Nami-nami turns two and tells you which other foodbloggers make her think

It's exactly two years since I posted my first post on this food blog. Two years and some 300 posts later, I'm still enjoying blogging immensely. Through blogging, I've met a number of wonderful bloggers face to face, including Johanna, Jeanne, Antti, and Melissa, to name just a few. I'm due to meet another great blogger, and the author of my beautiful new banner, Ximena, later this summer. And 'virtually', I've come to know many more fabulous bloggers that I'd love to meet one day. Because of foodblogging, I've become much more reflexive about what, why, when and how I cook; I've become more aware of my food-shopping & consumption habits; and last, but not least, I've become a much more skilled, adventurous and knowledgeable cook during these two years..

Thank you all for keeping coming back for more, leaving comments, and generally being so supportive..

Coincidentally, I've been twice nominated for the Thinking Blogger Award - first by lovely Susan of FoodBlogga, and then by my dear long-time reader Joey of 80 Breakfasts. I'm really flattered, and honoured. I am also supposed to nominate five more bloggers for the thinking blogger award (and if you feel like, pass on the awards, though there's absolutely no obligation, of course).

So who are the five bloggers that make me think (particularly much)? In no particular order, I'd like to nominate:

Johanna of The Passionate Cook. I've met Johanna on several occasions now - she came to visit me in Edinburgh, I've stayed with her in London twice - in June 2006 and in April 2007, and I guess I can say that we've become pretty good friends through this foodblogging thing. Having seen her cook on several occasions, and tried her tasty food and successfully recreated many of her recipes, I'm amazed how she combines blogging about such delightful, tempting, beautifully styled and executed dishes, while also keeping tabs on a family of three kids - including a 3-year old and a few month old baby, and do contract catering every now and then as well! I hope this is a task I can cope with one day myself with such an (seemingly) effortless ease!

Bea of La Tartine Gourmande. I've learned (or I hope at least that I have) immensely about food styling and photography from Bea. More than any other blogger, Bea makes me think about the aesthetics of various dishes. Her way with colours and light are truly inspirational, and make me want to learn more about food styling and photography every time.

Ilva of Lucullian Delights inspires me because her blog feels most seasonal and relaxed to be. I like her style of recipes - they're very much Nigel Slater'esque. You know, a handful of this, a drizzle of that, couple of these -you get the picture. Cooking by eye, intuition and gut feeling, I think, and not sticking religiously to a recipe. This is very much how I cook most of the time, and occasionally I find the need to write down exact - or even approximate - amounts frustrating. Ilva's posts encourage me and tell me that I must be doing something right, even if it is by intuition rather than precision.

Then there's a young Estonian foodblogger Merilin of Pisike ja Pisut Segi, who works as a food technology & safety scientist during the day, and blogs about food and the How? and Why? behind cooking during the night, and she does that in a language I understand (in all senses of the word). She's destined to become the Harold McGee of Estonia one day very soon, I'm sure about it.

And the joint fifth award goes to Alanna of A Veggie Venture and Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen for widening my horizon about different uses for healthy and tasty vegetables, and providing me with ever-so-nice supply of inspiring recipes to boot.

Thank you all - for making me think, and for making me blog! I'm off to celebrate this second foodblogging-birthday now :)