Mary Ellen at MaryEllen’s Cooking Creations (which is, by the way, one of my favorite cooking blogs and the source of many of my starred recipes in Google Reader) has awarded me my first blog award! It’s the Lemonade Award, which is for having a refreshing blog, just like lemonade. Thanks, Mary Ellen!
This award is meant to be shared and passed on, so there are a few rules –
– Add the logo to your blog
– Add a link to the person who gave you the award
– Nominate up to 10 other refreshing blogs and list the links. Then, leave a message for each nominee informing them of the award.
It’s a lot of fun to be able to give this award out to some of my favorite blogs. Here are my winners:
A Year in the Kitchen – My favorite part of this blog is her “Country Challenges,” which I’ve mentioned here before. She checks out authentic cookbooks from the library and makes several dishes from each country she chooses. In an age when cooking and, especially food blogging, has become entirely web-driven, I find it refreshing that she goes to the library to research each country! All of the dishes always look great, too.
Delish – I like the photography in this blog, as well as the wide variety of recipes found there – everything from muffins to enchiladas to Chinese dishes!
Elizabeth’s Edible Experience – One of my all-time favorite blogs. Almost everything she makes appeals to me, and her writing is excellent – funny and engaging. Plus, this blog is the first place I turn if I’m looking for a New Orleans-inspired dish, as she’s a New Orleans native.
Food Alla Puttanesca – I like this blog’s emphasis on easy weeknight meals that pack tons of flavor. Like me, KMAYS likes to experiment with lots of different spices and ethnic flavors. Her Ma Po Tofu is on my list to make soon – it looks just like the version I had in China.
Fresh from Cate’s Kitchen – This blogger recently moved to Thailand, and I am having a great time following her adventures, food-related and non-food. Plus, I still turn to her posts from before she left for interesting and inspired dishes, many of which feature authentic Asian ingredients. I still can’t wait to try her Japchae.
Oishii – Sort of the opposite scenario of the blog directly above, this blogger lived in Japan for quite awhile before moving back to the U.S. Her posts from her time in Japan are very interesting, and the recipes she posts now are full of fresh ingredients and classic techniques – a reflection of her home state of California.
One Bite at a Time – A newer blog, but one that’s off to an impressive start. A collection of tasty, mostly from-scratch recipes and good photography. I can’t wait to see what she’s making next.
If you noticed a bit of a theme in the blogs I chose, you’re right: I really enjoy food that transports you to another place. In honor of that, I am rolling out a series of posts over the next couple of months on classic Italian dishes. The first one is coming very soon, so stay tuned!