Blogs I Like

http://www.mrswheelbarrow.com/

Do you want to know what to do with 50 pounds of tomatoes, learn what charcuterie is, or put together a perfect cheese plate?  Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s (aka Cathy Barrow) kitchen is the place to visit.  She will take you to a farm where cheese is made; she will tell you of the adventure in France learning to butcher.  She will help you grow tomatoes, can tomatoes, and even when her garden “gets on my nerves” she gets through it by sharing her Cherry Tomato Confit recipe.  Her photographs document her journey and make your mouth water at the same time. Visit and share her passion.

http://www.diaryofalocavore.com/

These recipes look delicious! Put them with the vivid photographs from Elspeth Hay, Anna Pierson, and Liz Pierson’s kitchens at Diary of a Locavore and it’s enough to make anyone excited about getting into the kitchen.  These three women are about seasonal cooking and preserving with local ingredients. There are charming stories of families and adventures to local farms (where 20 quarts of strawberries was a disappointing haul?) and a Community Supported Fishery where fresh squid is acquired.  Step by step instructions for cleaning and cooking follow.  There is something for everyone in this blog, but mostly it’s just delicious fresh food.

http://localkitchenblog.com

In Kaela Porter’s Local Kitchen she writes of her food adventures in upstate New York.  She eats seasonal, sustainable, local and ethically raised food.  She provides basic techniques on the best ways to preserve fruits and vegetables. Her recipes reflect the seasons such as Strawberry Rhubarb Amaretto Sauce in the spring, Zuchinni Fritters in the summer (“when in doubt, fry” ) and Potato Leek Soup in the fall. I love how she gets her potatoes from the root cellar “aka the garage”. Her photographs are gorgeous and the story about Williams Sonoma’s $72  biscuits, that you really can make yourself, is priceless.

http://www.happyolks.com

Whether you want to make homemade pizza on the grill or cherry, lentil and fennel salad Kelsey and Shaun at happyyolks.com will help you every step of the way.  Pictures taken by Shaun guide you from raw ingredients to the final product, and Kelsey’s easy to follow recipes make even the most complicated project accessible to anyone.  Her stories weave throughout the pictures and give you a peek into her life and her adventures.  She even announces her engagement in the middle of her pictures of chicken enchiladas with mole sauce. Take a look and try something new.

 http://foodimentary.com

Every day is a holiday for John-Bryan Hopkins at Foodimentary.  Starting the year with National Bloody Mary Day and ending with National Vinegar Day, John celebrates them all. Did you know there was a National Bicarbonate of Soda Day? That should probably be the day after Thanksgiving instead of December 30^th.  Every day he celebrates the food of the day as well as some food history of the day.  This site is a fun way to learn a little history, for example on National Apple Day we learn that 45% of all apples in the UK go to the cider industry.  Don’t worry if you are not comfortable in the kitchen, June 13^th is Kitchen Klutz Day.

http://madamefromageblog.com

Tenaya Darlington knows her cheese, and if you visit her over at Madam Fromage you will discover why DiBruno Brothers Cheese shop in Philadelphia asked her to write a book about it.  She will very quickly help you put together a cheese board, expect there to be at least one her favorite blues, or advise you with pairings and give you some fabulous recipes like limburger mac and cheese and heirloom tomatoes with Burrata. She gets around town as well.  From beer and cheese pairings at Stoudt’s brewery in Lancaster to wine and cheese pairings at The Metropolitan Café in Philadelphia, you never know where she will be with her cheesy goodness.  Grab some baguettes, never crackers, and check her out.