Blog Awards 2015: The Winners

My Name is Yeh

Yossy Arefi About the Blog
Apt. 2B Baking Co. celebrates food and film photography through seasonally inspired baking, small batch preserves, and the imperfect beauty found in the kitchen, at the market, and in the fields. About Yossy
I’m a Brooklyn-based photographer, baker, and blogger. Originally from Seattle, I moved to New York in 2007 to pursue my passion for cooking. I spent several years baking in a busy Manhattan restaurant, and in 2012, I left the restaurant business to focus on photography and writing full­time. Regardless of the season, you’re likely to find me navigating the stalls of New York’s many Greenmarkets with my trusted Pentax K1000 close at hand. My forthcoming cookbook will be published by Ten Speed Press in early 2016.

My Name is Yeh

Em Sauter About the Blog
Pints and Panels was started in May 2010 and is a blog that reviews beer in the sequential tradition (aka pretty cartoon pictures). With thousands of beers currently on the shelves and a brewery opening in the U.S. every 16 hours according to the Brewers Association, Pints and Panels strives to educate drinkers on quality beers from not just America but from around the world in a fun and informative way through illustration. About Em
I live in my home state of Connecticut, where I’m the communications manager for Two Roads Brewing Company in Stratford. I discovered good beer while watching the 2006 Super Bowl when I ordered a Sam Adams White Ale at a sports bar and was surprised at how delicious it was. I received her MFA in cartooning in 2011 from the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont and lived in Oregon for a year working in a beer shop before taking the job at Two Roads in 2013. My favorite beer styles are marzens and saisons.

Jackie Dodd About the Blog
The Beeroness is a vehicle to introduce people to craft beer in a new way, help them understand the flavors, the community and feel more comfortable exploring the beer scene. About Jackie
I’m a Seattle based recipe developer, food writer, and photographer. I’m the author of The Craft Beer Cookbook and the forthcoming Craft Beer Bites Cookbook. My love of craft beer and fascination with cooking came together when I started The Beeroness, a food blog dedicated to the art of cooking with beer.

Talia Kleinplatz About the Blog
Founded in 2013, Two For The Bar is a space dedicated to illustrating the magic of shared experience that can occur in the presence of a great cocktail and a talented bartender. These stories and recipes are meant to highlight what I have come to love about craft cocktail culture, and to perhaps even inspire readers to go and experience it for themselves. It presents the cocktail as the avenue through which great stories are exchanged, our best jokes are told, and our fondest memories relived. It is the means to a more connected end. About Talia
I’m the woman that will strike up a conversation with a complete stranger sitting next to me at the bar. I’m a firm believer that a shared cocktail can open windows and doors to chance encounters, poignant stories, and lasting friendship. I fell in love with cocktails at the hand of some of my favorite bartenders and thirsted for the dynamic exchange that inevitably happened whenever I took a seat at their bars. It was these gifted men and women that inspired curiosity and an earnest hunger to know more about this storied industry.

Emily Arden Wells About the Blog
A great cocktail is more than the sum of its parts ­ it requires structure, integrity, and a little bit of alchemy. It is that alchemy that I love about spirits and cocktails, they bring people together, inspire conversation, and create visceral memories amongst friends. Gastronomista is my canvas to test cocktail recipes, flavor combinations, and innovative techniques. I love to make culinary based cocktails, drawing inspiration from dishes found all over the world, savory and sweet. I hope that Gastronomista excites readers to make their own cocktails with friends and loved ones, celebrating life’s day to day victories with glasses raised high! Cheers! About Emily
Emily Arden Wells: Architect and Epic Imbiber.

Gabriella Zanzanaini and Nicolas Petit About the Blog
The Funnelogy Channel travels the world in search of stories to seduce your appetite, feed the mind, and nourish the soul. By going into peoples’ kitchens, developing our own recipes, and looking into the art of everyday food, our culinary journey aims to dive into the heart of local culture. We hope that sharing stories from the road will trigger others to find their own adventures. About Gabriella and Nicolas
We are the food and travel storytellers behind The Funnelogy Channel. Bringing together Italian, Chinese, French, and Belgian origins, we lived on four different continents and traveled extensively before deciding to embark on a one-year-long, over-land journey to eat our way across the Eurasian continent. After covering over 20,000km and 25 countries this past year, we plan to shift into slow travel, basing ourselves in the food-obsessed city of Hong Kong for a while.

