While the number of cookbooks published has almost doubled since the turn of the new Millennium, the number of blogs in that same timeframe has grown exponentially in comparison. What was still a novelty in 2000, has grown to more than 600 million blogs. 600 million! I don’t have enough fingers and toes to conceive of that, and my abacus just blew up. I can’t find statistics for how many of the 600 million are food blogs, but even a fraction would be a lot.
Think back to the late 1990s…you subscribed to some cooking magazines and you bought or borrowed the occasional cookbook. If you wanted a chocolate chip cookie recipe, you had to have pulled out the page and saved it, or bookmarked it in your cookbook, or called your mother. The same thing for a cheese soufflé. Chances are you had few recipes from which to choose. Today, a quick online search shows 14 million (plus) recipes for chocolate chip cookies and almost 10 million for cheese soufflés. I venture to say that most of those hits are for blogs.
Not to give bloggers all the credit, but your neighborhood food blogger is probably one of your greatest sources for recipes these days, and all it takes is a few keys words before tapping “search”. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have the books and magazines, because they are the best for leisurely browsing. But, when I need a recipe, I often look up one of my online friends to see what they have. In fact, I try to make a lot of my blog friends’ recipes, because, quite frankly, I trust them to give me good recipes.
Through the lens of my friends, my world opens up to new flavors, new techniques, and new ideas. I realized recently how much of it has to do with the photos. One evening, I was perusing Instagram and came across a stunning photo of Sicilian tuna on Cucina Medina. I started to devour it with my eyes… so I commented, making an appeal for the recipe, and Hector (Medina) wrote back immediately with what he had done. Not a day later, I had prepared the same dish in my kitchen. While that was months ago, I share it with you today, with the suggestion that you visit Hector’s site – you will find wonderful recipes and stunning photos from both his Italian and Peruvian background. Sometimes together!
Buon appetito y buen provecho!
~ David
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John / Kitchen Riffs
May 22, 2021 at 8:04 amFresh swordfish and tuna steaks are two types of fish most fish “haters” like. And this recipe would work really well with either. I tend to favor tuna simply because it’s hard to get good quality swordfish much of the year (we favor the stuff that’s been harpooned off Long Island; and then there’s the sustainability problem). Good recipe. And yes, when we look for recipes we almost always look online first. And definitely trust many blogs over more than a few cookbooks — we’ve seen big name authors publish recipes that just don’t make sense. Anyway, glad you made the effort to get this recipe — it’s a good one.
David Scott Allen
May 29, 2021 at 7:46 amI don’t get why people hate those two fish so much, John. But I agree — they do! Both tuna and sword work really well, and I imagine salmon would, too.
sippitysup
May 22, 2021 at 2:56 pmI concur on so many of these points about the evolution of sharing recipes. Which is what we’re really doing as bloggers. Sharing something of ourselves in the form of food. So thanks for sharing! GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
May 29, 2021 at 7:48 amAnd to you, as well, Greg – what would we all do without each other?
Eha Carr
May 22, 2021 at 7:05 pm*laugh* I have every ingredient of this appetizing combo at home . . . but lunch is already on the stove ! The progression of deciding on recipes has naturally evolved alongside the development of on-line possibilities . . . both are exciting ! Taking into account today’s food blogger is able to use current knowledge and avail abilities methinks the present-day cookery book author beginning the compilation perchance years before does not have an easy time ! But I remember with extreme fondness having found Vincent and Mary Price’s hugely heavy tome in a Mexico City bookshop way, way back when and carrying it on my lap thru’ dozens of stops in the US and then the Far East to bring it like a beloved babe back home . . . I still use its very sensible admonitions . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
May 29, 2021 at 7:50 amI don’t know the Price’s book so will have to check it out, Eha! I still love my cookbooks, but I really love my blogosphere!
sherry
May 23, 2021 at 9:17 pmthe onion – sliced pole-to-pole. Made me giggle; so descriptive. this tuna looks the bomb. so delish. and good for you. yes what a world – the number of blogs is mind-boggling indeed. I still love cookbooks tho and my many folders of cut out recipes from mags. I have so loved my 8 years of blogging; meeting new friends (virtually) and some IRL. so wonderfully life-enhancing. I saw a swordfish recipe the other day and checked if it’s sustainable in australia. it seems that it is; not sure about tuna. Keep well!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 29, 2021 at 7:51 am“Life-enhancing” is the perfect way to describe our blog community, Sherry!
