If you love cooking blogs this post will not give you anymore information than you already know, probably. But if you aren’t so astute in finding good cooking blogs then read on. What do you get when you add a former city girl, who falls in love with a cowboy, moves to a ranch, has kids and home-schools? You get a very unique person and a great blog called The Pioneer Woman. Ree Drummond shows that blogging perseverance, a love of food, photography, combined with an interesting perspective creates reading necessity. Her blog is for everyone, the foodie, photographer, home renovator, home-school teacher, gardener and general lover of life. The Pioneer Woman is a pioneer. Who knew all those different interests could make such a great, informative and aesthetically pleasing blog. It makes me want to leave city life every time I visit The Pioneer Woman.
Tag Archives: food blog
A Blogging Pioneer
Filed under Food
Your Life Would Be More Interesting if You Had More Passion in It
Passion is the Food of Life
- Passionate About Baking’s Mixed Cherry and Berry Pie
Alright so I’ve been gone for some time. I’m not going to harp on it or berate myself. All I’m going to do is say: “Thank You loyal readers for sticking around.” Now onto the show! Summer is almost here. Every year as this season approaches I have delusions of grandeur which involve, canning (which I have never done); vegetable gardening (ditto, but I read a lot about it) and baking (which I do with abandon-hence the gym membership). But enough about me. “Really?” you may be saying as you roll your eyes. “Yes, really.” Let’s talk about Deeba Rajpal the blogstress, blogging live from India, behind Passionate About Baking. First lets talk about the layout/design of her on-line vision, fantastic. Second, her blog pictures are S.I.C.K (in the U.S. urban slang good way). Third, her content…oh her content. Pies, macaroons, jam tartlets, and fresh fruit cream cake…oh my!! If you claim to be a baker to yourself and the outside world or you want to be one, then Passionate About Baking is now one of your on-line baking cookbooks. Because life my friends, just isn’t sweet without a passion.
Amy Blogs Chow
A food writer and foodie who doesn’t cook? Well, that’s something to blog about.
- Amy Cao (pronounced “chow”) of Amy Blogs Chow
I have to admit I have never heard of a food writer who does not cook. To be quite honest I have never heard of a foodie who doesn’t cook. Equally as puzzling, I have never heard of a food writer who is a foodie who doesn’t cook but video blogs “cooking.” But there is a first time for everything. Based on your pure bewilderment you should visit Amy Blogs Chow. I guarantee based on pure enjoyment you’ll stay, and be a frequent visitor. Ms. Cao has taken her weakness…cooking, and the obviousness of YouTube, and has created a series called Stupidly Simple Snacks. She makes indoor s’mores, and candied cashews all within a matter of minutes . They are quick, easy, & simple. But don’t be fooled these are not Food Network quality looking snacks (in fact I remember s’mores being more melted). But Ms. Cao’s videos and presentation are as cute as Ms. Cao. You won’t be able to help but chuckle, in a very good way. I happen to become of follower of Ms. Cao on Twitter due to her equally witty posts, so you may want to catch her there too. Either way, you should see how Amy Blogs Chow.
Chez Pim
Food has never looked this good or achievable
Chez Pim blog image: Thai Cucumber Salad (Yu Tang Gwa)
I love food. If you were over my home during Thanksgiving (or follow me on Twitter) you would know that by the sheer volume I inhaled. But more than anything I love cooking and eating good food. You know good food. It’s looks beautiful, tastes beautiful (yes, that’s possible) and feeds all the senses. Chez Pim provides foodies a true foodies perspective on food and recipes. Chez Pim was developed by Pim Techamuanvivit a former Silicon Valley employer who quit her job in 2005 to pursue her passion for food. Since, she has published a book, a blog, and has been a contributor to the New York Times and Food & Wine to name a few. Her pictures are delectable, her recipes are to die for, and her blog features video. While I have been a follower of Ms. Techamuanvivit’s blog for a while, I have been hesitant to revue Chez Pim due to her on average once a week posts with some appreciable gaps. But when something is good you have to share it with the world. Chez Pim is good…I highly suggest you make a frequent reservation.
Filed under Food
Last Night’s Dinner
Last Night's Dinner blog image: Spoons
I Know What they Had for Dinner Last Night, and it Looked Good: but Receipes Usually not Included
What can I say about food? For starters, it’s present during all momentous occasions, good and bad. It makes you feel good when you have the “mean reds” (as stated by Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s)…which reminds me, it’s referenced in classic movies. It’s great to eat, and fun to make. More importantly, we have to have it everyday. Because we have to have food every day, it’s easy to get lazy about the time, quality and quantity of our food. However, Last Night’s Dinner reminds us that good food does not have to take a lot of time. Quality of our food does not have to be the sacrificial lamb. The better the food the less quantity of it we need. Ms. Jennifer Hess has created a delightful blog with an refreshing bent, which is simply showcasing good food she and her husband have for dinner. Unlike other food blogs, providing recipes is not a prerequisite to posting on Last Night’s Dinner.