Elizabeth Minchilli About the Blog
I first started my blog as a way to share all things delicious about my city. Food has always loomed large in my life, and having the opportunity to write about it and share Italy’s culture every day has been a joy. While the blog is personal, and maybe a bit quirky, each post always includes a takeaway for my readers, whether it’s a recipe, a restaurant or hotel recommendation, or inspiration for the perfect ingredient. While words are my main mode of communication, I love the power of photography and have recently been exploring video as well. About Elizabeth
I’m Elizabeth, and I’ve been eating my way through Rome since I was 12 years old. After living here as a child with my parents, I moved back in 1988, and have been exploring Italy’s culture and mouthwatering cuisine ever since. I’m the author of seven books; my most recent is Eating Rome: Living the Good Life in the Eternal City. I’ve also written for over 40 magazines and newspapers. Now, I write about all things delicious, paying homage to the city and country that feeds me, on her blog and in my app, Eat Italy.

Elizabeth Stark and Brian Campbell About the Blog
Brooklyn Supper aims to make great cooking accessible to everyone. We emphasize seasonal, sustainable ingredients lovingly prepared and simply presented. Because cooking and eating should be a joy and not a burden, we favor unfussy recipes, a flexible approach to ingredients that focuses on local ingredients but allows exceptions, and meals that are at once delicious and affordable. About Elizabeth
We have been chronicling our passion for simple, seasonal recipes on Brooklyn Supper since 2008. After almost a decade in Brooklyn, we recently moved with our family to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, where we live happily near the farmers and producers that inspire our work. Elizabeth is a regular contributor to Conde Nast Traveler, Handmade Charlotte, and Food52, where she writes the Salad Days column. Her work has also appeared in print in Vegetarian Times magazine.

Cynthia C. About the Blog
Two Red Bowls began as a simple way to document the little joys of learning how to cook in a small household. The blog often reflects a love for Asian and Southern food (and sometimes both together), but most of all, it is dedicated to the idea that any food that tastes good is worth celebrating, whether it’s in two plastic cereal bowls on the couch or laid out in a Thanksgiving feast. About Cynthia
I’m a junior lawyer working in Manhattan and living in Brooklyn, New York. When I’m not lawyering, you can find me in my tiny kitchen, cooking, baking, and most often, eating. “Bowl #2” is my fiancé, trusted taste­-tester, and the original owner of the two red bowls.

Virpi Mikkonen About the Blog
Vanelja, launched in September 2014, is a love letter to authentic food, natural flavors, and good life. Vanelja´s mission is to share the pure pleasures of healthier alternatives to delicious treats and dishes. Besides quality recipes, Vanelja is about the whole experience of clean, conscious, and relaxed eating, which are shown through the blog’s design, photography, and videos. Those were also the key factors when planning the design with Vanelja´s visual team, including graphic designers Leena Oravainio and Lotta Nieminen, plus coder Antti Takalahti, who all helped to build Vanelja. About Virpi
I´m Virpi, a 34-year-old recipe artist, cook book author, food stylist, photographer, and writer from Helsinki, Finland. “Clean eating” has been my speciality now for over six years; to me, it simply means happy and healthy food. I love to design and cook grain-free and refined sugar-free dishes with fresh, pure, ecological, and ethical ingredients. I want to give inspiration to people and to be a role model to my 3-year-old daughter by fulfilling my passions, which are the recipes, photos, and videos I share on Vanelja.

Susann Probst and Yannic Schon About the Blog
On Kraut Kopf, we create a variety of vegetarian recipes with influences from all over the world. It is important for us to buy and cook seasonal food as much as we can. We also try to be aware of what we eat. To help keep an eye on sugar, dairy products, and grains, which put a strain on our bodies when we eat them too often, we include helpful symbols under each article that show whether the recipe is vegan, gluten-free, or dairy­-free, and if it is prepared with whole grains or without industrial sugar. About Susann and Yannic
We are Susann and Yannic, in love with each other since 2006, and we both live and work as photographers in Berlin. We love eating and cooking, have been living vegetarian for many years, and like to share what we brew in our pots and what finally lands on our plates: Simple, healthy, and balanced dishes for every day.

