Last summer I was asked to contribute material to a new book: Beyond the Plate.
I created a brand new recipe, submitted an old reader favorite (Italian almond ricotta cake– so good!), and answered a few Q’s and A’s about life in the kitchen.
The book features over 60 mouthwatering recipes and interesting stories from top food blogs around the world. I’m honored to be included. The foreword is by Saveur’s Editor-in-Chief, Adam Sachs who poses the relevant question: Is blogging dead?
No, my friends. It’s not. And this book proves otherwise: it will make you think, make you hungry, and most of all, it will leave you inspired. In fact, if you can imagine a massive potluck party bound together by paper and string this is it. You’ll love flipping through the pages wondering who’ll you’ll discover next!
My favorite section however, is at the very beginning. Our headshots are lined up in neat little squares like a culinary yearbook. If my photo had a caption underneath it would say, “Most likely to make something with chickpeas.”
Besides salivating over the recipes, you’ll get to learn more about the blogger’s themselves.
Phoebe Lapine says she would love to cook for Rafael Nadal. “So long as his mouth is full, it won’t matter if we have nothing to say to each other.”
Brook Bass from Chocolate + Marrow– who is currently sailing around the Caribbean with her husband on sailboat– can’t live without a tiny whisk which was a gift from her hair stylist.
Emma Galloway’s ultimate comfort food is Aloo Matar with rice, which I actually had to Google because I had no clue what that was (but I want it for dinner).
This book certainly encompasses all things beyond the plate.
And guess what?!
I’m giving away a copy so you can experience the fun for yourself! One lucky winner will receive a beautiful hardcopy filled with journalistic-style photos and recipes, including this chickpea number with toasted sourdough.
To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below: Why do you like to read food blogs? Is it for the recipes? The stories? Or both?
**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED**
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER, BEVERLY HART PRESS!!
Comments
Caroline Lim says
Food blogs for me are like windows to the world. The sharing is truly enlightening and lets me into the lives of more people than I can possibly meet. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn, taste and bring alive the meals you serve in my home.
julie says
I like to read them because it helps me create amazing meal plans week over week- it’s totally the food! I have so many favorite blogs (obviously yours!) in my feedly reader that I binge through and save to my pinterest for easy indexing later.
Sarah Leitner says
I love reading food blogs for inspiration and delicious and beautiful creations with food.
Mary Beth Horst says
I enjoy reading cooking blogs for both the recipes and the getting to know the life of the blogger. I have never been very technologically gifted, so when a blogger I particularly enjoy puts out a book, that is always my preferred method of cooking recipes: I like to have the book out on the counter as a constant reference while I am cooking.
What a great idea to incorporate different blogger’s recipes in one book, maybe this concept will take off and we will see more! How about a compilation of different blogger’s recipes for certain types of foods, like a sandwich book or salad book?
Thanks for this offer!
MG says
Love to read food Blogs.. They allow me to connect with like minded culanarians for both new ideas and learning about different folks in all different places!!
Raakhee says
I like to read the stories and love to try new recipes , invent my own recipes too. I am a foodie at heart , like to cook , feed people and relax in the kitchen with a cooking blog or book
Heather M Jacoby says
Food Blogs not only give you recipes, but take you into the author’s kitchen so they can teach you new tricks, strategies, techniques, and on top of all this you learn about them!
It is the best of both worlds :)
Kelly says
For me it is both — I enjoy the stories behind the recipes. And I love cooking new things – blogs have introduced me to recipes I never would have tried before. I also like getting to know the blog authors – many nice people too!
Melanie C. says
I love food blogs because they give me inspiration for meals.
Cooking the same recipes can get boring and I love the ideas
I get from food blogs.
Andreia says
I like to read food blogs because they’re a great source of inspiration for daily life meals and it’s also beautiful to see all the art involved from the food styling, the food/produce, ceramics, etc.
Mandy says
I read blogs for the recipes and the stories. I decide what blogs to read based on blogger’s photos:)
Nina says
I love food blogs as they inspire me to be more creative and more connected to others that love to cook. Food blogs for me let me see things beyond what I may try on my own. Bless all of you who help us reach further in our skill level!
Catherine Jackson says
I read blogs for both. I love the recipes, but stories make it more personal!
Dionysia says
I found it exciting to read food blogs from people across the ocean from “Down-Under”as it keeps us looking forward to the opposite season we are having !! And then food trends from afar, with free recipes is a treat !! Keep it up…
Rachel says
The stories and the recipes! I love a good food tale. It can make the food better.
Gail says
I love reading blogs because it gives me a peek into other people’s lives. But I also enjoy looking at the recipes and seeing the pictures. It’s like a personal e-mail sent to me by a friend and I look forward to finding them in my in box
Jane says
I am a long time collector of cookbooks. I love to curl up in a cozy chair and read them. I fold down the pages of the recipes I want to try. It’s relaxing and inspiring.
As much as I Pin recipes on the Internet, I sincerely love holding a new cookbook in my hands. The pictures are always fun and make me want to put an apron on!
I discovered one of your recipes on the Internet and I was thrilled to know you had a cookbook. I am a new and happy owner of it. I especially love your innovative salads. They really take the mundane up many notches!
Thanks for a great giveaway!
Jane
Kat says
I love ‘trial and error’ story for recipes. There are so many recipes and inspirations out there, but how to develop the recipes is a different story. It’s very unique and fun to read.
Gretchen says
The recipe, the inspiration, the stories, exposure to international foods and culture…so much fun reading food blogs!
