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What’s the Value of “Looks Delicious?”

February 7, 2010 by diannejacob 99 Comments

In a previous post about Simply Recipes‘ Elise Bauer and her comments policy, we started a discussion about the value of “Looks delicious” as a comment on food blogs. At the risk of flaring tempers again, I’d like to bring it up now.

Let’s look at the “Looks delicious” comment from a variety of angles related to food writing. First, I’m sure we’ve all left some version of “looks delicious” as a comment when we’re salivating over close-ups of [Read more…] about What’s the Value of “Looks Delicious?”

Food Trends — Should You Pay Attention?

February 3, 2010 by diannejacob

It’s the start of the new year, and everyone has predictions.

The Fancy Food Show just released a list of the top five food trends for 2010, according to a panel of “food critics and food writer experts” on location. They are:

“good-for-you” foods
coconut
gluten-free foods
exotic citrus, and
“nostalgic” foods.”

Then, adding to the list are are the usual Top Food Trend stories that appear every January. Nani Steele sent me a whole passel of ’em from Market Watch, the Food Channel, Slashfood, Epicurious, Yahoo Lifestyle, and Eating Well. I’ve boiled the trends down to:

Comfort food cooking with basic ingredients — lamb and pork are particularly trendy
Budget-friendly recipes are still in style
Regional ethnic food, particularly those of Korea, Morocco and Japan
Good-for-you foods, based on allergies and building immunity.

I’m sure magazine and cookbook editors and literary agents pay attention to these forecasts. Aaron Wehner, publisher of Ten Speed Press, told me they’re drowning in budget-friendly cookbook proposals right now.

Trend stories make me wonder: should food writers jump on these trends and suddenly pitch articles and cookbooks on coconut and exotic citrus, or other trends mentioned in these stories? If you’re a blogger, will you write blog posts with recipes based on these trends? How do these trends guide you, or do they? What will you do with this information?

(Photo thanks to Stephanie Stiavetti of The Culinary Life)

Three Recipe Phrases Judith Jones Can't Stand

January 31, 2010 by diannejacob

Knopf Senior Editor Judith Jones in her well-appointed kitchen. She's still cooking.

Last week I was on a phone call with book editor Judith Jones about recipes. Her comments reminded me of an essay of hers I use as a handout, some of which is quoted below.

Here are the top three things she can’t stand to see in recipes:

1. In a bowl, combine… No one talks like that, so why write like that? She doesn’t like [Read more…] about Three Recipe Phrases Judith Jones Can't Stand

Apple's iPad = Less Money for Writers?

January 28, 2010 by diannejacob

First there was print, where all we needed was the written word. Then blogs, where writers learned to become publishers, photographers and marketers. Now there’s the new iPad from Apple, where publishers are salivating over a new way to [Read more…] about Apple's iPad = Less Money for Writers?

What's the Right Length for a Recipe?

January 26, 2010 by diannejacob 39 Comments

Just read 5 Second Rule’s excellent post about whether recipes are boring, and it generated some thoughts about recipe length. (Isn’t it fantastic when an blog post idea arrives on a platter? Thank you, Cheryl.)

Now, some writers like to go long. They like to hold the reader’s hand and explain. Sometimes I’m surprised about how much handholding, though.

I edited a recipe recently that said: “If necessary, [Read more…] about What's the Right Length for a Recipe?

Winner of the Sensuous Writing Contest

January 24, 2010 by diannejacob 2 Comments

Thanks to everyone brave enough to enter my sensuous writing contest, which ended a week ago tonight. It takes courage to post a piece of writing and to have it examined by all who read it. I appreciate the work of every single one of you, and found delightful writing in each.

I was swept away by evocative images from all over the world, including: the pudding-like consistency of ricotta, a spoon that smelled like the cedars of Lebanon, plump twists of pasta, rhythmic plunges and dips of a paddle, pebble-sized pieces of pork fat, almond meal as fine as sand, a pillow of hot dough burning through paper, the first burst of peach juice, a jade fringe of lettuce, chai in a fragile clay cup, soup the color of Georgia O’Keefe’s desert…I could go on and on, but why not read the samples yourself and find your own favorites?

To select the winner, I printed out the writing samples and highlighted [Read more…] about Winner of the Sensuous Writing Contest

Is Lower Pay for Web Writing Defensible?

January 21, 2010 by diannejacob

Maybe the magazine editor was just talking off the top of her head, but when I read it, steam came out of my ears.

In a story in the International Association of Culinary Professionals’ newsletter, by Stephanie Stiavetti , the editorial director of a national food magazine spoke of writing opportunities on her magazine’s website:

“There’s a lot of fear and concern…the move to user-generated content will impact those who made their living writing for print, but it has also opened up new opportunities for bloggers.”

Oh yes, we know all about that, how links are the new currency, and dwindling opportunities for freelancers. The article continues:

“How much quality can you expect from an uncompensated writer who may not be willing to put a lot of effort into an unpaid gig? ‘A lot,’ says the editor, who plans to use guest bloggers in the future: ‘We’ll be [Read more…] about Is Lower Pay for Web Writing Defensible?