Welcome back, Wandering Spice

16/01/2013 36 Comments

Hello! Long time no see. As you can tell, there have been some big changes going on behind the scenes here. After a few weeks toiling away offline, I’m so happy to welcome you to the new look and feel of Wandering Spice!

Screen Shot 2013-01-16 at 1.14.10 PM

It is wonderful to be back and I have so much in store for you, including newly discovered family recipes, East-West experiments, and even some Middle Eastern-inspired health and home ideas. It’s going to be a very good year.

I’ll have a fresh post up for you tomorrow (my grandmother’s Vanilla-Rose Rice Pudding) but until then, here is a list of new features to discover.

  • A brand new, photo-filled Recipe Index. Search for recipes by categories like Mezze/Small Plates, Main Dishes and Sweets. Looking for a recipe using certain ingredients? Just type into the new Search box in the right sidebar ——->
  • Fully printable recipes in each post, with the option to save your favorites and create shopping lists
  • Updated items on the Middle Eastern Pantry page. Learn how to fully stock your kitchen to make authentic Arabic dishes easily at home
  • A peek into our farming adventures on The Kitchen Garden page. Look out for new features on growing your own produce (even on an urban balcony), how to live more sustainably, and tips for getting the most out of your seasonal fruits and vegetables, coming soon.
  • Customized social media icons, so we can keep in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram
  • Enter your e-mail address into the blue Newsletter box in the right sidebar to have new posts delivered directly to your inbox
  • Look back on readers’ favorites in the Featured section to the right

A big thank you to the wonderful Shay Bocks who not only translated Wandering Spice from Blogger to WordPress, but answered my never ending questions so sweetly and brought my design and practical vision to life. She deserves a medal.

Please bear with me over the next few days as I continue to re-format older posts and work through the inevitable “technical difficulties” that come after moves like these. Some of the comments are a little wonky, but I’m getting there! See anything that looks a little off? Don’t hesitate to let me know.

And of course, feel free to share Wandering Spice with your food loving friends and family! Thanks for your support and lets get started.

Related Posts

Zemanta
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,
  • Heidi – Apples Under My Bed

    This is so wonderful, just gorgeous graphics & love the kitchen garden page :) Amazing job!!
    Heidi xo

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks so much my dear. Glad you dig it! So much still to come. Piece by piece :)

  • Bryan

    So that’s where you have been… behind the scenes, furiously porting to a new domain! Am liking it, very clean and sleek, hope the headaches are over! I got quite stressed out with my move but am now finding it quite a breeze working on WordPress.
    Love the idea of a kitchen garden, wish I had green thumbs…! My balcony plants are thinking about dying… again!

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      You’re the best, Bryan, thanks! I have been furiously formatting old posts, so the headaches are well and truly in full swing (oh, plus the 500+ new things I have to learn). But, in a way, it’s fun and I love the feeling of moving forward. So good to know that it gets easier! I think the first few weeks will just be about figuring out what works best in this space. Yours looks amazing so hopefully I’ll be in your footsteps soon.

      As for the green thumbs… I’m learning and doing pretty well, but Jase is totally a plant whisperer. Everything he plants goes crazy!

  • lamina @ do a bit

    Great to see you back! Your new look looks wonderful!! :)

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks, Lamina! I feel like I’ve been gone forever, so it feels great to be back.

  • http://twitter.com/chefindisguise Chef in disguise

    Great job Yasmeen, everything looks amazing!
    I can’t wait for your upcoming posts..best of luck :)

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks so much, Sawsan. I appreciate your support and glad you like the new look!

  • eightydays

    Looks great!

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks for stopping by and for the support!

  • Anna @ The Littlest Anchovy

    A stunning job you have done here! I just love it – I have been thinking about migrating to WP for awhile now – you have inspired me to take the leap. Looking forward to future beautiful recipes.

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Anna, it’s worth it. Admittedly there are lots of little formatting kinks to work out with previous posts, but it can be done gradually. Go you!

  • http://twitter.com/frombraziltoyou frombraziltoyou

    Welcome back, Yasmeen! We have missed you. Your blog’s new format looks great… Congrats!!!!

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks, Denise, it is so be back in my creative space. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate all your continued support.

  • Candace

    Whoa! I absolutely love the new design. I have missed your posts so… Welcome back!

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks so much, Candace! I’ve missed being here… cheers to new things. You know how much I adore you and appreciate your support, but thanks again.

  • Winnie @ Eat.Play.Shop.

    I love the look of the new site! Looking forward to many wonderful posts to come, cheers to a great 2013!

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Lots of love, Winnie, thank you! Cheers to 2013 as a great year for you too.

  • Sue@the view from Great Island

    I couldn’t be more excited for you! I love the new look, and especially the photographic recipe index. Looking forward to a great 2013 with you :)

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Great to hear you like the recipe index. I was hoping that would be a helpful feature – I’m a very visual person, and seeing my options always makes it easier for me to decide what to make. Thanks for all your continued support.

  • http://twitter.com/IronChefShellie Iron Chef Shellie

    YAY! welcome to wordpress, and loving the new site… very very nice! Can’t wait to see what you get up to in 2013 :)

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thank you thank you for the welcome. It’s been a long time coming! 2013 has much in store, looking forward to keeping up with you, as always.

  • Heba @MidEats

    Congrats on the site redesign, Yasmeen! Looks wonderful :) Can’t wait to follow along.

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks for stopping by, Heba! So glad you like it.

  • http://www.orgasmicchef.com/ Maureen | OrgasmicChef

    Wow, terrific to see you back and all these changes make me dizzy. Congratulations! Looking forward to your grandmother’s rice pudding!

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks, Maureen! Not too dizzying, I hope :) The rice pudding wil be posted tonight around 10:30 Melbourne time.

  • http://twitter.com/Tutti_Dolci Tutti Dolci

    Your new look is so beautiful! Looking forward to your grandmother’s recipe :) .

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks so much, Laura, glad you like it!

  • Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

    Welcome back! The new look is really lovely! :D And the rice pudding sounds delicious!

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks Lorraine! It feels great to be up and running again.

      Funny enough I made one of your recipes today – the vegan chocolate cake. Taking it to my sister-in-law’s for a BBQ tonight. It smells divine and of course I’ll let you know how it turned out (undoubtedly it’ll be rich and gorgeous).

  • http://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/ Joanne (eats well with others)

    The new site is absolutely GORGEOUS!!

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Thanks so much for stopping by, Joanne, and thanks for the compliment! I have to thank my sister who designed my logo last year, and Shay Bocks for my migration. Two wonderful people!

  • The Café Sucré Farine

    It looks great, how fun to have a new look!

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Big big thanks!

  • http://wayfaringchocolate.com Hannah

    I love it I love it I love it!! Particularly as my own blog just underwent that severe hacking and I’m in the process of redesigning it. Love everything about your new look!

    • http://www.wanderingspice.com/ Yasmeen

      Oh yes, when I stopped by yesterday I noticed some changes and figured you’re also rehauling. Can’t wait to see how yours turns out.