Valentina
May 24, 2021 at 9:10 pm600 million! what!? I suddenly feel very tiny. Ha!
David, this is another beautiful plate. Your presentations always lure me right in and tuna is one of my favorite fish. And thank you for the introduction to Cucina Medina — what a lovely site. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
May 29, 2021 at 7:52 amI know – I was astonished when I saw that number! Probably much higher even today! I hope you enjoy the tuna, Valentina!
Chef Mimi
May 25, 2021 at 5:15 amBeautiful! I wonder how many of us know what an abacus is! Maybe I shouldn’t think that too funny 😬 In any case, I now follow Hector, love his blog, and love this dish. Thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 29, 2021 at 7:53 amI wondered the same thing, Mimi – but I know a few of us are up on our abacus use!
2pots2cook
May 25, 2021 at 6:15 amThank you for introducing another beautiful site David ! Our food bloggers’ community is so wonderful !!!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 29, 2021 at 7:53 amI wish I could transport us all to one big room, Davorka!
Raymund
May 25, 2021 at 3:37 pmWow 600 million blogs, I reckon even 10% of it are food blogs thats still a lot of cookbooks. People are spoiled nowadays, you want a recipe, its free and you can search it easily with so many options to choose from. Still remember those days I cut out these recipes I find in magazines and paste them on a notebook.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 29, 2021 at 7:55 amI have binders full lipped recipes, and use them still. But if I want to host a Filipino dinner, wher don’t think I’m going to search? Ang Sarah, of course!
Susan Aceto
May 30, 2021 at 2:55 amHi David,
Is there a way to print a recipe off your blog? I’m interested in the Sicilian tuna. Actually lots of your recipes, but that one now as I have the ingredients.
Thanks David
Hi to Mark
Cocoa & Lavender
June 5, 2021 at 6:58 amHi Susan – I am working on that with my tech guru – we are getting close! Stay tuned – in the meantime, I sent you a screen shot that should be easy to print!
David
Christina Conte
June 1, 2021 at 8:22 amOMG, I could say many things about the fact that there’s that number of blogs cluttering up the webosphere, but I shall refrain. Instead, I will say one: many bloggers are spewing out “recipes” as a mode of income, which upsets me greatly.
And your swordfish recipe looks wonderful. I can see why you asked for it! I fell in love with swordfish in Sicily and there’s nothing like it!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 5, 2021 at 6:59 amSpewing is just about the right word, Christina! But I have such a wonderful cadre of trusted sources – makes me so happy to search for a good recipe.
Karen (Back Road Journal)
June 7, 2021 at 9:18 amThis dish is so beautifully presented, it would be perfect for guests.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 19, 2021 at 11:47 amOur guests have loved it every time we’ve served it, Karen. So fresh and easy!
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
June 8, 2021 at 3:52 pmBeautiful, David. A fine tribute to a fine fish. I still have a bunch of magazine subscriptions which are my browsing fodder now!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 19, 2021 at 11:48 amInger, once Saveur disappeared, I now get no magazine subscriptions. If something new comes along and catches my eye, I’ll get it for at least a year… After that, it has to be pretty spectacular for me to keep it.
Jeff the Chef
June 12, 2021 at 7:00 amDavid, that has got to be one of the most gorgeous dishes I have every seen! It belongs in an art museum. Actually, no … it belongs on my dining room table! I feel that I’m having an experience much like yours, and I find myself wanted madly to make that dish, so thanks for the recipe.
I may be jaded, but I’m not always trusting of the food blogging world. But with the important caveat you mention – relying on recipes from your blogger friends and trusted sources – I could not agree more! I can’t say how many times I’ve been inspired by bloggers to come up with variations on their recipes that maximise the stuff I have on hand in my own kitchen, or cooking methods that I prefer. I’m also so grateful that, like the friend from whom you got this recipe – so many people are cool enough to be eager to share. I feel like we are those neighbors, swapping recipes!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 19, 2021 at 11:49 amDo you make a really good point, Jeff. I think you do have to be careful in the blocking world, but I have a cadre of truly trusted bloggers like yourself that I know will never disappoint me.
John
July 7, 2021 at 3:14 amYes, David, yes! Look at that tuna! You’ve just reminded me I have two tuna steaks in the freezer somewhere (I really ought to reorganise that thing one day). Now all I need is some fresh mint and basil. Everything else I have!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 10, 2021 at 10:09 amLet’s not discuss reorganization of our fridges — it would be too embarrassing. But that is where I found my tuna, too.