Kirsten Grove About the Blog
Started in 2008 as a way to show off eye-catching design and decor from all over the world, Simply Grove has become a hang­out for like-­minded creatives with a love of interiors and an appetite for design eye­ candy. It’s not focused on one single thing, but a creative outlet for all things aesthetically beautiful. About Kirsten
I’ve always had a passion for interior design, and Simply Grove is my creative outlet. You’ll also find me featured in publications and sites like Marthastewart.com, Better Homes and Gardens, Lucky Magazine, RealLiving Magazine, ElleDecor.com, HGTV.com, and Design Sponge to just name a few. Most recently, I’ve styled and designed for clients in Stockholm, Seattle, New York City, Los Angeles, and Denver.

Victoria Smith About the Blog
sfgirlbybay represents “bohemian modern style” and showcases the freshest designers, artists, products, and trends. It provides readers with shopping finds; behind-the-scenes interviews and virtual home/studio tours with up-and-coming artists; and design and art event coverage, all the while offering affordable design inspiration and ideas and encouraging individuality. About Victoria
I’m a San Francisco-based blogger, photographer, photo stylist, design junkie, and bonafide flea market queen. I worked as a freelance art buyer and stylist producing photo shoots for advertising agencies and designers on accounts such as Architectural Digest, House & Garden, Gourmet, and Bon Appétit. I’m also a contributing writer to Uppercase, Anthology, and 7×7.

Jessica Smith About the Blog
The recipes on Faring Well follow my whole foods, plant based diet. I strive to only use organic, non­-GMO ingredients. I believe that where you put your dollar is where you put your vote. Therefore, I support the farmers and manufacturers that say ‘no’ to pesticide-laden crops and genetically modified food products. I also focus on using whole foods over packaged products, while trying to keep the recipes simple and easy to follow. I hope to present a balanced, wide range of plant based recipes so that everyone, no matter their diet, can find something they love. About Jessica
Hi there! I’m Jessie, the girl behind this blog you’ve stumbled upon called Faring Well. I’m married to the best recipe tester around (Scott) and am currently operating this test kitchen I like to call “my office” out of the beautiful city at the foot of the Rocky Mountains—Denver, Colorado. My two greatest passions are getting off the grid (camping adventures are my jam—I kind of have a thing for national parks), and creating delicious, wholesome recipes to share with you.

Alana Kysar About the Blog
Fix Feast Flair is a lifestyle blog based in Los Angeles centered on food and my passion for sharing with others. You’ll find a host of recipes in areas ranging from baked goods to savory dishes and libations, along with a few tips on how to personalize your creations. From time to time, I’ll share insights on places I’ve dined at or other new discoveries. The three F’s represent my love for fixing food, feasting on it, and adding that little touch of flair to it all. About Alana
A recent Los Angeles transplant, I was born and raised in Hawaii, where I developed a passion for cooking at an early age. Brought up in a melting pot of cultures, I was exposed to a diverse range of cuisines from Japanese and Hawaiian to French, and everything in between. I translate them into my cooking today and strive to incorporate locally sourced ingredients when possible. If you can’t find me in the kitchen, check the local farmers market!

Renée Kemps About the Blog
My blog is the place where I share my love for good, pure food. Good food is not difficult: it is fresh, seasonal, and made with love. It is combining the most delicious ingredients into a dish that makes you smile. Good food is something that brings people together and creates a shared moment of joy. To me, it is all about the balance between seasonality, whole foods, and some buttery goodness. I hope through this that I share, that I can inspire you. About Renée
I’m a student of English Literature, a family person, and a lover of good food and natural light. I live in Amsterdam and I enjoy exploring all this city’s best spots. I love sharing food, having endless gatherings with the most delicious dishes, and talking about life. One day, I hope to write my own cookbook, work as a culinary journalist, write for magazines, do pop-up brunches/dinners, or maybe even open up a restaurant.

Mandy Lee About the Blog
This is Lady and Pups—an “angry food blog and misery outlet.” Three years ago (and counting), I moved from New York to Beijing, which marked the beginning of my pre-midlife crisis. This blog is a phoenix rising out of the tormenting flames of living here, and how frustration can inspire good food. About Mandy
Hi, I’m Mandy. Come share how I turned a lot of frustration and anger in a lovely meal.

