2014 was quite a year at Nino’s. Besides the upgrading of our store’s facilities, the vast number of new grocery items we added, and the new displays throughout the store, we also introduced a number of new programs. And, according to our sales, you really loved them, including our new Salad Snackables and our Popcorn Stations.

I also shared a lot of stories, information and recipes with you in my blogs. All the things going on at Nino’s and all of my culinary adventures (including trips to Charleston, SC; Orlando, FL; New York City; the Culinary Institute of America; AND a wonderfully tasteful trip to England/Scotland and both Irelands) gave me a reason to do a little research and find out which of my blogs were YOUR favorite. I must say, there were some surprises.

I’ll start by saying that I write, on average, two NEW blogs a week that are typically published on Tuesdays, Thursdays and/or Saturdays, with Saturday being the most trafficked day. As a result, how viewed a blog is and where it placed on this top-10 list can be a factor of what day of the week it was first published. Having said all of that, here are the results of your TOP 10 most favorite blogs of 2014. I’ll spare you the David Letterman suspense and start right from the top.

I must say that the #1 blog was the biggest surprise to me because, apparently, you all love (insert cymbal crash here) marshmallows. At the very least, many of you were so fascinated with learning how easy it is to make your OWN marshmallows that you made Make Your Own Marshmallows my most-read blog of 2014. I didn’t see that one coming.

#2 was a continuation of a series of articles I write nearly each year about one of my very favorite vegetables, Michigan Sweet Corn. I always add a few of my favorite new recipes, and this year 3,697 of you decided you needed to try them.

The idea for the 3rd most-read blog in 2014 started this summer in New York City when I visited Eataly, which also happens to have a Nutella® Café. I was so struck by the Starbuck’s-like devotion to this globally popular chocolate/hazelnut spread that I had to share my OWN recipe for a copycat Nutella® in a blog entitled Make Your Own Nutella, and so many of you have told me that you love it!

The #4 blog also came from the summer, and the idea for this piece stemmed from the fact that it absolutely drives me CRAZY to see so many backyard grillers just slap a piece of grilled meat on a plate and eat it relatively dry and un-sauced. My Top 10 Steak Toppers  blog gave you all 10 good reasons not to leave your steak feeling alone.

Speaking of steaks, and perhaps a sign that our economy is indeed improving, many of you wanted to learn more about Why Dry Aged Beef Is So Special. Well, long story short (980 words to be exact), it is. It’s worth every penny (a lot of pennies), and we now have it at Nino’s. This was your 5th favorite blog.

#6 was no surprise at all because it’s always been well read. My annual Turkey Time Line, published early each November, is a three-week countdown to Thanksgiving, covering everything you need to do to prepare yourself for the arrival of the big bird (not the tall one, the roasted one). If you’ve never read it, it’s something I’d recommend you print off and keep handy in November.

Checking in at #7, I finally got my chance to tell you all how I feel about white chocolate. My White Chocolate Identity Crisis blog lampooned this popular vanilla clay. Okay, there it is. I said it. If you’d like to read my other choice words, the link is right above.

Every year, during some holiday or another, I write a pile of popular recipes for what to do with all your leftovers. Last Easter was no different. Good to the Bone Easter Leftovers came in at #8.

Everyone seems to love chicken (unless you’re a vegetarian, I suppose). And I see SOOO many of our shoppers at Nino’s buying just a chicken breast or two from our meat department’s case. That’s all fine and good, but our 5-lb bags of chicken are a much better deal. What do you do with a Five Pound Bag of Chicken? Well, my 9th most-popular blog gives you a lot of great ideas and recipes for you to get more cluck for your buck.

Some blog had to sum up why so many of my 2014 blogs were so well read, and, as it turns out, my 10th most-read blog is a BIG and COLORFUL reason why. Nino’s NEW Website, which debuted late in 2014, reviewed all the wonderful features of our brand-new site.

Thanks to all my readers for their loyal readership and for the many comments and suggestions you’ve made throughout 2014. This New Year, I have lots to share with you, including a new monthly feature, showcasing some of Metro Detroit’s newest and most interesting restaurants and foodie venues.
I have A LOT on my plate, and I can’t wait to dish it out!