Thursday, January 10, 2013

Food Blog Love Fest 2013

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Sometime back in December, my fellow food blogger and friend, +Jennifer Field, aka PastryChefOnline suggested to a bloggers group we both belong to that we should each post about some of the bloggers that inspire us and the blogs we really love to read.   So I started making a list of my favorites.  I’d like to share some of them with you today.

Eggton – I discovered this blog in late 2011 as I started to become really involved with other food blogs for the first time.  It’s written by the very funny Katherine who left her job as an attorney in the big city of New York to move to Alabama and entertain us by writing hilarious posts about her experiences, accompanied by delicious recipes and adorable photos of her pups.   Here’s her backstory which is also the first post on her blog.  I started reading her back here and spent the next few hours reading all of her posts from the archives.  And then every post since. You should too.  Try not to snort coffe out of your nose.  After all, who hasn't done this with the hotel minibar? 

Movita Beaucoup – This one’s another blog full of humor and good recipes.  Movita Beaucoup aka Rachael Dyer is a ballet teacher recently turned baking school student whose seasonal competitions (Pumpkin carving,  gingerbread house making and birthday cake baking) have become legend.  Because of the rigors of school, her posts don’t come as often as they used to, but I always do a small happy dance when there is a new one in my inbox.  And she has the best one pot, yes: pot, brownie recipe.

Pastrychefonline  - Jenni Field is a former special ed teacher who became a pastry chef, who loves to teach.  And we are her willing pupils!  Because she is awesome like that.  Her Facebook page  is filled with happy postings of home life and kitchen shenanigans that draw friends into her world and the joy of baking and cooking.  One of her specialties is Van Halen pound cake and she often bakes these for fans!  Her website has wonderful recipes as well as explanatory videos that teach solid techniques.  On my to-do list this year:  homemade puff pastry from this video right here. 

Dear Lauren, Love Mom - Each post is written as a letter from mother to daughter and it’s the stories of their lives in food. Many of them are touching and have great family history stories but each post is like a love letter with a good recipe (The best kind of love letter, don’t you think?) and this is the blog I most wish I had thought to write. Who doesn't want to leave her daughters with a legacy of recipes?

The Skint Foodie - A good fun read from a guy who was down and out and managed to pull his socks up.  (N.B. Skint means broke.) I find his story inspiring in so many ways, not the least of which is his ability to create beautiful meals on a very frugal budget.  Some of my favorite posts are the cheese board challenges, where he commits to choosing a cheeseboard, with three cheeses, for under £7.50 (US$12) which include notes from the cheese shop girl.  I always learn so much and have added many To-Try cheeses to my list.  As a single man living alone, he cooks for one and most of his posts are for delicious recipes for one or two.  Perfect for me most of the year but easily doubled if you have a larger family.  If you like the British sense of humor, you are gonna love this guy.  And you cannot help but admire him.

One Man’s Meat - Conor Bofin is a funny, dry Irishman, with a great sense of humor, who is also a great cook. He has a way with words and cooks good wholesome food with a personal flair.   His long-suffering family eats very well.  He’s one of those bloggers that raises the game for commenters.  When the writer is so witty, the commenters feel they need to be too.  Or is that just me?  And if you are a food blogger, you’ll like this one.

The Curvy Carrot - I found this blog while looking for vegetarian dishes for when my daughters were visiting.  Shanon Lacy is a doctor, in fact, a board-certified pathologist to be exact, but except for on her About Me page it doesn’t come up and her recipes are all about being healthy and indulgent.  Sometimes I just sit and browse because her gorgeous photos are so, well, gorgeous. And she made cheese soufflés! 

And one final blog for today.  I have many more on my list so I hope to do the occasional post like this till I get through them!

Back Road Journal - These beautiful recipes and photos come to us from Karen, who lives in a 1730s house in New England with 300 apple trees and a husband who, like her, loves to travel.  The house is a feature in most posts lately, all decorated for Christmas, and, I can’t get enough of it!  It’s not that I want to live in the country, but I would sure love that dream house.  And to travel with her while she takes the back roads and enjoys the often missed good things that the freeway passes by

I hope you pay these lovely people a visit and enjoy their blogs as much as I do.  Tell them Stacy sent you.  Some of them won't have a clue, but that's okay. :)

Enjoy!

Follow the links below to see the blogs my fellow bloggers love.  And spread the LOVE!



11 comments :

  1. I can't wait to meet the folks I don't know! I love movita beaucoup--she is Hilarious indeed! And Eggton--I just found Katherine at Halloween. She is fabulously gifted with both words and video!

    I can't tell you how honored I am to have made your list. So that's all I'm going to say about that. <3

    Anyway, off to meet these others--your descriptions make me love them already. :)

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  2. I would like to take the credit for introducing you to Eggton already when I sent you the post about the election ladies, yes? No list of great food bloggers would be complete without you, Jenni! You have so much to teach us and in such a kind, funny and generous way. Plus you were the inspiration for this list in the first place!

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  3. Oh, I forgot that! Yes, you can take full credit for introducing me to Eggton, and I will now remember to thank you every time I go to her page or blog! :)

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  4. I had forgotten that Jenni suggested that! I feel inspired myself now - I'm going to work that list in for my blog too! Thanks Jenni and Stacy!!

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  5. Can't wait to read your list, Kelli! I have found some new favorites from these links. :)

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  6. Karen (Back Road Journal)January 11, 2013 at 8:13 PM

    Thank you so much for including my blog...what an honor to be among such a lovely group of bloggers. I really appreciate your kind words about not only my blog but my home as well.

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  7. You are most welcome, Karen. I love old homes with character. Nothing beats the patina of well-worn hardwoods on the floor for adding warmth and I love the colors you have chosen for the walls and furnishings. Wishing you many blessings in this new year!

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  8. Stacy . . this is Katie Foster from Arabian Tales and Other Amazing Adventures. Thanks for your very kind post on my blog. I am hoping you can help me with a problem I have. I am considered a very good cook (in a past life I was a very successful caterer) but I never perfected making pie pastry. I have to host an international group of ladies and teach them how to make some American food. One obvious choice is apple pie. I have tried one pastry recipe for the crust but it came very "hard" - not a flake to be had. Do you have any suggestions/secrets??? Thanks.

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  9. Hi, Katie. The recipe I have always used with great success is from Good Housekeeping's Illustrated Cookbook, 1980 edition. I wrote about it here for a single crust http://www.foodlustpeoplelove.com/2012/03/flakiest-baked-piecrust.html but I would be happy to send you the full recipe for a two-crust pie. In fact, if you need help with the class, just let me know. I'd be delighted to come along. foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com

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  10. Whatdiddywhat?!?! This is so unbelievably cool! And look at the company I'm keeping up there! Thanks so much, lady. I'm going to do a victory lap around the house and then eat a massive chocolate bar to celebrate! (That's called caloric balance.)

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  11. And folks were saying you are unbalanced! Off to set them right! :)

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