La Domestique

You know what a "domestique" is, don't you? Or at least you think you do. Your gut says it's a term that refers to a superhuman cadre of cake-baking, craft-making creatures. In actuality, la domestique is a cyclist who protects a bike team leader by shielding him or her from the wind and the rain (among other things). So, why are we talking about biking? Perhaps only in Boulder, CO would outdoorsmanship cycle its way into the kitchen, here in the form of La Domestique, an exquisite blog brought to you by Boulderian food gem Jess O'Toole.

According to O'Toole, the domestique is a bit like a great sous in the kitchen, hence the name of her blog. After years of working in the food industry -- waiting tables, catering, baking, and such -- Jess O'Toole thought she'd put it all towards a food styling-cum-writing project of her own. Inspired by one seasonal subject a week, she produces several posts that each fall into a distinct daily column: like 10 Ways Tuesday (the practical), Storyboard Thursday (the visual), Sunday Series (the inspirational).

Each week she announces her ingredient with adorable videos that feature La Domestique herself presenting why she opted for clams or ice cream. Like a good bowl of cherries, once you start, you just can't stop (watching, that is). And even Ansel Adams would approve of her ingredient shots. No? Check out the egg in her home page slideshow (wait for it -- it's currently #6).

Thanks to O'Toole's husband who helped her build the site, La Domestique is staggeringly styled, sweetly conceived and organized in a way that those of us who suffer a need-to-build-mini-stacks-out-of-everything-we-own will love. No doubt the American doyenne of domesticity herself would be very, very proud.

Charmed by La Domestique? Check-out her weekly column on our partner site in Boulder, CO, Whole Foods Market Cooking.