a few of my favourite blogs

chocolate-4A month or so ago I gave a talk about my cookbook, and the love is free, at the local library in Crookwell – the country town where I was born.

When I started introducing myself as a professional food blogger I got a lot of blank stares. So I asked who didn’t know what a blog was and many hands were raised in the air. Admittedly most of the audience were probably eligble for a ‘seniors’ discount, but it did get me thinking about the wonderful world of blogs and that there are so many amazing, talented people out there.

So I though I’d share a few of my current favourite things blogs. Mostly so you guys can discover a few favourites, but also so next time I get asked which blogs I follow, I can direct the inquisitor somewhere.

What about you? I’d love to hear about your favourite blogs in the comments – always on the lookout for new treasures.

food blogs

orangette – My first ever food blog crush I am still completely smitten with Molly’s turn of phrase over 5 years later. I love her cooking style (mostly vegetarian and sweet things), I love the way she invites you into her life like her new best friend, I love her quirky descriptions on her flickr photos and I love her book – A Homemade Life – I just wish she would post more often. If I was on a desert island and could only read one blog – orangette would be my pick.

souvlaki for the soul – I just love the photgraphy of Sydney based, never-a-dull-moment Greek boy, Peter G. The fact that I have the same camera makes me realise that there’s a whole lot more to beautiful photgraphs than the equipment.

cook & eat – I’ve been following the fabulous L since my early blogging days – mostly to drool over her stunning photographs – but also because I feel like she’s become almost a friend over the years. Also find her food photography blog – still life with incredibly useful and inspirational.

lemon pi – A simply beautifully photographed Aussie blog that focuses mainly on sweet things too. And given that it’s author Y is a pastry chef in real life – we’re talking seriously professional desserts to drool over.

101 cookbooks – It’s taken me a long time but it’s only been in the last few months that I’ve got into one of the biggest food blogs in the world. Heidi’s photographs are worth visiting alone but her recipes are also an inspiration – mostly based on natural, whole foods – it’s the type of thing I love to cook.

I am obsessed with food – I started following this blog after meeting the lovely Reem – one of the most Twitter savvy gals I know. Reem lives in my old stomping ground of Surry Hills and we have similar taste in restaurants so I love following her adventures.

limes & lycopene – Good name for the food blog of a Sydney based nutritionist. Always full of interesting links and tid bits with the occasional fresh healthy recipe.

nourish me – Another blog I mostly go to to enjoy the photography. Lucy is based in Melbourne and I just love her eye – a real talent for finding beauty in the everyday.

smitten kitchen – blog of new mother and New York based Deb I always find inspiration in the pages of smitten kitchen. Love the balance between decadent sweet treats and savoury creations. Her step by step photographs taken in her tiny NY apartment really bring things to life.

minimalism blogs

far beyond the stars – ever since I discovered Everett Bogues beautifully written blog when I was in Spain last year I’ve been hooked. There aren’t many blogs that I’ve subscribed to through my reader AND by email but I’d hate to miss out on Everetts latest musings. His blog chronicles what happened when he quit his job with $3000 in the bank to persue a career as a blogger. If you have any interest at all in breaking free of the rat race and following your dreams, I highly recommend far beyond the stars.

mnmlist – The first minimalism blog I started following and a spinoff of zen habits (see below) Leo is a hardcore minimalist who recently reduced the number of his personal posessions to just 50. He’s also a vegan but we won’t hold that against him. Well worth a look for insights into the benefits of a minimalist life.

rowdy kittens – strange name for a blog about simple living but don’t hold that against it. Tammy shares her inspirational journey from corporate slave to self employed blogger extrodinaire.

design / photography blogs

the blue hour – A wonderful every day life photography blog of a guy named Brian who lives in London. Through his eyes even one of my least favourite cities in the world has an inner beauty.

still life with – I mentioned this in the food blog section but really if you have any interest at all in improving your food photography I can’t recommend spending some quality time with the archives of still life with. L also runs assignments that can be helpful in honing your skills.

jacqui lewis – the talented designer behind the new stonesoup logo – Jacqui has an excellent eye. Love seeing what she’s uncovered of late.

