Coconut Chocolate Macaroons-what food blogs can do to you

One of the most tangible side effects of having discovered food blogs is the expansion of horizons it brings, along with an expanded waistline. I thought I had known everything there was to know about food while I read my cookbooks, watched cooking shows and made a few recipes. I lived in a little bubble, and now that it has burst, I feel that I have been introduced to a new world. There is so much more I know, whereas before, I felt that I was well-aquainted with the food and recipes I was cooking with already.

Obviously, new things were introduced to me through magazines and books, but it was a slow and gradual process. The day I discovered food blogs, it all changed. I sat for hours on end, going through food blog after food blog, amazed by how many recipes were online and how many people were passionate about food as much as I was. It was like I was going down the rabbit hole and waking up to discover that I still hadn't reached the bottom yet, even though I felt like I already had.

I had an immediate, graphic representation of what the food was like all around the world and how it was being bought, cooked, and eaten. So many new and innovative things were being done and it was all interconnected through food blogs. If you haven't been introduced to some of the best food blogs, here is a list some that have inspired me throughout my foodblogging journey.

Orangette - An elegant food blog with great photography and writing that reads like fiction.

David Lebovitz - Written by David Lebovitz who was named one of the "Top Five Pastry Chefs in the Bay Area" by the San Francisco Chronicle. His blog is witty and always a fun read with the most elegant and gastronomically delicious recipes.

Amateur Gourmet - Written by Adam Roberts, who wrote The Amateur Gourmet: How to Shop, Hop, and Table Hop Like a Pro (Almost). His food blog will always make you laugh.

Lastly, how could I end a post without a little something sweet? I am a firm believer that one should end their day with dessert. We have so little time on our hands that we sometimes forget to treat ourselves. So here is a recipe adapted from David Lebovitz for Coconut and Chocolate Macaroons.

Coconut and Chocolate Macaroons
30 Cookies

4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut (can be purchased at Trader Joes)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract (good quality extract is a bit on the expensive side, but trust me, it makes all the difference)
2 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate

1. In a large skillet, mix together the egg whites, sugar, salt, honey, unsweetened coconut, and flour. Heat it over low to medium heat on the stovetop, constantly scraping the bottom as you stir.

2. When the mixture begins to scorch in the bottom, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Tranfer everything to a bowl and let it cool to room temperature. ( At this point the mixture can be chilled for up to one week or frozen for up to 2 months... but why wait that long to make them anyway, there delicious!)

3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper form the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls (or you can use an ice cream scooper to be more exact) with fingers and evenly line the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes until deep, golden brown. Cool to room temperature.

4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a clean dry bowl over simmering water. Dip the bottoms of each macaroon and set on baking sheet again. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes or until the chocolate is set.