Versatile Blogger Award

 

Versatile Blogger Award

May seemed to be a good month here at Legge Towers for awards. Cath who blogs at For Bella and Will very kindly nominated me for this Versatile Blogger Award. So thanks very much to Cath for that. It’s also a nice opportunity to give some love to some blogs I read and to tell you some things about me that you may not know. My obligation to do this is clear from the Rules of Acceptance:

  • Thank the person who gave you this award
  • Include a link to their blog
  • Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly
  • Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award
  • Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself
  • In the same post, include this set of rules
  • Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

Versatile blogs to follow

I nominate these blogs for the Versatile Blogger Award

  • My first is the inestimable Radix Rootcrops. Written by Owen Smith a botanist of distinction, a evangelist for new crops and sustainable food. You’ll learn stuff about South American crops you never thought you’d need to know. It’s also dryly hilarious to read. And Owen is generous to a fault as well with his knowledge and plant materials. Go read it.
  • Next is Emma Cooper. Emma is an author, blogger, podcaster and soon to be student again. Emma writes well and frequently about all things sustainable garden related. She’s also about to start here own adventure in studying for a Masters in Ethnobotany. I’m really looking forward to follow that story.
  • Gregoire Michaud is another generous fellow. He is pastry chef at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong. I have two of his beautiful books which I will review on here very shortly. He produces work of such beauty and art that it’s hard to imagine they were made by hand. He combines flavours and ingredients in special ways – a true artist. His blog and the photography will take your breath away.
  • Helen at A Forkful of Spaghetti is a foodie friend with uncommon good taste and skill in the kitchen. She also blogs at A Kentish Kitchen. Between the two blogs you’ll get scrummy recipes, restaurant reviews and Helen’s own style and warm humour. Both must reads.
  • Despite the fact the Thane Prince supports Arsenal FC & I support Chelsea FC (European Champions League Champions 2012) we appear to get on quite well. I think a mutual love of good food and drink has something to do with it.  Thane is a food writer & teacher par excellence, with a number of books under her belt. She writes about beautiful ingredients, prepared simply and with love. Thane also blogs reviews of restaurants that are well observed and useful. Perhaps next year for AFC Thane…
  • Hazel Paterson has a fab blog at ItsNotFingRocketscience. Just the title makes me giggle, schoolboy mode never left me really. Hazel’s career and approach to writing about food and drink is eclectic, informative and often highly amusing. You’ll see food & drink recipes, restaurant reviews and more wrapped up in exquisite writing and top photography.
  • Ed & Marieke at Weekend Bakery are an inspiration. Their blog is beautiful, well researched and highly informative. If I had to recommend just one blog on bread baking, this would be it. The sheer effort and testing that they put into their recipes is awesome. Their instructions are clear, helpful and beautifully illustrated with good photographs and videos. On top of this, they are lovely people who are generous with their knowledge and more. Go Dutch and pay them a visit.
  • If you like chocolate then you’ll love Choclette’s Chocolate Log Blog. It’s inspiration for beautiful bakery and other things. Choclette writes with passion and precision. Her blog is the destination of choice for your chocolate needs.
  • Monica Shaw blogs about learning to live a fit and healthy life through real food and clean, simple living at SmarterFitter. Monica really enjoys trying new food combinations and different foods for meals for the day. You’ll read this and feel inspired to try new things without anxiety. Monica takes a mean pic too and so the blog is a joy to look at too.
  • Azelia at Azelia’s Kitchen has amassed a goldmine of useful information for the keen foodie. Recipes, reviews, science and tips & tricks galore. What’s more, Azelia is prolific, so there’s always something new to keep you interested or to pique your curiosity. I’ve seen Azelia on her journey to understand sourdough and related topics and she’s like a Jack Russell with her tenacity to learn and explain. And, as with many of the blogs I’ve chosen, her photography is great too. What’s not to like?
  • Summaya blogs at Pukka Paki. Like Helen and me, she’s a former lawyer. In fact, a lot of food bloggers I know have a similar background. There must be a message there… Anyway, Summaya’s blog is a tour de force. It’s such a brilliant resource for home cooking Pakistani style. I’ve learnt loads from it. What’s more, Summaya gives you an insight into the life and traditions the provide context for the food. You feel drawn into the world. A great read and a great look too, with fab photography.
  • Joanna at Zeb Bakes writes an eclectic blog. Great food and baking of course. But also sculpture, natural history and Bristol life. Joanna is another of my chosen bloggers who takes a mean picture, I wish I had some of their skills. I enjoy Joanna’s blog for the refreshing ebb & flow of the posts that take me to different places. She’s a great cook and tests recipes and isn’t shy about things that go wrong, which is really helpful for the rest of us.
  • Michelle Chapman at Veg Plotting hosts a diverse and prolific resource for all things garden related. Tips, recipes, reviews, views, information, links & resources. When you visit Michelle’s blog, you’ll find yourself at the centre of an interesting hub of more things to read and find out about. A top resource.
  • Finally, there’s the Permaculture Magazine blog. I have to declare an interest, as I’ve written stuff for this. It’s truly a great resource for all things permaculture and sustainable. Great tips and ideas and also thought provoking articles and videos.

