Gabriel Garcia Marquez has a scene in one of his novels in which a man pushes his plate away and declares, “This food was prepared without love.“ We have all most likely had a similar experience. In a nutshell, that seems to be what motivates local food bloggers, who write for love and fun, not profit.

Brandon Eats

The Promise: “Where to Eat and What to Cook in Richmond, Virginia.“
The Recipe: The site is a mini-compendium of foodie facts, lore, and information, complete with recipes, reviews and links to a bunch of other sites. The writing is personal and engaging. Nominated for “Best Food Blog-Writing 2006” by Blog Appetit.
Bonus Points: The story about her children who will eat fish eyeballs but not couscous.
Tastes Like: A meal at Millie’s-hip, informal, and visually stimulating.
http://www.brandoneats.typepad.com/brandon_eats

Backyard Boulangerie

The Promise: “A (sometimes) culinary diary of an adobe oven baker.“
The Recipe: An informal diary mainly about baking bread in an adobe oven. Interesting if somewhat narrow in focus.
Bonus Points: His unabashed love of sourdough starter.
Tastes Like: A fresh batard straight from the oven, served with puttanesca and some Barolo.
http://www.backyardboulangerie.blogspot.com

Carmelized OpiNions

The Promise: “Food blog, frugality, and uncouth social action.“
The Recipe: Here food is more a serious hobby than a committed campaign. Occasional recipes, some pictures, a personal chronicle of the writer’s “culinary adventures.“
Bonus Points: Photographs of an outdoor market in Mexico.
Tastes Like: Your favorite takeout sandwich from the joint on the corner.
http://www.caramelizedopinions.blogspot.com

Eating Out in Richmond

The Promise: “Eating Out in Richmond.“
The Recipe: This is a community bulletin board for sharing reviews and opinions. The tone is downhome. The writer seems too kind to be a critic.
Bonus Points: Poignant story about the male chauvinist pig boss who fired her after she was diagnosed with cancer.
Tastes Like: Late night PBJ with a tall cool glass of milk.
http://community.livejournal.com/rva_eats

Food for Thought

The Promise: “A Blog Dedicated to Culinary and Epicurean Musings.“
The Recipe: As much an intellectual pursuit as a gustatory one. More concerned with the role of food in life than in recipes, or preparation.
Bonus Points: Admitting to a trip through the Burger King drive thru.
Tastes Like: Traveling to Charlottesville for a really good meal and then going to a play.
http://www.inmystomach.blogspot.com

Genevelynsteeleswallows

The Promise: Drinking Wine Spodeeodee, Drinking Wine
The Recipe: Smooth, with a nice finish, and plenty of personality-lingers pleasantly afterward. All about wine, set forth in a straightforward manner that any novice would appreciate.
Bonus Points: Pun about the grape varietal “auxerrois (the grape, not the singer).“ 
Tastes Like: A Cote du Rhone by candlelight before a roaring fire in the dead of winter.
http://www.genevelynsteeleswallows.blogspot.com

Messy Cuisine

The Promise: “Restaurant reviews from Richmond, Virginia and beyond by real fans of good food.“
The Recipe: Reviews of restaurants both near and far. The tone is sometimes formal (luncheon for lunch), and the reviews seem a little safe. No dishing here.
Bonus Points: The Wheel of Food.
Tastes Like: Tea at the Jefferson.
http://www.messycuisine.com/blog

Neovino

The Promise: “The Secret Handshake to the Wine World.“
The Recipe: Just a guy who loves wine and his pet falcon, not interested in writing for experts or being one.
Bonus Points: Interviewing one of his favorite bands-about wine.
Tastes Like: Pierce’s Pit barbeque with a bottle of Spanish Tempranillo on a Saturday afternoon.
http://www.neovino.blogspot.com

River City Food and Wine

The Promise: “Random comments about food, wine and restaurants in and around the Richmond, Virginia area and beyond.“
The Recipe: An insider’s guide to Richmond eateries. No discriminating here, even includes mall restaurants most of us would not step a foot inside. Informal, familiar and intimate.
Bonus Points: Undertaking kitchen renovations themselves with no sign of divorce proceedings in the process.
Tastes Like: Grilling out with good friends.
http://www.rivercityfoodwine.blogspot.com

Veronica’s Test Kitchen

The Promise: Test it, try it, taste it.
The Recipe: The most nuts and bolts of any of the food related blogs, with detailed instructions about techniques, recipes, helpful tips and other stuff. The writer has the wide-eyed excitement of a believer, a recent convert to the church of food.
Bonus Points: Charmingly geeky pictures of pasta making.
Tastes Like: Spending all day cooking for friends who will love anything you cook anyway.
http://www.kitchenmusings.typepad.com/my_weblog

There are some here I haven’t read before. Thanks for pointing us in their direction.