By Renee Larr
Emily Frye has combined her love for Carmel and homemade cooking in a blog that makes it easy for readers to shop local to create dishes that range from savory breakfasts to exotic appetizers.
Food on the Monon launched approximately eight months ago after Frye’s husband said his coworkers would ask about the unique homemade food he brought for lunch each day.
“I’m absolutely in love with Carmel,” Frye said. “We’ve lived here about a year and a half. I just felt like it was a great fit for me to promote local businesses and incorporate their products in my recipes.”
The blog has a focus on the Monon Trail, which is one of Frye’s favorite spots in Carmel.
“I have two massive Airedale terriers. I take them on the trail, and that’s where I do my thinking,” Frey said. “I love to reflect on the nature and beauty of the trail.”
Frye spends several hours each week researching for her blog, which includes trips to the library to scour cookbooks.
“It helps me with my writing language, expanding my vocabulary in the culinary scene, technique and skill,” said Frye, who does not have any formal culinary training.
Many of her recipes are inspired by her domestic and international travels as a flight attendant, a job she held for nearly 10 years.
“I try to bring in the international flair of all the countries and cultures,” Frye said. “I try to use a well-traveled point of view.”
Frye posts new dishes a few times per week. The blog has gained more than 2,500 local and international followers. Her hopes for the future are to increase her partnerships with local vendors.
“You can never do enough. There is always more you can add, more you can learn. I think that’s the beauty of it,” she said. “You get the instant gratification. I can tell a recipe is a winner and I’m on the right track.”
Learn more
For more, visit foodonthemonon.com or @foodonthemonon on Twitter.
