Blog Tour

Cheers to the Blog Tour!

As many of you know, months before I launched Desserts Required in 2011, I would not have been able to tell you what a blog is. I just knew that my love of desserts was something that I wanted to share with others. Desserts Required has grown a lot, my pictures have improved (thank goodness) and I learned how to make videos which I have a great time doing!

Throughout the years, one thing that has always remained constant is the supportive and warm environment of the food blogging world. I have met and continue to meet incredible men and women. Some of them blog part time and some fulltime, the passion for what they do ever present.

This Blog Tour is the perfect example of just how community oriented everyone is. If you think of a chain letter and take away every negative implication you have ever associated with one, then you get the idea of what this Blog Tour is all about.

I want to thank Jen from Meal Diva for including Desserts Required on her Blog Tour page. Talk about a way of letting someone know she’s special! Jen is all about fresh, healthy ingredients and a huge supporter of buying locally as well as knowing about the ingredients we add to our dishes. Jen does meal plans and loves to cook and entertain for large crowds. Two of my favorite dishes are Jen’s Oven Roasted Potato Fries and Easy Baked Asparagus & Brussel Sprouts.

What am I working on?

I am in the process of working on a few different posts. I made and shot the video for my Red, White and Blue Pie, Open Face PB&J Cookies, Chocolate and Coconut Ice Cream (my first attempt EVER at making ice cream), am getting ready to shoot Grilled Fruit with Gallo Family Vineyard wine and made my first round of Mocha Madness Milkshake. Plus, I am scheduling my next Road Trips For Food in a couple of weeks.

How does my work differ than others of its genre?

I am all about satisfying dessert cravings. If a dish can work as a dessert then I want to give it a shot. I love using fresh ingredients and, 99% of the time, what I bake starts from scratch. I love including beverages on Desserts Required such as Chocolate Martini and Mom’s Wicked Margarita. My Road Trips For Food are a blast and sharing an Amazing Find with you is something I, always, treasure.

Why do I write what I do?

This is a VERY easy one to answer…because I LOVE the subject matter. Perhaps it is the intrinsic desire of mine to share my love of baking while taking away the ‘fear factor’ of making desserts from scratch. I am a huge believer in taking recipes one-step at a time and I try to impart this thought on to my readers.

How does my writing process work?

Writing about desserts comes very naturally. I start with the recipe, which is either of my own doing or adapted from someone else. The video is shot and pictures are taken before the blog post is written. It is a 50/50 split on which gets finished first, the writing or the video editing. Often times, the words form as the video is being edited because I remember little tidbits I want to share with you. The videos are also great reminders of each step taken, especially when I am working of several posts at the same time.

I am very excited to introduce you to three of my wonderful blogging friends!

Jenni Field from Pastry Chef Online is a whiz in the food world. Jenni started her career as a special ed teacher for 16 years before ‘running away’ to culinary school to learn patisserie and baking. It was not until this week that I learned that Jenni had been the Pastry Chef at one of my favorite Road Trips For Food restaurants, The Ravenous Pig. Talk about a small world…their desserts ROCK!

Fast forward and Jenni continues to share her love of teaching with her love of baking and cooking. Jenni is all about educating her readers on the skills it takes, not just to be able to make a recipe but to, also, be able to get in the kitchen with the confidence that you are completely capable to master the task at hand.

Jenni is, also, in a video Google+ hangout group with me and we have a great time learning how to improve our videos, usually with a glass of wine and/or a chocolate martini in hand. Jenni’s videos are as informative as her posts. She rocks the frozen dessert world with Triple Chocolate Coffee Peanut Crunch Gelato and her Macaroni and Cheese with Shaved Perigord Truffle is out of this world!

I met Peter Block from Feed Your Soul Too through the Culinary Content Network of The Daily Meal. Peter is in the real estate business by day and is a food lover/blogger by night and weekend. What started out as an outlet has grown into so much more for Peter. His love of what he does in the kitchen and his sharing of food with family and friends is a gift to everyone.

Before Passover this year Peter reached out to me about doing a Passover blog hop, which I loved doing. Friday Fives, where Peter shares the work of others on his blog, are amazing. Check out his Friday Five Mother’s Day Addition. No question, this man appreciates the moms in his life.

To give you a sampling of Peter’s talent, check out his Pesto Grilled Cheese and Dulce De Leche Fudge Brownies. Beyond tempting!

Bobbi from Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen is inspirational for so many reasons. Bobbi grew up in a non-foodie family (I can relate to that one!) and used to live to eat. In 2004 Bobbi had gastric bypass surgery and lost 160 pounds. You have to check out her About Me page and see the amazing transformation. Beautiful before and beautiful after, just minus the weight.

Bobbi’s relationship with food transformed and her philosophy is that she now lives to cook and takes tremendous pride in the quality of ingredients she uses. Bobbi’s kids encouraged her to start Kozy Kitchen during her recovery from breast cancer. Smart mom…smart kids!