Meet the 2013 BFBA Winners: Simple Bites

Blog: Simple Bites, written and edited by Aimee Wimbush-Bourque

Geographic Location: Montreal, Canada

Running Since: Spring 2010

Credit: Courtesy of Simple Bites

When and how did you become interested in cooking? My mother taught me the functional beauty that is home cooking with family at the center. We grew and raised a good portion of our food on a small homestead in Northern Canada, and this rural upbringing ignited in me a lifelong love of cooking from scratch.

A formal education in culinary arts further propelled my love of cooking and fuelled an interest in classic techniques, while my years' experience in the fine dining restaurant scene instilled in me a deep appreciation for quality ingredients. Mushrooms! Venison! Fraise de bois!

I have to credit my seven years as a mother, though, as being the ultimate motivation for creating and cooking simple recipes with a touch of nostalgia. Since becoming a parent, never has the need to serve wholesome, nutritious food or connect with the land been more of a priority to me.

What are a few of your favorite posts on your site? It's fun to write about our urban homesteading efforts like [our fall chicken harvest](http://www.simplebites.net/our-fall-chicken-harvest-boo-contains-real-life-farm-to-table-images /) or collecting and cooking with our own maple syrup and share a glimpse of our family food culture. It is just the coolest when these personal stories elicit a warm response from my readers. It's even better when they speak up in the comments and start swapping ways to get ready for the canning season or gardening advice like in "5 things I won't do in my garden again". That's when it becomes more than a blog; it's a community.

Where do you draw inspiration for your posts? Anything I can grow (vegetables, herbs), farm (eggs) or forage (ramps, mushrooms) is fodder for both family dinner and food blogging. I also draw from my background in professional cooking for my "how-to" posts such as preserving Meyer lemons, and my homesteader upbringing is always good for a story or two.

What blogs do you personally read, food or otherwise? Oh, quite a few! I don't watch TV or read much fiction; I'd rather read food blogs and see what people are cooking and eating, sipping and saying. I regularly check in on Shutterbean, Orangette, Manger, and my sister site, Simple Mom. The writing on Food for My Family draws me in every time, Food in Jars kicks me into serious canning mode, and Family Bites always has brilliant ideas for casual entertaining. I adore the photography of Verses from My Kitchen and Dinner with Julie sure can tell a good story.

Are you excited to go to Las Vegas for the BFBA Awards? Mais oui!