I Made a Top 6 List!

So yeah, I'm a little bit excited here, since I've been blogging for about a year and half, which ain't nothing in the big blogosphere picture. In fact, I did this whole blogging thing totally backwards by starting out as a journalist and author only to transition into blogging. Why the hell did you do that, you ask? Partly because print pubs don't pay jack anymore, but mostly because I love having the freedom to control my own content. The feeling is akin to hitting a nude beach for the first time and stripping off your top. It's frightening, exhilarating, even a bit chilly in parts. Most of all, it's kinda dirty, yet still tolerated by the prudish. Note: I may or may not be speaking from experience here, so let me just plead the fif.

Food writer Robey Martin, of Richmond, VA alt weekly extraordinaire Style Weekly, recently listed Fatback and Foie Gras as one of her "Six suggestions for a new year of eating in Richmond" along with the ubiquitous Matt the Marinara, who always seems to have his finger on the pulse of something uber-tasty and off the traditional eats radar. I love hitting up his blog as well as his tumblr to get a sense of where and what he's been eating lately. His rec's almost always end up making my short list, and oogling his shots of that never ending meal at Jose Andre's Minibar helped me to kill a solid half day.

Speaking of food porny photos, Tim Vidra of the blog E.A.T. was also mentioned in the Style article, and not only is his photography sinfully delicious, but he's got some darned good recipes in there, many of which are rather close to my heart as you'll see.

I highly recommend giving both of these gents a visit.

In the meantime, here's an excerpt from Robey's article (she is also a reviewer, by the way):

6. Read your local food writers. Kendra Bailey Morris churns local daily. She's readily available for questions on how to make the best tater-tot casserole or other Southern staple. Matt Sadler's new Tumblr, (keeping it local even on platform) tells about his travels and how they rate to where he lives. Tim Vidra, unfailingly makes me want to jump through my screen into his food pictorials. He can't get any more local unless he becomes a plant.

Read the full article here.