26 October 2012

Top Five Friday: StumbleUpon and PunchFork - My New Muses

I eat merely to put food out of my mind. 
~ N.F. Simpson


S
omeone recently introduced me to StumbleUpon.com as a great tool for writing content and inspiration.  You click on the categories you’re interested in and Stumble whips through gazillions of web pages and randomly shows you ones that fit your chosen categories.  You can set up lists and save your favorite sites.  Every time you click on the “Stumble” button, a different web page from a different category pops up. 
I don’t know what magic mushroom algorithm they’re using that’s different from Google’s, but I’m officially addicted.  Gee, thanks a lot, person-I-can’t-remember-who-told-me-about-this-content-crack. 
To be honest, this is a gold-mine for a lazy writer like me.  As chock full of knowledge as my head is (“and still the wonder grew….”), there are days ~ more then I’m comfortable admitting ~ when I stare at the screen and wonder: “What the heck should I write about today?!” 
StumbleUpon is my new Muse.
And today’s top five list is from Punchfork ~ a website that I can only describe with two words: food p*rn.
Deb is a writer and cook after my own heart.  You gotta love a gal who says things like “Can you imagine how much people would revolt if they knew that I had baked these a whole five days ago and have kept them from you since? It could get ugly.” She also says “she is aghast that there are cooks who actually clean as they go, preferring to leave behind a bombed-out mess of dishes and a thin film of flour behind in her cooking wake.” 

Now that is a kindred spirit!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Pancakes – Two Peas and Their Pod
As you all know, I will eat anything pumpkin.  I saw the word pumpkin and drool-inducing picture on Punchfork, and had to this brunch star to my recipe collection.

Sticky Lemon Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze – The Kitchen
This weekend I’m hosting three dear friends, one of whom is an avid lemon lover.  When I saw this, I knew I had to save it and make some for Friday midnight snack/Saturday breakfast.  Since we both avoid dairy, I will make a lemon honey glaze instead of the cream cheese. Tika, you’ll love it!
Thai-Spiced Pumpkin Soup – 101 Cookbooks
Heidi is already one of my go-to cooks.  But even I hadn’t seen this recipe until Punchfork showed it to me.  And it has my favorite autumn ingredient yet again: pumpkin.  What is not to love?
What?!  I really like pumpkin, okay?  And autumn only comes for a few weeks a year ~ especially here in Virginia where the past few days have been disgustingly warm and summer-ish.  Bring on the brisk cold wind already!

The name of this site is just awesome, as is the layout and look.  A writer/baker with design sense: love it!  Plus, I noticed two drool-worthy recipes on the sidebar: Pancakes ‘n’ Bacon Cookies, and Pumpkin Crème Brulee.

"Say no more, say no more!"

Oremus pro invicem,
~ Mikaela
Do you use StumbleUpon?  What have been some of your favorite finds?

2 comments:

Barbara said...

Not sure if I should thank you or curse you for sending me to StumbleUpon!! And I'm almost afraid to check out Punchfork. I may never leave my computer again. I need discipline.

Unknown said...

Mwhahahaha! Glad I could do my part, Barbara!