As the blog world expands, so do the traditions bloggers dream up. Today is the very first installment of what will hopefully become an annual event in blogdom, a chance for bloggers out there to send readers cascading across the internet in a flurry of linking mania. Yes, it’s Blog Day 2005, August 31 to be precise (which is no coincidence – notice how the numbers 3108 look an awful lot like the word ‘blog’!), and the objective of the day is to bring bloggers together by introducing them to each other through our blogs. The idea is that each blogger will list five other blogs they’ve recently discovered; this gives new bloggers more exposure and helps create enhanced waves of cross-cultural exchange as people branch out from their established reading patterns. Due to my obvious predilections, I’ve chosen to highlight five food blogs, most of which are very new to me and a couple of which I’ve been reading for a while, but all of which I think are highly deserving of more exposure.

1.  An Endless Banquet

I discovered AJ and Michelle’s site quite by accident one day while googling a recipe, and instantly fell in love. Everything about their blog is fresh, witty, and highly inspiring. They live in Montreal (and have compiled one heck of a hometown restaurant guide) and blog on recipes, restaurants and travels. I love their fluid writing and impeccable taste – everything they cook or showcase I just want to pick off the screen and devour.

2.  My Madeleine

Molly is living the dream I once had: after graduating from college, she realized food was her true passion. So what did she do? She went to a top-notch restaurant with her hat in her hand and begged for a dishwashing job. She got it. And now, after a couple of months in the trenches she’s landed a scholarship to culinary school, and will soon be moving up the ranks of plate-washer to student. And after that? I’d put my money on something involving writing – she has an amazing talent.

3.  Gluten-free Girl

Shauna writes beautifully about a gluten-free life. I really admire her motivation to explore her love of food in gluten-free ways and provide a focal point for many people struggling with a recent diagnosis. Many people think those condemned to a life without gluten must have to live miserably; I’m glad Shauna’s out there too helping people realize that couldn’t be further from the truth.

4.  Kate Hill’s French Kitchen Adventures

Kate Hill’s blog is one I love escaping to; she lives many an urbanite’s dream in the south of France, pottering around on a canal barge and renovating an old farmhouse (in which she teaches cooking classes and hosts visiting celebrities like Rick Stein!). Her writing is beautiful and evocative of a slower pace of life in a beautiful place, where delicious food seems to spring from every nook and cranny.

5.  In Praise of Sardines

Brett has another highly engaging, well-written and very informative blog. After spending several months in Spain trying to get back to the roots of simple, good taste (he’s a chef, by the way), he’s back in San Francisco writing about whatever strikes his fancy. I agree with his culinary philosophy (yes, it does have something to do with sardines) and his tastes one hundred percent.