Lynda says
Everybody has a story and usually it is centered around family, celebration and food. To have a food blogger share their life experiences through recipes that they have enjoyed putting together themselves or that have been passed down to them through the years is interesting to me. I think the story line adds to the blog and is really one of the reasons why they so popular at this time. The recipes are always a bonus and when presented in this way it makes me want to try them out! PS: Chickpeas are a favorite of mine as well!
Ann says
Both. The stories give the recipes context. And I’m another of those ho reads cookbooks for fun
Susan P. says
I like to read food blogs for the recipes, photos and new ideas, especially with foods I haven’t cooked before.
tracy says
I love trying new recipes !
Ann Roesler says
I admit to being addicted to the flavors, pictures, and magic that is found in cookbooks. My children talk about the family dinners we always shared because their friends didn’t experience that. Christmas traditions for our family is all about the food. I can never live up to Granny in baking, but I’ll go to my grave trying.
Chelsea says
I love to read food blogs to try a new recipe and get a new inspired story to cook healthy and yummy meals for my family. I enjoy the story and appreciate home-cooked meals more because it’s how family spends quality time together to create a memory.
Cyndi says
Hello, I now read your blogs and most of the comments. I found your sourdough bread “beginners guide” recipe, followed it to the “T” and now i keep making this recipe because for a beginners bread maker your recipe and instructions made me a great bread maker. So, I feel I owe it to you to take my prescious time and spend it with you since you take your precious time and share with us.
Just as JC said, I too enjoy the “dreamy food photos” for inspiration and for guidance to make sure i am doing things correctly. And, as SallyBR said, I too enjoy when the blogger interacts with “us” their followers.
So, thank you for all you do, because you do it well, in my book… pun intented!! tee hee
Kevin Stanecki says
I enjoy the pictures, stories and the variety of recipes. One blog always leads to another and another. I always end up following them on Instagram also.
Georgette Helton says
Both, I love to read but I love cooking more
Susan P says
I read food blogs for inspiration in the kitchen. I’ve been introduced to so many great recipes that I might never if I had to rely only on cookbooks. I enjoy following along in the bloggers personal stories and travels.
Sis Adger says
I read food blogs for the recipes and the stories, but most of all, I follow food bloggers who take the most beautiful photos of their food. In fact, I will continue to follow a blogger whose recipes are not my taste just for the photos, if they are what I like. :)
Amy says
Cooking and eating are such personal ways to connect: with one’s body, to others, to the source of food. So should recipes – the stories cooks provide via blogs allow us to connect to the story of the food and for me this inspires me to cook and create like nothing else!
Joan says
I love reading cookbooks and blogs. I find other people s stories interesting. I have learned so much about cooking. Seeing what people go thru and still manage to cook delicious meals. Different ideas from different cultures too, inspire me. I’ve learned to cook healthier. And I have a nice cookbook collection that I keep proudly displayed in my newly decorated chic cave in my house.
Louellen M says
I like to read food blogs mainly to find new recipes to make for my family. I also enjoy reading the stories at times, as it is like keeping in touch with a good friend.
Kimberly C. says
I love reading food blogs for everything; the recipes, the stories, the photography, the styling!! I love getting to know the person behind the blog and be able to connect with them and share a mutual love of food!!
Jenny C says
I like to see what people are eating and trying. It’s fun to see another’s point of view. Also it makes me try some different ways to prepare food.
Wenderella says
I love food blogs because I love food, and getting daily doses of inspiration from round the world is fantastic. The world’s cultures of food are truly fascinating and blogging makes this particularly obvious.
Seasonal and local food are strong foci for me, and reading northern hemisphere blogs in the southern hemisphere winter makes my mouth water for summer.
I really really love food, and reading food blogs is a low-calorie way of consuming food.
Jackie says
I love the recipes. I don’t like making the same dishes over again too often so I gather new recipes from many food blogs I follow. But I’m also finding myself following along with some bloggers personal lives now since I read their stories for recipe tips.
Alyse says
Mostly, I read for the recipes, but even more, I enjoy the personality of the writer and their imagination and friendliness.
It is generous to share recipes and personal ideas, and I am grateful.
Celine says
I love reading food blogs for the recipes because there is so much creativity and experimentation involved! Reading other food blogs definitely gives me inspiration for my own food blog, Celine’s Eats :)
Kathie Kerler says
I read food blogs for recipes first and stories second. I’m always looking for new recipes to add to my repertoire.
Nicole de Margerie says
I love food blogs to inspire my own creations in the kitchen. The stories make the process real. They also help me with variations and get out of ruts in the kitchen! Keep writing!! Thank you!
Amanda Martin says
I love the inspiration to try new foods and explore new recipes. Thank you!
kim says
everyday it’s an adventure into new cooking ideas and peoples lives. its like traveling the world without leaving home.
Beth R. says
I read food blogs primarily for the recipes or inspiration. I love seeing what others can do with simple ingredients. Plus, the images are always so pretty.
Uschi E says
I love foodblogs because I get the feeling to have a seat in this kitchen, a glimpse at the table and to hear the story behind the recipes. To feel like a family member or friend
Kathy says
I love the stories the most! But, I love the recipes almost as much–they are kind of their own story, right?
Sj Dc says
it is for stories that have led to personalised recipes..love seeing family recipes that have a backstory or an interesting twist or a different aproach
MaryEllen says
I read for the recipes first, but if the stories are engaging, I keep coming back!
Karen D says
Recipes and for cooking inspiration are the reasons I read blogs.
Debbie carr says
I read for the food, the stories and the beautiful photography. I love food pics and cookbooks!!!