A Nod From A Blogger Friend !

The past week has seen me casting around to different blogs all over the world. I've been looking at how different cultures approach a change of seasons, what new foodie issues are resonating with people, looking at new ways of presenting dishes and styling posts, and finding inspiration. There are sooooo many different and interesting places to explore out there in foodie cyberspace!

If you look down the sidebar at The Spice Garden, you see places that I have returned to over and over to get inspiration, garner feedback, share a comment or joke, or collaborate over a cooking quandry. These are folks who I have come to respect. So, when one of them gives me a nod by sending on a cyber-award, it's a big deal to me! I logged on the other day and Eric over at My Hungry Tum had received this Versatile Blogger award. I was so pleased for him, as his site has given me new knowledge of so many different countries and cuisines. Reading on, he explained that he was passing the award onto others. What a nice surprise to see The Spice Garden on his list of versatile bloggers! Thank-you, Eric!

It's a small thing when you give someone feedback, when you acknowledge their efforts, when you look at their body of work and recognize the different facets of the whole. It's a small thing,  but it means so much to that recipient. Blogging can be a lonely endeavor sometimes and getting acknowledgement that what you're doing is read, thought about, and appreciated can mean the difference between a blogger becoming discouraged and fading away into cyberspace or continuing to grow and develop their concept.

Punchline: Pass it on ... give encouragement ... and be an active partner in this thing that the Web has offered.

So ...  my current list of versatile bloggers include:

Apricosa - Erica Sommermann has a beautiful space in which she shares the freshest of California cuisine, explores her interest in Asian dishes, and gives us the most clean and crisp photos that capture the essense of her posts.

Belleau Kitchen - Dom creates the most fun and happy posts from his home in Lincolnshire, UK. His humor and joie de vivre come through in every post.  One never knows whether he will be posting about a cooking competition, recounting a trip to a London restaurant with pals, telling about a rainy day dinner shared with his friends, or groaning about a hard night at the local pub. It's all done with panache and a recipe shared ... I love it and have come to look forward to all his posts!

Darjeeling Dreams - Joyti aka Indie.tea has created a space that is ethereal in look. She showcases incredible photographers and their work, creates light and airy dishes that inspire her - all with an eye for design that is unparalleled. I always feel refreshed and brightened by her site ...

Noble Pig - Cathy is one busy lady. Between a growing vineyard and her family she manages to put together a really fun blog that showcases the foods she's prepping for family and friends. I love the positive energy of her blog - and the wacky fun things she does that make kids happy to come to the table.

Orangette - Molly Wizenberg has a way with words. Her posts can be about everything from her musings on media to her memories of her grandmother's recipe box to her whirlwind experience with opening a restaurant in Seattle. Go to her site and soak up all of it like gravy on bread.

Serendipity - Kate ditched the life here in the States and ventured to Belgium several years back. There, she teaches  English to business folk, travels to gorgeous locations, takes beautiful photos, shares the best recipes that come her way, and writes about all of it!  Her zest for life in and all around Europe is a tonic for the armchair tourist!

SmittenKitchen - Little kitchen + creative cook + excellent tutorials delivered via photos and text = excellent blog. Bonus? Witty and clever writing that always brings a smile to the reader.



Now, Eric says the other part of accepting this award is to let others know ten things that you like, adore, can't live without. Sooooo ...  here's a quick list that comes to  mind today. Ask me tomorrow and the list will probably be different because, because, because ... I said so.

I cannot live without:

1.  pasta in all its forms

2. the blues and blues guitar, in particular

3. my Amazon account

4.  my family (am I bad for making them #4 on the list?)

5. my animal friends

I adore:

6. a good back rub

7. red wine.

8. medium rare beef tenderloin

9. playing with my camera

10. sunbathing on Cape Cod

Okay ... that's enough. As you were.