Best Cooking Blogs on the Internet

Cooking blogs are great because they illustrate the cooking process and suggest new taste combinations. Here are some of my favorites. They're especially good if you're cooking for a family or a large group.

The Daily Fork. This blog, which posts regularly on the SF Weekly website, is a leisurely romp around the globe and features a bit of the weird and wonderful everywhere. Although this is more of a food blog, it does have some recipes as well. I recommend the alcoholic ones - do you know how to make the perfect flirtini? How about Zombie Punch? No? Then this is your blog. It dishes on Top Chef Masters and "Why Vegetarians Aren't Foodies." It publishes reviews on restaurants in Broward-Palm Beach and Dallas. Can you afford to pass this one up?

Another great cooking blog you should check out is Simply Recipes. Its author, Elise Bauer, is a former Internet software executive and tech consultant. She grew up with a rich exposure to fine cooking and dining and has generously passed her collection of recipes to us. You can find everything from how to cook rabbit to a nice collection of budget recipes. I'm hoping to try some of her chicken recipes soon! Ms. Bauer's blog was voted one of the "50 Coolest Websites of 2006" by Time Magazine, and "Best Food Blog Overall" by the 2006 Food Blog Awards. It has wonderful photographs (which Ms. Bauer takes herself) and is filled with cooking tips and tricks. Definitely worth a look!

For the Love of Cooking is a wonderful compendium of simple, healthy and colorful recipes. It has recipes for pancakes, soups, salads, quesadillas and banana oatmeal bread. The instructions are precise, easy to follow and the photos are beautiful (and helpful). For the Love of Cooking scored one of the "Top 50 Mom Food Bloggers" awards and is the creation of Pam, a stay-at-home mom with two kids. Her sandwich concoctions alone are worth a visit.

If you're someone who likes to bake, you should check out Honey and Jam. This is a blog as much about photography as baking, and the photos are amazing - mostly of food, but not always. And the recipes include such delectables as Lemon Buttermilk Rhubarb Bundt Cake and Chocolate Cinnamon Bundt Cake with Mocha Icing. It is an ongoing journal about baking in the larger context of Life. Thank you, Hannah, and I'll be stopping by often.

Another great baking blog is Breaking Bread. Its author has several family members who require a gluten-free diet, so if you're looking for something along these lines, there's lots to enjoy here. And even if you're not, the recipes are mouth-watering and the photos are amazing. I found a recipe for passionfruit mousse here that would probably appeal to anyone.

Would you like a technique for finding unique cooking blogs on your own? Check out Food Gawker. It has a number of beautiful photos of food with accompanying recipes. Click on the photo you like, and it will lead you to the recipe (and accompanying blog). And you'll be off on your culinary journey.

Sources:

Personal experience

http://www.dailyfork.com/.

http://simplyrecipes.com/

http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/

http://www.honeyandjam.com/

http://www.breakingbreadblog.com/

www.foodgawker.com