Currently Lusting: Reclaiming Provincial

Currently Lusting is a bi-weekly series which features blogs that VV finds particularly inspiring / creative / beautiful or probably all three. Although we’d like to pretend that all of these ideas spring from these wonderful brains of ours, that is just simply not the truth. We pull so much inspiration and ideas from other blogs that I think it’s really important to acknowledge these people and the hard work they put into their virtual spaces. Want to create a truly gorgeous blog? I think the biggest step is having an inspiring set of other blogs that constantly makes you want to make yours better.

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zucchini & herbs

 

I found Reclaiming Provincial when searching for bitters recipes. If I could choose to get a drink with any blogger out there, it would be Carey. That girl knows how to make a serious drink! (Don’t believe me? Look here. Or here. Or here). It was her bitters knowledge that drew me in but it was the homemade Sriaracha recipe that made me know I’d forever want to follow along with Carey’s food adventures.

 

Candied Thyme

Why we love Reclaiming Provincial: There are so many amazing aspects to Carey’s blog that it’s hard to find a starting point. I guess I should start with the fact that she invents the most unique and wonderfully satisfying flavor combinations. Case in point: Buttermilk-glazed Kobocha Doughnuts with Candied Thyme, Ginger cookies & Carrot Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches, and Bell Pepper, Lemon, & Basil Soda. Yup. All those are real recipes invented by Carey herself. Now tell me those don’t sound both genius and effing delicious?

 

RP

 

When chatting with Carey about doing this feature, she gave me some wonderful feedback on her favorite aspect of the blogging community. Here is what she said: “I am continually amazed by the ways that the blog has both broadened my horizons and defined what I really love about food. Writing has helped me sort out my thoughts and sharpen my interests, and was the reason I decided to change the blog name to Reclaiming Provincial a couple years ago. I’ve spent the past several years growing more and more enamored with the local-focused food culture here in Vermont, which also led me to reconnect with the similar lifestyle I experienced growing up in the Schoharie Valley area of upstate New York. (Something I definitely took for granted in my younger days!) On a larger scale, being part of the blogging community has opened by eyes to so many things—food-related, of course, but also socially. When I started the blog, I was a bit hesitant about the social aspect of it, and never imagined I’d develop relationships with people I hadn’t met. Today, there are a number of bloggers that I would absolutely consider good friends (and that I will regularly refer to in conversations outside the blog world as “my food friend so-and-so”). It’s still kind of amazing to me. But perhaps not that surprising, since I seem to like my online community the same way I like my local one—close-knit and full of food love.”

 

Cantaloupe, Basil, & Lillet Popsicles

 

A few must-try recipes: Homemade Sriracha, Cold-Pressed Infused Simple Syrups, and Inside-Out Ravioli.

In addition to finding Carey over at her blog, you can also find her on Facebook and Food52!

 

Comment

9 Comments

  • carey
    October 24, 2013

    Yay! Thank you so much for the wonderfully sweet post, Shelly. (: It was also super cool to hear how you happened upon my blog (hurray bitters!). If either of us ever happens to be in the other’s neck of the woods, we will absolutely grab a drink. 😉

    • Shellywest
      carey
      October 25, 2013

      So glad I was able to feature you! You’ve been one of my favorite blogs to follow since the beginning. I’m going to hold you to that drink! Although, I’ve never been to Vermont so you can rest assured that I probably won’t be bugging you anytime soon 🙂

  • phi @PrincessTofu
    October 24, 2013

    You guys are like super-bloggers… I’m just over here lunching on last night’s left-over recipe tests that I may have combined with weird left over sauces form last week. I need to get my act together and get a lusting/post/page of love-able reads.

    I’m also down for adult drinks. 🙂

    • Shellywest
      phi @PrincessTofu
      October 25, 2013

      I’m pretty sure just the concept of having ‘recipe tests’ makes you a super blogger! And you should totally make your own love-able reads page – then you can feature VV! :]

      • phi @PrincessTofu
        Shellywest
        October 28, 2013

        You’re absolutely right I should! And I totally would because… VV is awesome. I have to catch up on my pumpkin recipes and prepare for Thanksgiving before adding anything to my 1 post per week schedule fall is such a busy/fantastic time of year.

  • Emma Galloway
    October 24, 2013

    Love this and love both of your blogs! Awesome xx

  • maria | pink patisserie
    October 26, 2013

    Lovely post and yes, I completely agree. Reclaiming Provincial is one of my faves too.

  • Willow @ Will Cook For Friends
    October 28, 2013

    Great feature! I adore Carey (and her blog), for all the same reasons you said and more. Her creativity with food really goes above and beyond the norm, and I am constantly inspired by her recipes, writing, and photos.

    Also, I stopped by from Carey’s blog, and this is the first I’ve read Vegetarian Ventures — your space is absolutely gorgeous, and I’m looking forward to keeping up with your future posts. Cheers!

    • Shellywest
      Willow @ Will Cook For Friends
      October 28, 2013

      YAY – thanks for stopping by and taking a moment to introduce yourself, Willow! I was just drooling over your vegan snickers bars via Pinterest the other day! And now you commenting has caused me to stumble into a rabbit hole of amazing recipes on your site… can’t wait to explore more!

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