of cooking with the seasons? Food writing doesn't follow seasons, it leads seasons. I celebrate every holiday twice. I cook a Thanksgiving turkey around Halloween, then again on Thanksgiving. There's a Super Bowl chili in early January, then again in February. There's an Easter ham…oh, crap, Easter is early this year! I'm behind schedule!
    • To be a better writer, write. I cringe when I look back at my earliest posts. But then, I cringe when I look back on what I wrote last month. I could always use yet another pass through for editing.
    • No matter how many times I proofread my own work, I always miss something. Until I post it and everyone can read it. Then the typo in the first paragraph jumps out at me. (A special thanks to readers who let me know about typos, missing ingredients, or instructions that don't make sense - I appreciate the help, and I can always use a second set of eyes.)
    • Persistence is everything. There are days I don't feel like writing, when it's an effort to start typing. Some days it's a slog; it doesn't get easier. Other days, the words start flowing. Suddenly, hours have passed, and I've got a lot of to share. The difference between those two days? Beats me. They both seem pretty miserable when I start. But if I put my butt in the chair and start writing, more often than not, good things happen.

    Thank you for reading. I hope you're still here when I get to post 1000!

    Update: Uh, oh…this is actually post 601. Darn it! I thought I had the count right, but my Sunday "pic of the week" threw me off. Sigh.

    What do you think? Questions? Favorite posts from the past? Leave them in the comments section below.

    *Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner using the RSS or Email options on the right, link to this post from your blog, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you.

    More Ramblings

    • Summer Vacation 2022
    • Rancho Gordo Bean Club Box | DadCooksDinner.com
      The Rancho Gordo Bean Club Is Open to New Members
    • Lit up "Happy" sign at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Wild Winter Lights festival
      Happy New Year 2022
    • Lit up star with a woman standing inside, with the Fulton Road Bridge in the background, lit up with holiday colors
      Merry Christmas 2021

    Sharing is caring!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:11 am

      Thanks, everyone!

      Reply
    2. Peg says

      March 20, 2013 at 3:14 am

      love your posts,will be there for 1000.!! just did a batch of pressure cooked beans,which is how I found your site. also bought the OXO mini measure cups you posted~~love!

      Reply
    3. Pat says

      March 20, 2013 at 2:43 am

      Congrats Mike! Keep up the great work. I really enjoy your blog!

      Reply
    4. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      March 20, 2013 at 12:24 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
    5. Ardinnia says

      March 19, 2013 at 11:59 pm

      Congrats on. 601, Mike! I enjoy your posts, recipes, and pictures. Also like the kindle version of your book. The plan is to get into the kitchen with it. (Grin)

      Reply
    6. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      March 19, 2013 at 10:11 pm

      Silicone coated? Oh, no, now I really want one...

      Reply
    7. autumn says

      March 19, 2013 at 10:09 pm

      Flat gravy whisks are Awesome! Mine was a gift and is actually silicone coated so I can use it in my Le Crueset.

      I only found you a year or so ago, but I'm a big fan. Now if it would stop Snowing so I could actually get out to the grill instead of staring at it.

      Reply
    8. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      March 19, 2013 at 8:33 pm

      Thanks. (The extra 1 is a bonus, I guess...)

      Reply
    9. Monica says

      March 19, 2013 at 7:37 pm

      I am always grateful for your ideas and suggestions, esp. for cooking meat as I lack skills in that department. Cheers to 600 (and 1) more!

      Reply
    10. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      March 19, 2013 at 2:53 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
    11. Dan MvGrew says

      March 19, 2013 at 2:48 pm

      congratulations on both a great blog and the perseverance to see it through to 600 posts.

      Reply
    12. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      March 19, 2013 at 1:09 pm

      Thanks, Chris!

      Reply
    13. Chris Lukowski says

      March 19, 2013 at 1:06 pm

      Don't beat yourself up over the contradictions and changing ideas and methods. Unwavering dogma and clinging defensively to the notion of "This is how I've always done it and/or how I was taught" make for a lazy cook whose results are often lacking. That's because cooking is a science and you, sir, are a scientist. For those of us who understand and embrace this, reading you extol the virtues of one method only to read later how you found a way to improve on it actually helps us understand how to think in the kitchen. That is the essence of science! Not to mention that it'll give us mental ammunition in case somebody else tries telling us that a former method of yours actually works better when it doesn't. The best part is that since you are still a dad cooking for his family after getting off of work during the week (like the rest of us), you offer an essential pragmatic balance that sometimes gets lost in the test kitchens of Cooks Illustrated where perfection is the ultimate goal over all else. Yours is an essential voice to the world of home cooks, and I thank you for taking the time out of your busy life to share this valuable information.

      Reply
    14. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      March 19, 2013 at 12:33 pm

      You're welcome, and thank you for sticking with me!

      Reply
    15. Debby says

      March 19, 2013 at 12:20 pm

      I found your blog 2+ years ago when I was looking for help with my Christmas prime rib roast on the rotisserie. I googled prime rib roast rotisserie and your site popped up. That was the best prime rib I've ever had on the rotisserie. I was hooked. You explain in plain English-I cook all the time but am not a chef! It is the love of learning that keeps me trying new things. Thank you.

      Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Questions? Made the Recipe? Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Dad Cooks Dinner! I'm Mike Vrobel, a dad who cooks dinner every night. I'm an enthusiastic home cook, and I write about pressure cooking, rotisserie grilling, and other food topics that grab my attention.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Three bowls of cooked Pinto Beans on a wood table
      Instant Pot Pinto Beans (No Soaking)
    • Pressure Cooker Beef Shank (Osso Bucco)
    • Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)
      Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)
    • Pressure Cooker Brown Jasmine Rice

    Recent

    • Slices of flat iron steak cooked medium
      Sous Vide Flat Iron Steak (24 Hours to Tenderness)
    • Shredded pork on a bed of rice, with an Instant Pot, jar of Recaito, and Sazon packets
      Instant Pot Puerto Rican Pulled Pork (Pernil al Caldero)
    • Mexican Brown Rice in a bowl
      Instant Pot Mexican Brown Rice (Pressure Cooker Recipe)
    • A plate of brisket slices with a pickle, onion, and bbq sauce
      Instant Pot Beef Brisket

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 Dad Cooks Dinner

    0 shares