Seven things about me

  1. I don’t like wearing socks. It has to be sub-zero for many days before I succumb. I do wear them when I wear walking boots.
  2. I did this interview for Irish radio station Spin 103.8FM on survival skills. A friend had been asked to do it, but he was in Afghanistan at the time. His wife asked me to fill in. I like the bit about procreation and nuclear war…
  3. I can use a sewing machine. I’ve made dresses and skirts for Debs and shirts, trousers, fleeces and dry bags for me.
  4. I do line drawings in pen.Line drawing of Eryri from the Rhinogs
  5. I used to have a moustache, but I’m better now.
  6. I hand made all our kitchen units to fit our funny shaped kitchen. We washed up in the bath for six months while I did it.Hand made kitchen cupboard
  7. If I didn’t live where I do, I think I’d like to live on Corsica.

If you made it to the end of this post, well done. Let me know what you think below.


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Comments

16 responses to “Versatile Blogger Award”

  1. Choclette Avatar

    Really enjoyed reading this Carl. I’m always a bit iffy about these rewards, but if everyone did it like you, I’d feel a lot happier. It’s really interesting to see why you like the blogs I know and to find out more about the ones I don’t. Thank you for including me. I’m ultra impressed with your drawing as I am complete rubbish at it, but am also in admiration of your kitchen – very well done.

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      Hi Choclette, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I was a bit skeptical too. All too often just a chance for link building and/or sychophancy. I wanted to spread some love and be helpful too, seems I may have got close to that. You blog well deserves inclusion 🙂

      Thanks for the kind words – as I’ve often said: “Jack of many trades…” 😉

  2. Maureen @ Orgasmic Chef Avatar

    Mustache, sewing and doing the washing up in the bath are visions I was not expecting. The drawing talent doesn’t surprise me though.

    I love your blog and I hope you win!

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      ROFL They’re not all good visions either. Sorry for the assault on your mental health 😉

      Thanks so much for the kind words x

  3. Gregoire Avatar

    I can totally picture you barefoot, with a mustache and sewing cloth… although I am a bit skeptical about the mustache! 😉 LOL

    THANK YOU for mentioning my humble blog and I sincerely hope http://www.carllegge.com will be on top!!

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      Hi Gregoire

      Looking back, the ‘tache’ was a big mistake. Fortunately it didn’t put Debs off, so I’m very lucky. Your blog is a work of art, I love it 🙂

  4. 5olly Avatar

    *bookmarks*

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      Thanks 5olly 🙂

  5. Monica Avatar

    I love that you make your own dry bags. Can I take a drawing class?

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      I was going on an expedition to Nova Scotia and needed loads of dry bags. It would have bankrupted me to buy them so I made instead. I’m not sure my drawing skills are up to teaching. There’s a killer book or two I can recommend if you’d like though 🙂

      1. Monica Avatar

        Yes please on the book recco.

        1. Carl Avatar
          Carl

          Here’s my two favourite books:
          Drawing Books

          They are all you will need, honest. Betty Edwards does a workbook to go with it and also a very good book on using colour too.

          Hope that helps 🙂

  6. karen Avatar
    karen

    Well, now I can picture you at a sewing machine! I used to make all my own clothes. I think I got my first job because I was wearing a suit I had made myself and went into great detail about the pleating- I was so nervous! I might have another go now. You have set me off!!!

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      Haha Karen, it’s not my normal place, but a useful skill to have. Glad to have ‘set you off’ – have fun 🙂

  7. Emma Avatar

    I can’t imagine you with a mustache 😉

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      It wasn’t a good look at all. Goodness knows what I was thinking 🙂