2015 Blog Awards: Baking & Desserts Finalists

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.

Sarah Coates About the Blog
The Sugar Hit is a blog burning a torch for baking, because while brussels sprouts can be totally delicious, let’s face it—they’re never going to hold a candle to blueberry pie. If a recipe is on the site, it’s worth the potential extra time at the gym. Never forget Leslie Knope’s advice; the three most important things in life are waffles, friends, and work. About Sarah
I’m a 24-year-old, self-taught cook from Brisbane, Australia. I care about things that a lot of other people overlook, and I’m constantly asking questions like, “What would a matcha ice cream float taste like?” To chronicle my investigation of such burning questions, and to bring extra deliciousness into the world, I started The Sugar Hit. My first book, also titled The Sugar Hit, is being published by Hardie Grant and will be released September 2015.

Michelle Lopez About the Blog
I started Hummingbird High in 2011 to teach myself how to bake at high­ altitude when I was living in Denver, Colorado. It taught me a lot about the way ingredients interact with each other in the baking process. Now, I understand how baking works well enough to come up with my own recipes, and confidently tweak desserts from my favorite cookbooks and blogs. I include detailed notes with each recipe on my blog to help readers gain confidence through the baking process like I did. About Michelle
I’m Michelle, the baker, blogger, and photographer at Hummingbird High. I spend a lot of time riding my bicycle between farmers’ markets and Asian supermarkets, finding fresh and unique ingredients for my desserts. I’m currently based in Portland, Oregon, living the dream of the ’90s. My favorite dessert is anything creamy, preferably with chocolate.

Molly Yeh About the Blog
Recipes on my name is yeh draw inspiration from Molly’s Jewish and Chinese heritage, her 90s Chicago suburban upbringing, her years spent in New York, and her new Midwestern farm life. Tales and photos about traveling and living on a farm wiggle their way in among the colorful and multicultural recipes that each aim to inspire readers and tell a story. Homemade funfetti cake and scallion pancake challah have been among her most popular content, but if you search far beyond those, you’ll find old embarrassing photos from drunken escapades around Amsterdam and moments from the month that she exclusively ate schnitzel. About Molly
I recently moved from Brooklyn to a sugar beet farm outside of Grand Forks, North Dakota, where my husband is a fifth­-generation farmer. I spends my days baking, writing, photographing, and navigating the new­to­her upper Midwestern cuisine, like vegetable­less salads and tater tot hotdish. Outside of the kitchen, I’m a Juilliard ­trained percussionist and have performed with orchestras around the world, in off­ Broadway theater, and as the glockenspielest for the pop­ band San Fermin.

Kristin Rosenau About the Blog
Pastry Affair takes a rustic, honest approach to food. There may be a few rough edges, imprecise cuts, and crumbs sprinkled around the table, but that is what makes it feel like home. Designed for the home baker, Pastry Affair features original recipes covering everything from pies and cakes to Sunday brunch. It is a space where you will find a generous amount of butter and sugar, photography, and a whole lot of life. About Kristin
I’m a baker and high school science teacher with a serious sweet tooth. After starting an affair with butter and sugar out of college, my love for baking has only matured since. The voice behind the blog Pastry Affair, I develop original recipes that give homespun flavors a fresh, new feel. I believe in the power of a good book, espresso, and travel to unfamiliar places.