Virtual Kitchens

Looking to spice up your weekly menu? Need culinary inspiration? Collegian Photo Editor, junior Chuck Grimmett has it covered, in his Top 5 Food Blog Roundup. 

1. The Kitchn

The Kitchn (no e) is one of my favorites. Clean, simple design, with tons of new content daily. If you are gluten-free and looking for great recipe ideas, check this blog out. (It is also great for meat lovers and meat abstainers alike.) More than just recipes from around the world, this site is chock-full of tips for both the serious eater and the culinary dabbler. Recent tips include: keeping your kitchen clean, simplifying your pantry, what to eat to help fight depression, and the best herbs to grow indoors. Also, what can I say? I am a sucker for good photos and this blog does not disappoint.

2. Serious Eats

"Missionaries of the Delicious"

Serious Eats is by far my favorite blog. The site has great new content daily, from quirky recipes and restaurant reviews to drink and food pairing tips. The articles contain an interesting mix of culinary and scientific info, not to mention great photography. Serious Eats also keeps me updated on culinary news. Interesting daily and weekly columns include Gluten-Free Tuesday, Slice (pizza reviews), A Hamburger Today, A Sandwich A Day, Serious Grape, Edible DIY and Serious Eats New York. This blog has something for everyone. I am inspired to cook time and time again when I read Serious Eats. 

3. Simply Recipes

This is the blog I go to when I am looking for something out of the ordinary or a different twist on a traditional meal. (This might not be true for everyone, but this site tends to post things I am not used to eating.) What I like best about this blog is its searchability. Have leeks in the fridge you need to use? Just search for "leeks" and you will see a list of recipes you can use them in. (Oh, the photos are pretty good on this site, too. See a trend?) 

4. Chow 

Chow is where I go when I am looking for something deliciously healthy to cook. The "Healthy Cooking" section is wonderful for anyone looking to go on a diet without sacrificing taste. It also has pretty good links to news in the culinary world. Chow is also a great resource for vegetarians and vegans, as it has the highest percentage of vegetarian/vegan recipes of all the food blogs I read. Once again, great photos. 

5. Pioneer Woman

The food from this blog reminds me of the great tasting stuff my mom and grandmothers make: simple yet sophisticated comfort food with a twist. The big strength of this blog is the step-by-step photos with every post. (The photos are well done!) If you are learning how to cook, being able to see what the recipes look like every step of the way is very helpful. The recipes they have featured are easily searchable so you don't have to go through pages and pages of archives to find something specific. When visiting this blog, make sure you go to the cooking section, lest you have to dig through posts about the Pioneer Woman's family and ranch to get to the tasty food. (One plus is that she hosts occasional photo contests and posts the best entries.)

(all photos screenshots)

What about you? What food blogs do you read for inspiration?