CYNTHIA D. BERTELSEN

To celebrate the holiday season, and the Twelve Days of Christmas as it were, I’d like to raise a glass of premium Belgian ale — Chimay to be sure — to a number of food bloggers whose work I admire. Each of the following blogs inspires me, prods me, and awes me. Each day feels like Christmas, because of the gifts these bloggers  give me and other readers.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Anissa’s Blog, by Anissa Helou, a food writer, teacher of cuisine, and expert on Middle Eastern cookery.

Betumi Blog, by Fran Osseo-Asare, about Ghanaian food. Step-by-step photos of recipes from Africa, most unfamiliar to people in the West.

Diana Buja’s Blog, by Diana Buja, an exhilarating portrayal of East African food and food history, as well as political and cultural history in general.

History of Greek Food, by Mariana Kavroulaki, a feast of Greek food and culture, replete with stunning photos and art.

Hush Puppy Nation, by Rick McDaniel, a blog devoted to the history of  Southern cooking, with old recipes, comments about cookbooks, and just plain oozing with love for the cuisine of his female forebearers.

JellyPress, written by Laura Schenone (author of the delicious and profound The Lost Raviolis Recipes of Hoboken) and Nancy Gail Ring (a gifted artist), covers food in art, antique recipes, and commentary about food in modern life and how it relates to the past.

Mae’s Food Blog, by Mae, provides witty and pointed commentary on a multitude of food issues.

Restauranting Through History, by Jan Whitaker, reveals the large and small details about restaurants and their tumultuous history.  Great vintage illustrations.

Months of Edible Celebrations, by Louise, constantly surprises with its depth and range of culinary ephemera, wisdom, and compassion.

The Old Foodie, written by the prodigious and prolific Janet Clarkson, filled with old recipes, sharp and humorous comments, and stories about food in the “old” days.

Organically Cooked, by Maria Verivaki, who lives in Crete and documents her family’s daily food and cooking activities, with lovely writing and gorgeous photos.

Rachel Laudan: A Historian’s take on Food and Food Politics, written by prize-winning historian Rachel Laudan, whose posts always stimulate questions and urge readers forth to contemplate other points of view, to diss the historical status quo, as it were.

© 2009 C. Bertelsen