Here it is: the annual round-up of your favourite recipes, as indicated by page views. As always, I’ve weighted the results to present you with the top five tipples and top five tastes, respectively.
I published a total of 97 posts in 2020, up one from 2018. I was delighted to formally introduce fashion content and build on my home decor entries for this year. I’m looking forward to sharing more outfit inspiration and my long-awaited bathroom transformation in 2021!
For now, I hope this list will shed some light on some of the recipes you may have missed over the past 12 months and give you a bit of culinary and cocktail encouragement heading into 2021.
1. Midsummer Gin Dream
This simple cocktail recipe went viral on Pinterest and has earned more than 22,000 unique visits this year. Hendrick’s isn’t paying me, but they certainly should be. This post also features on the first page of Google if you search “Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice.” The key takeaway, people like achievable recipes and pink backgrounds.
2. Earl Grey Sour
This gin sour was created in partnership with Sipsmith London Dry Gin and featured in the first weeks of my Virtual Happy Hour series on Instagram. It dominated the first several months of the pandemic as the most popular happy hour cocktail. A must-try featuring a simple tea infusion on your London Dry gin.
3. Blood Orange Rosewater Mocktail
I’m proud of all of you lushes for making a mocktail one of the top 10 recipes of 2020. I have to say, making cocktails without alcohol and with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners to make them Whole30 compliant is quite the challenge but I have faith I’ll be able to come with some new winning recipes next month too!
4. Coffee-Infused Old Fashioned
I served up this brunch cocktail for my inaugural appearance on television – CTV Ottawa Morning Live back on April 17th. I was pleased to use beans from my favourite local roaster – Little Victories Coffee – in this creation. This drink is a winner, regardless the season.
5. Rhubarb Sour
Another Spring sour, this time made with seasonal rhubarb – transformed into a syrup. One thing that this year has shown me definitively is just how much you guys love egg white cocktails. And what’s not to like? Aside from the occasional shaker explosion.
6. One-Pot Greek Roast Chicken
Another healthy-ish meal from the Whole30 repertoire. I absolutely adore this chicken, it turns out succulent and packed with fresh lemon flavour. It’s great as is and beautifully repurposed in the next recipe on this list of greatest hits.
7. Peruvian Chicken & Potato Soup
This soup takes leftovers from your One-Pot Greek Roast Chicken and rolls them into an entirely new application – a great example of cook smarter not harder. While this soup is just a combination of humble ingredients, it packs a ton of flavour thanks to the cilantro and lime. Honestly, one of my favourite soups of all-time.
8. Freekeh Salad with Halloumi & Tahini Za’atar Dressing
Gotta say, I’m a little surprised this one made the top 10. Is it a filling and tasty meal salad? Yes. But did I think it would outperform some of my personal favourites like the Savoury Dutch Baby with Smoked Salmon, no, I did not. Salad fiends unite!
9. Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Brown Butter Sage Sauce
Standing in stark contrast to the last pick, allow me to introduce: decadence. This Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Brown Butter Sage Sauce is one of the more labour-intensive recipes I’ve served up this year, as it takes some doing to perfect the dough, but your efforts will pay off BIG time. A very tasty treat, indeed.
10. Deep-Fried Devilled Eggs & Bacon
Gotta tell you, this is probably the recipe I’m most proud of from the past year. I think deep-frying devilled eggs was a true stroke of genius and the recipe as a whole was a novel, Southwestern take on Bacon & Eggs – breakfast of champions.
Cheers friends! Thanks for joining me for this dumpster fire of a year and I look forward to serving you more tastes and tipples in 2021!