More of Last Night’s Dinner
Filed under Food
David Lebovitz: Living the Sweet Life in Paris
Why you Should Visit the David in Paris
I am requesting that you humor me for a bit in this post. This past weekend I went to see the movie Julie & Julia and let me just say that it’s thoroughly entertaining, a must see. Anyway, the movie obviously got me thinking about French cooking (and if you don’t know that the movie is about Julia Child and Julie Powell a woman how blogged her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking, then I can only politely ask “Where have you been?”). So I went on a quest to revue a great blog featuring…what else…French cooking. And I found one. David Lebovitz’s, Living the Sweet Life in Paris. 
Mr. Lebovitz is a accomplished pastry chef and author who has lived in Paris since 2002. He not only blogs recipes…mouthwatering recipes that is, but also such musings about what the difference is between American and French cooks and food. While these pontifications would appear to be somewhat dull subjects, he writes them in such a way that you laugh out loud. His blogs imagery is vibrant and alive. Moreover, he posts every other day. The blog is also sweetened by the fact that you can search particular categories, such as “David’s favorite posts” “Paris” and “Candy or Sweets” etc…or by recipes (not individual recipes but as a general whole). Furthermore, if you want a monthly archive all you have to do is scroll to the bottom of the main page and click “Archives.” Besides the fact the site is funny, thoughtful, in English, and the recipes are wonderful, he also blogs about food failures something we all experience at one time or another. Therefore, visit Mr. Lebovitz, he’s Living the Sweet Life in Paris, we all need a get away every now and then.
Bell’Alimento
Mostly Italian southern style
I love Italian food. Sometimes I feel guilty for loving Italian food because of the bum rap it’s been given by our carbohydrate obsessed culture. But if carbs lead to weight gain, then why was it that I only saw and met skinny people while in Italy? So bum rap be damned! I believe this is how Ms. Jones, an American southern bell and the creator of bell’alimento probably feels. Not only has she created a blog that gives homage most of the time to the Italian art, but she has created many of the dishes herself. We, the viewer, can’t help but want to make and dig in to these lovely creations because her photography serves as a visual aperitif to the cooking process. She goes a few steps further by also providing what she calls “Rants Raves and Reviews” of Italian restaurants and products. While bell’alimento appears to be a relatively new blog (and who am I to discriminate against new blogs) the web design is great. Plus it has the organizational prowess that any food site should have (just find recipes under the offered categories), and she posts every other day. So give the newbie with the quaint commentary a chance, especially if you like beautiful food (the meaning of bell’alimento in Italian).
Smitten Kitchen
Why I’m Smitten with this Kitchen
I know what you’re thinking…another food site? True. But when they’re good, they’re good. Which happens to be the perfect introduction to the Smitten Kitchen. 
Once upon a time in the About section of Smitten Kitchen Deb Perelman discussed with insightful wit her decided cooking endeavors in her small Brooklyn apartment (if I recall correctly). The results of said endeavors being chronicled in her blog…not only via recipe and commentary, but also via magnificent photos taken by her husband Alex (camera make & model use included). Boy have times changed. Don’t get me wrong. This site still offers delicious dishes (which I have cooked on many of an occasion), beautiful photography, and Ms. Perelman’s wit. Furthermore, it offers helpful measuring conversions for you non-Americans (or Americans). It also provides a way to browse by food Topics (which is to the left of the site under Resources). Granted, Smitten Kitchen does not have the organizational prowess of 101 Cookbooks, but it can work nonetheless. Now getting back to that “Boy have times changed” comment. Given Smitten Kitchen’s meteoric rise in popularity it has lost a bit of its relatable appeal to Ms. Perelman as noticed in the About section, and the site has added more advertising, but not nearly as much as other sites. Regardless, change is good…I’m just waxing nostalgic about seeming inconsequentials. Please be aware these changes never made me once contemplate taking Smitten Kitchen out of my repertoire of great cooking sites. It is in a nutshell, delicious.
Filed under Food
101 Cookbooks
http://www.101cookbooks.com/index.html
Why 101 Cookbooks Should be Your On-line Cooking Source
I stumbled on 101 Cookbooks over a year ago. I wish I could say I saw the potential in this unknown “cooking journal” as she calls it (is “cooking journal” code for “blog”). But alas I can’t. Potential I saw, yes, unknown…well not quite. This on-line cooking journal has won awards and been written about in the New York Times and in the Telegraph.co.uk to name a few, and rightfully so. Ms. Swanson has created such a delectable assortment of healthy vegetarian, good tasting recipes that you want to try them all. How do I know this? Her pictures are magnificient (must be her photographer background) and her recipes are good (based on actually having cooked them for a myself and my fiance a self described “lover of all things meat”). While Ms. Swanson does not provide recipes on a daily basis she post frequently enough during a week (at least three times) that you will never run out of material. Here is the best part about her site (besides the good tasting recipes, the visual appeal, and constant material…whoa talk about perfectionism) it’s the organization. You can look up any recipe via category (like: soups, drinks, gluten free) or via ingredient. I’m getting excited just thinking about it. Which reminds me…dinner is coming up, I’ve got no idea what to cook…I’ll find something from 101 Cookbooks because when it comes to cooking journals this one is one of the best.
Filed under healthy vegetarian