52 suburbs – I thought I knew Sydney pretty well until I started following Louise’s search for brauty in the Sydney ‘burbs. A wonderful way to desktop travel and explore with beautiful and insightful photographs.


hei astrid – I first discovered Astrid’s everyday life photos via flickr and have been following her since then. Sometimes I get a little concerned about her obsession of taking photos of herself in the mirror – but then I have a bit of a weakness for that myself. Lovely scandanavian sensibility to everyday life.

lifestyle blogs

zen habits – simple productivity – If you haven’t been persuaded by my previous ravings over Leo Babuta’s incredibly inspirational and useful blog, it’s time to check it out.

the art of non-conformity – unconventional strategies for life, work and travel. Chris has a personal goal to visit every country in the world before his 35th bithday which is reason enough to tune into his adventures – but he also covers a heap of inspirational stuff like how to start a business with $100. I loved his posts about his personal annual review and planning for the year ahead that he ran in December.

the blog of tim ferris – experiments in lifestyle design- If you haven’t heard of his book ‘the 4 hour work week’, I highly recommend seeking out a copy – one of the inspirations that set me on the path to self employment. Still working on getting my week to 4 hours of working time – but getting there.

24 Comments

  • Some very interesting blogs. I only discovered the concept of blogs about 12 months ago when searching the Internet for a recipe. I was instantly hooked and I have been following the escapades of home cooks ever since.

  • Jules, thank you so much for reading, and mentioning me! I’m very proud of your mention. Looking forward to catching up soon. xx

  • Thanks for the round up. Some I know and some are new, and I love to find new blogs. A reader makes it easy to follow lots, which means that there’s always some one’s new post to inspire me. Is it just too corny to say that your blog is one of my favourites ?!

  • Hmmm… food blogs.. there are a few I check regularly – some the same as you (especially Smitten Kitchen) – would have to add in Homesick Texan and The Wednesday Chef as people’s whose writing sometimes strikes a chord – and Lucy’s Kitchen Notebook for musings as well as beautiful recipe ideas.. Am checking out the ones on your list that are new to me… very exciting!

  • Thanks for sharing all of these wonderful links. I can’t wait to get started on those new-to-me. A few of my daily reads are: Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef, 5 Second Rule and simply breakfast.

  • Hello. I’m a big fan of Kathryn at Limes and Lycopene and Lucy at Nourish Me. I follow them and I find them down to earth and grounded. I don’t think it’s possible to be in the foodie blog world without having heard of Molly at Orangette or Deb at Smitten Kitchen although I do not follow them. Generally though, I steer well clear of fabulously photographed, professional-looking, step by step, and wonderfully worded blogs. I am a humble little soul in the big wide world of blogging. I find these kinds of blogs can be almost intimidating. Too perfect. A reminder of what I’m not. And I do not fit in. Therefore I choose to follow blogs where I feel comfortable. Where I feel I can easily connect with the writer because they have a sense of humour, they make a great recipe, they have totally stuffed up a recipe and are happy to admit to it. They are totally ‘real’, unpretentious and homely. And they have the time to sends comments, even if I haven’t been around for a while (almost like checking to see if I’m okay). I care about my food blogger friends and I feel they care about me too. I guess that’s it. They are my friends. Even though we have never met. In the end, it’s all about who you are and what you want from a food blog because there is something for everyone out there.

  • Thanks so much for sharing these – with the amount of time I spend browsing food blogs, I was amazed to find ones I hadn’t come across in your post. Lovely, indeed.

  • Hey Jules, you blog was one of the first I discovered and that got me hooked on food blogs. I am sure the food magazine industry has noticed a slump in profits as a result of reduced sales! I now regularly read a rather long list of blogs….too embarassing to list or count. Suffice to say that all the food ones you mentioned are already on my list. I love discovering new ones…particularly from different parts of the world. It is such a lovely and real little view into someone elses world. Like Mariana above, it is not perfection that I seek out, more an honest little “welcome and have a little peek into my world” that I like. I am a bit fussy with the food and recipes too though I must say – if the food sounds or looks a tad gross (not my cup of tea) then I don’t follow the blog. One that I check out every morning is Fig Jam and Lime Cordial – another Sydney blog.

  • Hi Jules
    I did actually leave a comment the other day – but it’s not here so something mysterious has obviously gone on! Anyway, what I said was, thanks so much for including 52 Suburbs on your excellent list. Hope you can keep desktop travelling with me!

    Louise

  • I’m a big fan of joythebaker.com, always cute pix and good recipes…lottie and doof is also a good one, although he doesn’t post to often. thanks for the other suggestions, i do love to browse people’s food blogs (especially when i should be working!).

  • Hi Jules,

    Thanks so much for the kind words. I am completely honored! And, I absolutely love what you’ve been doing on the site lately!

    -L

  • I follow and love pretty much all those blogs (including yours) that you mentioned on that list. Surprised but happy and honoured to be part of the list too.

  • What a great list! I really enjoy your blog and the simplicity of your recipes, can’t wait to try some out on my husband (aka guinea pig). I have to agree with Rich Food for Lean Times, The Pioneer Woman is really great!

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