Fresh Approach Cooking

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According to their very own super-sassy website "The Los Angeles Times, a Tribune Publishing company, is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country." Meaning, they tell a whole lot of people a lot of things on a daily basis. Leading me to believe they are all about getting the scoop first. Yet, so far as I have noticed, and despite coverage from Detroit and Tennessee to Australia, San Francisco and London, they have never once written an article about the Los Angeles based food blogging scene.

Lately this fact has been making me all kinds of pouty. Why? Because I love this city and I always think we could use a little positive PR with the international foodies. We may have a reputation as a place people don't love good food, (or, you know, eat very often) but this really is an amazing, delicious, diverse, food-centric and exciting city with a lot going on and a lot of people who are passionate about it.

So realizing I could take charge (charge!) I thought I would write about L.A. Food Bloggers here, on my own L.A. Food Blog, so you can see what great things people in the City of Angels have to say. The hilarious thing was, after looking around, at the 15 or so current sites (and 5 or so that haven't published in more than three months) that I am familiar with, I spy a problem. So far as I can see the lack of Times coverage could easily be attributed to the fact that at first glance, L.A. Food Bloggers on the whole, seem more like L.A. Restaurant Reviewers than home chefs.

Happily, with (at last official count) eleven-de-three-gazillion places to eat out, that leaves a lot of places yet un-blogged about and plenty-plenty to go around, which is awesome. To those sites, I say thank you (and thank you, and thank you! Yum!)

But wait! There really are lots of kids out there steaming and blanching, grating and reducing, and photographing every hand crafted delight. So without further ado, here is a tiny intro to the bloggers in this, the greatest city on earth (take THAT Topeka, Kansas) who are all about the food, and who thrill me with their culinary ramblings. And now that I have done their homework for them (brazen, aren't I?) perhaps the Times will give a shout out to these sites too for all the world (or at least, the newspaper reading populace of Southern California) to applaud along with us.

Soul Fusion Kitchen - Sylvie always seems to be making real food that real people eat. It is hearty, and down-home, and I always feel as if I pulled up a chair at her table. I don't know how she does it but she gets my mouth watering every time. "A roasty taste worthy of doing again."

Baking Sheet - On this quest to find my people, I came across Nic at Baking Sheet (via the Food Blogger Map) and I am stoked to report she rocks my world with scrumptious baked goods that look so good it is hard to turn away. "Chai spices are delicious and the mango offers a smooth, cooling taste to counter their spiciness. Unfortunately, morning is not a great time for dessert."

Delicious Life - Yes Sarah mostly does witty and charming (primarily Westside) restaurant reviews, but I sense with her new allotment of free time, more cooking will be in her future. The things she has whipped up in the past have not only won accolades, but always inspires. "I took a fork and first tickled the soft and tenuous walnut sprinkled top. The fork pierced deep into the souffle, which first made the faintest of feta sighs."

Fresh Approach Cooking - Oh that Rachael, what a fab-tastic girl. And what a chef! And such great pictures too! A little fluffy, and totally prone to hyperbole, she still has a rockin' good site that captures L.A. like no other (And did I mention she is cheeky? And modest?) "Each and every day you must, you absolutely must, have a meal that reminds you of the transcendence of food."

Delicious! Delicious! - Now this is what I call an L.A. food blog! Super delicious looking food presented as a screenplay. Gimmick or genius? I say, genius. "Caryn grabs a pound of flour from a bag, but it slips in her hands and the soft, white flour explodes all over the counter."

BBQ Junkie - Luis is on a BBQ odyssey out there in the Valley. Check out this awesome site for all your BBQ/grilling/smoking needs. "I made some kalua pig this weekend in my smoker."

Deep End Dining - Eddie is a star and willing to eat some challenging foods. With dignity and respect, he tackles some curious combinations all for us to read (and squirm) along with. While not a cooking blog per se, its also not a restaurant review spot. "These particular black mushrooms were mouth-watering, meaty orbs packed with powerfully earthy and perfumey flavors."

Potential Gold - Another site - written by a chef! I'm swooning! - that I was unaware of until just this second, but have a feeling I am going to love. "The fourth course was sliced Beef Tenderloin on Super Buttery Truffle Mashed Potatoes with Cippolini Onions and a Chantrelle Demi-Glace."

From The Pantry - Ah HA! I did forget someone! Oops. Miss Tanvi is a lacto-ovo-vegetarian who chronicles her attempts at baking, cooking, and making South-Indian foods. "...a few key ingredients, simple method and you have something delicious and hearty."

And that my friends, seems to be it. Pretty amazing group if you ask me. I do wonder though, in a city this size, if I forgot someone. So if you have or know of a food blog in L.A.* that doesn't just focus on reviewing restaurants, let me know! And for anyone I left out, I will certainly revise this and beg for forgiveness. And of course, no matter where you are, if you love food and want to start your own blog, I hope you are encouraged to do so!

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* I know there are a few Southern California sites, but I am strictly referring to Los Angeles city proper for no reason other than I feel like it.

OH and reviewers (and some Southern California sites that aren't really in L.A.)? Here is the list I have:

Best of L.A. Chef Kristy Cooking and Baking Daily Gluttony Daily Olive Eating L.A. Hot Dog Spot L.A. Dining L.A. Ritz
Low End Theory Rate a Restaurant So Cal Foodie,
A Spicy Meatball

"Beer brewing company Anheuser-Busch says the company is looking for ways to keep consumers drinking beer as opposed to cocktails or hard spirits. Even though beer drinking has lost some ground in recent years, Anheuser-Busch remains by far the most dominant U.S. beer company. Brewing about 100 million barrels of beer annually, they control roughly 50 percent of the national market share. Second-ranking Miller Brewing Co. controls 19 percent of the market. To keep beer in the forefront, Anheuser-Busch has launched separate marketing campaigns nationally, such as distributing recipe books that encourage bartenders to mix beer cocktails using ingredients like grenadine and tomato juice." -SF Gate.com

Need some shopping tips? Check out my guest blogger post on the extra-fantastic, uber-sexy, and just plain flashy, Breakfast at Tiffany's.