Beard Awards: Good News!

When I pushed open the front door to the apartment last night (this morning?) at 2 am, my two - count'em! two! - James Beard Awards were still hanging around my neck, knocking into each other and clanking merrily.  And I was still grinning - still am and will be for a long, long time.

While I knew I was going to be inducted into the Who's Who of American Food and Beverage, I didn't know how excited I would be when Wolfgang Puck slipped the medal over my head or how wonderful it would be to share the stage with the other new inductees, all-American celebrity chef Bobby Flay, Spanish chef Jose Andres, Jim Clendenen, owner and winemaker of Au Bon Climat, and Michael Pollan, the author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and one of my heroes (sadly, he wasn't there).

Then there was the looooong wait for the cookbook part of the program to begin.  Fortunately, when it did, the Baking and Dessert category came up early.  Even though I was convinced I wasn't going to win, hearing the names of the three baking books that had been nominated - Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters, King Arthur Whole Grain Baking and mine - didn't stop my heart from going flip-flop.  And when Baking was declared the winner, everything went flip-flop in triple time and my knees went jellyish too.

It was incredibly exciting and so wonderful to be able to share the moment with my little family - both Michael, my husband, and Joshua, The Kid, were there - my fabulous editor at Houghton-Mifflin, Rux Martin, and my friends in the food community.

This book has brought so many new people into my life - including my new friends in the blogosphere - that last night, as the lights dimmed in Avery Fisher Hall and the awards ceremony was about to begin, I truly felt that whatever happened in the following few hours wasn't so important: the book and I were already winners.

Comments

[Katy Glass]

Dorie,
Love your book. I've baked many of the recipes with great success, but I have to tel you that your piecrust is PERFECTION. The best I've ever made, the simplest and easiest to work. That's money in the bank.

[Rowena]

Congratulations Dorie, I just now found that you have a blog of your own and I do believe I am becoming a Francophile because of you! And I too, eat chocolate for breakfast!

[parisbreakfasts]

A late but very heart-felt congratulations Dorie!!!
BRAVO for you :)

[Cathy H.]

Congratulations Dorie! Your book is wonderful and I was lucky to recieve it as a Mother's Day gift! We love the recipes and your web sight is such fun! Thanks for all you bring to others lives!

[Lynn]

Congratulations! Hooray for you and for Baking, my very favorite cookbook. You certainly deserved the awards.

[Estelle]

BIG HUGS AND CONGRATS TO YOU DORIE.
THIS IS NOW MY BAKING BIBLE AND I LOVE LOVE ALL THE WONDERFUL INFORMATION CONTAINED THEREIN.
CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ALL FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

[Bruce A.]

I think the best way to express my pleasure at your win is to bake a batch of your blondies (for the 4th time since I got the book a few months ago).

[tongue in cheek]

FINGER LICKING GOOD!!
Congratulations!
On your well deserve win.

Happy celebration.

[Deborah Dowd]

Wonderful post and a great victory! Your book has inspired many food bloggers... you can hardly go to a site without seeing one of your glorious recipes!

[Latha]

Congratulations Dorie for an award very well deserved. I've just ordered the award-winning book and look forward to enjoying it as much as I do with your other books (with Herme).

[Molly]

Wow! So exciting - and not surprising in the least! ;) Congratulations, Dorie.

[Jenny]

I knew you would win! Your book deserves this award, and more!
Congrats and happy celebrating!

[Rona]

YEA!!! I knew you'd win. What a thrill it must've been for you and your family. This calls for a
celebration...tchin-tchin.

[Kelly-Jane]

Congratulations Dorie :) You are a very worthy winner!

[gilly]

Congratulations, Dorie - you are a most deserving recipient, without question! You are a constant source of inspiration - whether it's your AWARD WINNING book, your numerous publications, your experience, or your personal stories... Thank you!

[Maria]

Congratulations and thank you for being an inspiration!

[Dorie]

THANK YOU ALL! What wonderful, sweet, warm and profoundly encouraging wishes - they mean so much so me. Merci, again and again and again.

[julie]

Félicitations, Dorie! Your book sure deserved a prestigious award, and so do you!

[caitlyn]

Congratulations, Dorie! I am so thrilled for you.

[Lynn]

That's wonderful news! My Aunt Betty and I have been ROCKING your book for the past few months--we each try new recipes and e-mail each other with reviews (which are always raves). Happy to hear the James Beard people agree with us!

[Emily]

Congratulations! My kindergarten-aged son arrived home after school today and wanted me to read and look at your baking book with him for almost an entire hour. (Talk about motivation for literacy!)I just received my ordered copy today, and I am itching for a spare moment to try out your recipes. And of course, my son will join me in the kitchen!

[Lynn]

I was just wondering how you did in the awards! Great news! My copy has pages that are starting to kind of stick together; it's no longer pristine, but it is well-loved!

[Kerrin]

oh le bonheur!! yippy! a huge congrats dorie! enjoy the moment as i am sure you will, and keep grinning, don't let it dim one bit! your fans in boston and in new york and in paris and all over the place now, are all thrilled for you for sure! a winner in so many ways! :)

[Anita]

Congratulations Dorie! Both awards are well deserved! I hope you are celebrating still!:)

[Christine]

Congratulations Dorie! It couldn't happen to a more deserving person. I've loved all the recipes I've tried from Baking.