This Website Review features Simply Recipes, a site with more than 900 recipes.

Trying to write a Website Review for Elise Bauer’s food and cooking blog Simply Recipes at http://simplyrecipes.com feels almost like writing an endorsement of the site rather than a critical evaluation.

Simply put, Elise Bauer’s site is a joy to read, look at and navigate.  With a collection of over 900 recipes, it will soon become your go-to website for dishes ranging from hearty home cooking to elegant dinner party fare.  All the recipes are tested by Ms Bauer’s family before being posted to the blog, taking the guesswork out of whether it will work or not.  Where a recipe may involve a complicated technique, the posts are illustrated with step-by-step photographs for the benefit of novice cooks.

In addition to the vast recipe collection, Simply Recipes has a comprehensive how-to section.  The list of how-to’s range from everyday tips such as how to store fresh herbs to the more festive such as how to roast a goose perfectly.
The site is easy to navigate as the recipes are divided by type (beef, chicken, budget, vegetarian, appetizer, etc.) in a menu on the left-hand side of the page.  There is also a search bar if you are looking for a specific recipe.

The style of writing is easy and conversational; rarely-used technical terms are always explained, usually with a link to a comprehensive guide.  The photography is excellent and presents all the recipes in the most appetizing light.
The only drawback is that Simply Recipes does not have a wide range of dishes incorporating the complex spices of the Far East.  The site is surprisingly light on Thai, Chinese and Indian food which might be disappointing for a visitor looking for those particular cuisines.  Ms Bauer also has a number of guest foodies who feature on her blog from time to time, providing a unique cosmopolitan flavour to Simply Recipes.

No Website Review is complete without giving a brief history of the site.  Simply Recipes began life in 2003 as a personal blog to collate family recipes; three years later it was winning the top accolades in blog awards; four years after that it continues to be one of the best resources for cooks on the internet.  Whether you are a total novice looking for a place to start or a seasoned cook searching for some inspiration to bring to a weeknight dinner, both can be found by logging on to http://simplyrecipes.com