Bill, Judy, Sarah, and Kaitlin Leung About the Blog
The Woks of Life is a recipe archive spanning several generations, from traditional Chinese dishes passed down from grandparents to modern and fusion recipes for a new generation. The blog’s four writers—two daughters and their parents—seek to demystify Asian cooking and provide inspiration (with an amusing anecdote or two) to home cooks around the world. About the Leung family
Bill, Judy, Sarah, and Kaitlin Leung are the cooks behind The Woks of Life. After her parents, Bill and Judy, moved to China in 2012, a 22­-year-­old Sarah Leung started the blog as a way for them to record old family recipes, and for her and her sister Kaitlin to share their crazy stateside kitchen experiments. For the past two years, the entire family has been using The Woks of Life as a platform to communicate, tell stories, and share food across distances.

Liza Mosquito de Guia About the Blog
What you need to know about me is pretty simple: I love food and I love telling a good story. I hope to share with you where good food comes from. And, this may sound corny, but I truly believe good food comes from deep down—from someone’s personal mission to feed you well, and to help you discover flavors, textures, and foods you’re missing out on. My mission is to showcase these people, their ideas, their personalities, and their techniques in hopes that you make a point to seek them out and support what they do. For food passion deserves to be discovered. About Liza
I’m the founder and chief storyteller of Food. Curated. I’m a five-time James Beard Award nominee, a New York Times video partner, a TV host, and a food lover. Food. Curated. is my dream series, an outlet for me to share what I enjoy doing most in this world: storytelling. I am honestly most happy with a camera in hand and a stranger in front of it, being trusted with tales of hard work and determination. Telling stories is a drug for me. A happy drug worth passing around!

David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl About the Blog
Green Kitchen Stories is a blog that celebrates healthy, seasonal, and delicious vegetarian recipes paired with kick­-ass photography. The mission for the blog is simply to inspire our readers to start cooking more plant-­based whole food. One of the great things with our blog is that it constantly allows us to learn new things. At first it was recipe development and food photography, and lately we have also started learning how to film and edit food videos. About David and Luise
We’re David and Luise, the couple behind the vegetarian food blog Green Kitchen Stories. We’re also the authors of two internationally acclaimed cookbooks, The Green Kitchen and Green Kitchen Travels, and we run two of AppStore’s most popular apps. In 2014, we launched our Youtube channel, and our work has appeared in food publications all over the world. We currently live in Stockholm with our children. Apart from recipe development and food photography, David works as a freelance graphic designer and Luise is a qualified nutritional therapist.

Marissa Ross About the Blog
Wine. All The Time documents my adventures in wine drinking through personal stories and comedy. There are so many people who want to learn about wine but don’t know where to start, and they find it unapproachable. I want to show people that you can buy, drink, and talk about wine without being a sommelier. You can just love wine, and from that love comes knowledge. About Marissa
I’m a comedy writer/­performer and wine-drinker living in Los Angeles. I have no qualifications to write about wine aside from the fact that I drink it every day.

Molly Wizenberg About the Blog
When I started Orangette in 2004, I didn’t have a plan. I just wanted a place to write, and to write about cooking. A couple of months in, I wrote about baking with sourdough starter that a friend had given me, and I suddenly had a vision of myself as a pioneer wife in a cotton bonnet in the early 1900s, riding across the plains in my covered wagon, cradling a bowl of sourdough starter that would allow me to sustain my family of, I don’t know, 12 children over the hard winter. This was very romantic stuff. And I thought: hey, that’s a STORY. The longer I work on Orangette, the more it becomes clear to me: I write not because I love to talk about food, but because I love stories. I love the shape that food gives to our everyday lives, the way it can illuminate who we are and the people close to us. About Molly
I’m the voice behind Orangette, named best food blog in the world by the London Times. My books, A Homemade Life: Stories__and Recipes from My Kitchen Table (Simon & Schuster, 2009), and Delancey: A Man, A Woman, A Restaurant, A Marriage (Simon & Schuster, 2014), were both New York Times bestsellers. My work has appeared in Bon Appetit, Saveur, The Washington Post, O, and The Art of Eating, and I co-host the food-and-comedy podcast Spilled Milk, with Matthew Amster-Burton. I live with my husband Brandon Pettit in Seattle with our daughter June, and together, we own and run the restaurants Delancey and Essex.