12.2 Online

Like so much of the internet, many cooking sites that used to be free are now paywalled. Nevertheless, I’ve had a lot of success Googling dishes I’d like to try, and over the years, I’ve found a few sites that come up repeatedly. Furthermore, there are a few payrolled sites that are worth the bucks to access.

12.2.1 Free Sites

12.2.1.1 Bread

I really enjoy the Little Spoon Farm web site. The recipes in it are ones developed by someone like me, who is self-taught in the art of sourdough cooking.

12.2.1.2 Grilling and Barbecue

Hey Grill, Hey. OK, it’s a stupid name, but it has lots of great recipes. It also sells things like rubs and sauces, however I’ve never tried them.

The Thermoworks blog is one of my regular go-to sources - I’ve cited it multiple times, especially in the barbecue section. Of course their objective is to sell as many of their devices as possible, but the recipes are great even with just a small set of temperature monitoring devices.

12.2.1.3 General cooking

You may be tired of me constantly singing the praises of Penzeys, but trust me, their products are great, and they have posted lots of excellent recipes. If you happen to be near one of the stores, check it out. There used to be one in Cincinnati, near where I live, but unfortunately COVID did it in.

12.2.1.4 Instant Pot® Recipes

The internet is awash with these, and you can find out more of them by joining the Instant Pot® Community on Facebook. Here are a few excellent starting points:

Amy and Jacky’s is a great compendium, especially for IP beginners. The recipes mostly use standard ingredient, and more importantly, clear preparation instructions and illustrations are provided.

Real Food Real Deals is a site seemingly devoted to low cost healthy recipes.

12.2.2 Paywalled Sites

In my view, the best site going right now is is New York Times Cooking. I have access to it as part of my “all access” Times subscription ($10/month). If, unlike me, you do not wish to be depressed by the morning news, you can get a standalone subscription for $5.00/month or $40.00 per year.

Epicurious is long-established site, containing recipes from the Condé Nast publications Bon Apetit and Gourmet. It used to be completely free, but recently such access has become rather limited. The standard cost of a subscription is $40.00 per year; currently they are offering a $10.00 discount for the first year for new subscribers.