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.
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.
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.