In a very short time Susan of the blog Food Blogga has established herself in the food blogging constellation. From the very beginning she reached out to her readers and other bloggers which is how I got to know her. Her breezy honest writing style and solid recipe writing skills has gained her a following not just on her blog but at NPR where she writes for Kitchen Window. Susan doesn't just share recipes but also family stories. Italian American to the core, her perspective spans her youth in New England and current life in San Diego. Next year, look forward to seeing not just one, but two cookbooks she is writing for Quirk Books.
"Why do I cook? I could say because I’m endlessly fascinated with San Diego’s local produce (which I am), or because I like to eat healthfully (which I do). But the real reason I cook, the reason I’m drawn to the kitchen day after day is because it’s where I’m the happiest. I have my mom to thank for that.
I grew up in an Italian-American family in Rhode Island, so food was at the epi-center of our lives. In addition to her many hugs, kisses, and cheek pinches, my mom used cooking as a way to express her love for those around her. Making someone’s favorite dish – my stuffed artichokes or my dad’s pineapple upside-down cake – was her way of telling us that we were special.
Like my mom, I find cooking comforting; I get pleasure out of feeding others; and I see cooking as a way to keep family traditions alive. My husband and I have lived away from home for over twelve years now, and it has been cooking, that no matter how far away we were, always made us feel like we were home."