Some people do things the easy way; others, such as Carol Blymire, make it hard for themselves. The Maryland, US-based food blogger has decided to cook her way through the 150 recipes in The French Laundry Cookbook (see page 51). Thomas Keller's French Laundry is known for complex food that requires a large team of cooks. Blymire, who has no formal culinary training, is making the dishes by herself. She chronicles her successes and failures on the often hilarious blog, French Laundry at Home (carolcookskeller.blogspot.com). Blymire writes about getting over her fear of iles flottantes (floating islands) with the slow-baked meringues with creme anglaise, and how the Chesapeake Bay soft-shell crab helped her overcome her aversion to the crustaceans. She says lobster consomme en gelee is not only the most expensive dish she's ever made (it calls for 12 lobster shells) but one of the worst. She rates her favourite dishes as 'FrenchLaundryAtHome PlateLicker' and 'ThomasKellerFaceKisser' (the highest accolade).