09 November 2008

Apple Strudel and My Wonderful Mentors


It's been a couple months now since Kristen at Dine and Dish launched the second round of Adopt-a-blogger, an event that pairs experienced bloggers with newbies (like me). I had the wonderful luck to be adopted by Giz and Psychgrad over at Equal Opportunity Kitchen, a blog that I had already come across and admired as one of the heavyweights in foodie blogging.


Giz and Psychgrad blog as a mother-daughter team, switching off or sometimes writing entries together. Their goal, as they put it, is to create a "living" cookbook, with colour commentary. (Yes "colour" looks strange to American readers, but we'll give them a break because they're blogging from Canada where "color" probably looks strange, or at least American.) They're not kidding when they say "Equal Opportunity". One of the great things about their blog is the diversity of recipes they post about, everything from the basic pasta, cakes and cookies, to the exotic Sri Lankan Red Shrimp Curry, and the daring homemade pizza dough. And speaking of daring, Daring Bakers is one of the many events all over the culinary blogosphere that Psychgrad and Giz bravely participate in.


It's no surprise then that this week, still overrun with apples from my CSA, after two apple-pear pies, and who knows how many batches of apple-walnut muffins, I decided to head over to Equal Opportunity Kitchen for some new inspiration. I went back to September (beginning of apple season), where I had bookmarked Giz's Apple Strudel. I didn't have phyllo dough so I made my basic pie crust, rolled it out and cut it into quarters which I wrapped around the filling. I also substituted sliced almonds for the walnuts, just based on what I had in my pantry. These strudel-inspired mini pies were delicious! I definitely suggest you check out the original recipe especially if, like me, you don't know what to do with all your apples!


Which I'm on the subject of Psychgrad and Giz, they have given me an award:



I would like to pass it on to Camille at Croquecamille, Nina Timm over at My Easy Cooking, and Ivy at Kopiaste (a blog I discovered thanks to World Food Day), all of whose photos of recent recipes have had me sitting in front of my computer muttering "yum yum, yum yum." (Yes, like a crazy person, I know.)

Speaking of Camille, I also received an award from her (I feel so showered with blog-love!):


Which I will pass right along to my mentors, did I mention they're awesome?

As well as to Alex Rushmer over at Just Cook It, whose blog truely is excellent: the man makes his own charcuterie for goodness sake. He is afraid of nothing, plus his descriptions will make you laugh (or possibly never eat pâté again, or both).

Also to Sam over at Antics of a Cycling Cook, whose blog I've been following for quite some time now and love just as much as when I first started reading it.

And to Apples and Butter, a relatively new blog with delicious recipes and wonderful photos, both exotic and every-day fare.

11 comments:

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Congrats on your awards! Those Strudels look really good!

Cheers,

Rosa

giz said...

Awww Hopie - so sweet - both the apple strudel and how well you speak of us. Man...if you really knew us, I wonder ...hmmmm...
I know I can speak for both Psychgrad and me (well, I don't know that and I'll probably get spoken to) in hoping that this adoptive process has introduced you to many new and wonderful bloggers and a whole bunch of terrific new ways to gain weight - shoot ... did I really say that.

PG said...

Oh Giz - you make me sound like a big meanie. She likes to play the abused mother role ;)

Thanks so much for this post. You make us sound much cooler than what we are.

You're right - great minds DO think alike. I hope you enjoy the strudel. Funny that we both pick apple recipes from each other's blogs.

Just Cook It said...

aw, shucks. Thank you very much.

Sam said...

Thanks for the award, I'm touched!

I have a mountain of apples to get through too, I've been making lots of apple crumbles!

Sam said...

You've been tagged! come over to see what.

Anonymous said...

Aw, thanks!

Hopie said...

Rosa - Thank you!

Giz - Hehe, I have been enjoying the adoptive process and been opened up to many new things!

Psychgrad - Well that's what adoring adoptees are for, right? Wait until I go through my rebellious phase and start asking for the keys to the car (er, blog?) on a weeknight!

Alex - You're welcome!

Sam - I know, everyone has apples these days! Time to get creative - that's what I say!

Camille - Anytime :-)

Anonymous said...

As always, yummy! I knew you all would cook up something wonderful :)

Hopie said...

Kristen - Well thanks for bringing us together :-)

Ivy said...

Hopie you're so lucky to have Giz and Psychgrad as your mentors and they are also so lucky to have such a lovely person as their adopted blogger. Your recipes sound like a great choice to make. I also made Giz's Apple Strudel and it was great. Congrats for all your award and also for passing on one to me.