I love a lot of things about the holidays, with eating and drinking right up near the top of the list! Today’s Follow Friday recommendations write, photograph, speak, and teach about all sorts of tasty treats—sweet, savory, spicy, and swiggable.
Charmian Christie: From Messy to Mouthwatering
Charmian is a Canadian-based recipe developer and food writer whose articles have appeared in major publications like from the Globe & Mail newspaper to More magazine and she was formerly the baking columnist for recipes.ca. She’s also made several television appearances doing cooking demos and talking about saving kitchen disasters, a topic I can certainly make use of!
From her website:
“I specialize in approachable, inspiring, from-scratch cooking. Fresh, local ingredients—often from my garden—plenty of herbs and spices, and a bit of imagination are key. Oh, and some full-fat cream doesn’t hurt either.”
No it doesn’t, Charmian. No it doesn’t. 
Charmian’s cookbook, The Messy Baker: More Than 75 Delicious Recipes from a Real Kitchen, is described as “a celebration of real baking in all its messy, boisterous, and delicious glory.”
Follow Charmian here:
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/The-Messy-Baker/504585989574963
Twitter: twitter.com/charmian_c3
Google Plus: /plus.google.com/+CharmianChristie
Pinterest: pinterest.com/charmianc/
Instagram: instagram.com/charmian_c#
Flickr: flickr.com/photos/charmian-christie
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/charmianchristie
Website: themessybaker.com
Stephanie Stiavetti: From Macarons to Macaroni
She writes for several major outlets, including NPR, Serious Eats, The Huffington Post, and KQED. She’s the one who introduced me to the wonders of macarons, those delectable little filled meringue cookies that also represent another one of her areas of expertise: gluten-free cooking.
From her website:
“I have three primary goals in life: to teach you how to cook, to improve your health alongside your relationship with food, to make sure you enjoy your time in kitchen.”
Stephanie’s most recent cookbook, Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese, doesn’t fall under the gluten-free category. It does, however, fall under the Yummmmm category. Here’s the video trailer for it. Warning: It WILL make you hungry!
Follow Stephanie here:
Facebook: facebook.com/sstiavetti
Twitter: twitter.com/sstiavetti
Pinterest: facebook.com/pinterest
Instagram: instagram.com/sstiavetti/
Google Plus: plus.google.com/110891235985394924742/posts
Website: theculinarylife.com
Monica Bhide: From Mint to Marjoram
Monica started her career as an engineer, but about a decade ago she started writing for a living and has never looked back! She’s published articles in top-tier pubs including Food & Wine, The New York Times, Bon Appetit, and Saveur, written three cookbooks, had her food essays appear in multiple “Best of” anthologies, and she also offers online classes for other people interested in becoming food writers. In 2012 Mashable named her one of the top 10 wood Writers on Twitter.
From her website:
“A storyteller at heart, Monica combines her love of family, friends and food—along with personal anecdotes highlighted by her Indian heritage—to help people add an exotic, unexpected and most-welcome new element into their lives.”
Monica’s cookbook, Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen, includes recipes for such delicious-sounding dishes as Pomegranate Shrimp, Guava Bellinis, Pineapple Lentil Relish, and Crabby Vermicelli.
And if all that isn’t enough, Monica’s first novel, The Devil In Us: Stories of Love, Life, and Redemption, was published in 2014.
Follow Monica here:
Facebook: facebook.com/monica.bhide1
Twitter: twitter.com/mbhide
Pinterest: pinterest.com/mbhide/
Google Plus: plus.google.com/u/0/106248240026930751058/
Website: monicabhide.com
Fred Minnick: From Maker’s Mark to Malbec
Fred is a writer and photographer who specializes in the liquid form of nutrition, especially all things whiskey. He’s a regular contributor to Parade.com, he judges the World Whiskey Awards, and he’s the Bourbon Authority for the Kentucky Derby Museum.
From his website:
“I am the dreamer who just doesn’t understand the word “quit.” After all, I’m trying to single-handedly bring back the ascot from extinction… When I’m not campaigning for 1800s-era neckties, I’m writing about wine or whiskey.”
Fred’s book, Whiskey Women, is “the untold story of how women saved bourbon, Scotch & Irish whiskey.” Fred was recently interviewed on CBS This Morning about women drinking whiskey. (The video no longer seems to be available but the transcript is.)
Fred is also the Wall Street Journal bestselling author for his memoir Camera Boy: An Army Journalist’s War in Iraq.
Follow Fred here:
Twitter: twitter.com/fredminnick
Website: fredminnick.com