A Celebratory Blog Post Marking My first 100 posts for Stevie’s Curry Magic
- Steve Holloway
- Aug 20
- 6 min read
Introduction: Announcing the 100th Blog Post Milestone
I can hardly believe it—this is blog post number 100! When I first started, reaching this milestone felt almost impossible; the idea of writing 100 curry-related posts seemed daunting, even for someone as curry-obsessed as me. But looking back, I realize I already had a treasure trove of recipes and stories to share. My journey began out of practicality: as someone who traveled often, I didn’t want to lug around heavy cookbooks. Instead, I started saving scanned copies of my favorite recipes to a Hotmail account, so I could access them from internet cafes and print them out whenever I needed—especially for those unforgettable curry parties and campfire cookouts back when camping was a bigger part of my life. What started as a simple way to keep my recipes handy has now grown into this vibrant blog, and I’m truly grateful for every step of the journey and every reader who’s followed along.
Looking Back: How and Why Stevie’s Curry Magic Began
Stevie’s Curry Magic was born, in a way, out of an ending. My dream of launching a small takeaway and delivery business, Curry Magic Ltd, in Paphos, Cyprus, was cut short before it even truly began—a story you can read more about in my post, “My First Ever Successful Curry.” The abrupt end left me bitterly disappointed, and I returned to my old job, putting my passion for curry on the back burner. But in 2014, a chance encounter with WIX, thanks to a colleague building a website for my other work, opened a new door. Armed with some basic computer skills and curiosity, I set up my first free website to share my long-lost recipes. Time passed, though, and the site went stale, gathering digital dust.
Then came 2020, and with it, the lockdown's that upended so many lives and businesses. Suddenly, I had seven weeks at home and filled the days with cooking and research—sparking the birth of my second blog, this time hosted on Bluehost and powered by WordPress. I registered steviescurrymagic.com, slowly migrating recipes and ideas over, dreaming once again of sharing my food with the world. But as life returned to normal, hidden hosting fees stacked up and, after pouring hours into building an online shop with Amazon affiliate links, my account was closed for lack of traffic. That closed more than just an account—it nearly closed the book on my blogging journey altogether.
Still, something in me wasn’t ready to give up. In February 2024, I decided to give it one more shot—and that’s where we are today, celebrating 100 posts and a community that’s grown from every twist and turn along the way.
The Journey So Far: Challenges, Growth, and Lessons Learned
This journey has been anything but easy. Balancing married life, a full-time job, and a newfound passion for blogging was a real challenge, and I owe heartfelt gratitude to Ruth, my ever-patient wife, and to Sean, my workmate who endured countless stories about my latest curry experiments and blogging adventures. There were moments I nearly gave up—especially last June when I lost my beloved father. Grief put everything on pause, and when my WIX hosting renewal came up, I almost deleted the blog for good. But a stubborn streak kept me going. Encouragement came unexpectedly when I ran into my diving friends, Colin and Cath, at the supermarket; hearing that they enjoyed my blog and tried my recipes rekindled my motivation. Since then, I’ve dedicated early mornings to writing, constantly learning about recipe writing, SEO, and blogging by devouring YouTube tutorials and seeking new ways to improve. Each hurdle has taught me persistence, adaptability, and the importance of community. Reaching this 100-post milestone feels like a true reward for not giving up.
Highlights: Some of My Favourite Posts and Recipes
Some of my favorite moments on this blogging journey have been experimenting with new ideas and testing different techniques in the kitchen. The posts that stand out to me most are my original recipes—like Chicken Madras and Lamb Rogan Josh. Oddly enough, I discovered that with a little creativity and a few fresh ingredients, I can turn a Madras into a Rogan Josh by adding cream and tweaking the spices. Over time, I’ve become much more attentive to cooking methods, especially learning how to temper spices properly and get the best flavor from onions and mushrooms. The blog has pushed me to try new recipes and step outside my comfort zone—because, let’s face it, posting about Chicken Madras a hundred times wouldn’t be very exciting for anyone! Every recipe I share requires research, testing, and refinement, and that process has taught me so much and kept the experience fresh and rewarding.
A few of my favorite posts along with my favorite meal!
Reader Engagement: Memorable Comments, Feedback, and Community Moments
I’ll admit, this is an area where I’m still finding my feet. Comments on the blog itself are pretty rare at the moment—understandable, as Stevie’s Curry Magic is still growing and much of my focus has been on getting posts indexed on Google (which sometimes means rewriting and refining content for that elusive algorithm!). That said, I truly encourage you, my readers, to leave a comment—even if it’s just constructive criticism—so I can keep improving and make the blog even better for everyone. On a positive note, my email subscriptions are slowly but steadily growing, and I’m ironing out the kinks to make my campaigns more engaging. I’m thinking a friendly Friday email once a week is just the right balance—not too intrusive, but enough to keep us connected. Looking ahead, I’d love to build a community area where you can share your own recipes and stories, too. Your feedback is invaluable, and I can’t wait to see this community grow with your input!
Top Tips and Takeaways from 100 Posts
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after 100 posts, it’s to just give it a go—even if you don’t have every ingredient on hand! Tweaking recipes can lead to some surprisingly delicious meals, and sometimes the best memories come from cooking with friends (or even laughing about the occasional disaster, Bridget Jones-style). Don’t be intimidated by long ingredient lists or complicated steps; read the recipe through, make a shopping list, and feel free to modify things as you need. I’m working on adding printable recipes with handy shopping lists to make things easier. Most importantly, pour yourself a glass of wine (or your favorite drink), enjoy the process, and remember that cooking should be fun!
Behind the Scenes: Fun Anecdotes & Surprising Moments
Behind every post is the reality of my scruffy little gas stove, dreams of a spacious kitchen, and the constant wish for someone else to tackle the washing up (though I have to give credit to Ruth, who always lends a hand when she can). One day, I hope to build an outdoor kitchen where I can film recipes for YouTube—if I can overcome my camera shyness and the urge to slip into silly voices as I cook! Of course, I’ll also need to keep my two ginger cats, Prissy and Muffy, at bay. I’ll never forget the time I was cooking a fiery vindaloo for curry night and those two sat nearby, eyes streaming from the spicy chilli vapors, but still hopeful for a taste. In the end, they got their reward—a piece of chicken with the sauce thoroughly washed off. It turns out, even the cats have developed a bit of a curry appetite in this house!
Gratitude: Thanking My Readers and Supporters
When it comes to gratitude, I hardly know where to begin. I’m deeply thankful just to have the chance to share my words and recipes, and for the constant encouragement from my wonderful wife, Ruth—whenever I feel overwhelmed, she’s always there to lift me up and keep me going. I’m grateful to everyone on Facebook who’s left a kind comment, and to all my subscribers who’ve trusted me with their email addresses—your support means everything. Looking back, I have to thank my brother Ady and everyone who helped with those unforgettable curry nights, even when the rewards didn’t always match the effort. Special thanks to George for coming up with the brilliant “Curry Magic” name, and to all my wonderful family Jeannette, mum and dad, who have always supported my wild ideas. Your belief in me has made this journey possible, and I’m so grateful for each and every one of you.
Looking Forward: Upcoming Plans, Goals, and Hopes for the Next 100 Posts
So, what’s next? I’ll be pushing on toward my next milestone—another 100 posts—with the hope that you’ll all stay engaged and continue sharing this journey with me. While I don’t have every detail mapped out yet, I’d love to be writing here for post 500 and beyond. A YouTube channel is definitely on the horizon, and I’m excited to bring you even more new curry recipes from around the world, along with honest product reviews and, perhaps, a revival of the online shop. Here’s to many more adventures, experiments, and shared meals ahead—thank you for being part of Stevie’s Curry Magic!
Conclusion: Invitation for Readers to Share Their Favorite Moments or Suggestions
As I celebrate this 100-post milestone, I’d love to hear from you—what’s been your favourite recipe or moment on Stevie’s Curry Magic so far? Do you have a dish you’d like to see featured, or any suggestions to make the blog even better? Your feedback and stories are what help this community grow, so please leave a comment, send me a message, or share your own curry adventures. Thank you for being part of this journey, and I can’t wait to see where we go together next! God bless you all. Stevie xx
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