Saturday, June 17, 2006
Back to the Blog
It is a little after noon on Saturday, and I am ready to blog again. Have just had a long stretch of too much to do, not even being able to do all the things I've said I'd do. A little later I've got to go to the Cathy Cox rally at the Fairgrounds, so may have some fun pictures from that.
In the meantime, I need help and suggestions. I am now responsible for a six page food section in the paper each week -- and am going to recycle some old things (like the famous "How to make a tomato sandwich" and the battle between mayo and miracle whip.
However, my real question is what makes a food section worth looking at? This isn't so much about "Would you cook it?" as "Would you read it?" In other words give me some ideas about what would make good reading from your point of view.
So please consider the list below, but also add your own thoughts. I've done three of these 800-lb gorilla sections already and I need tons of inspiration. And if you don't live here, just imagine that this would be in your paper. The assumption is that a good section needs a good range -- i.e. the latest mushroom soup invention all the way to show-offy company dishes.
Features on good local cooks with some of their recipes?
Features on local restaurants --what they've got and is it good?
Easy recipes (few ingredients, quick preparation)
Best of the Church Cookbooks.
Party sandwiches and party food generally.
Articles about cooking itself -- like "How to make a roux" or "How to make cream puffs" (I've done cream puffs 101 before)
Articles about seasonal fresh foods -- tomatoes, corn, peaches, etc.
Articles about regional classics - Brunswick stew, burgoo, gumbo, Boston baked beans, whatever. (We have people from all over the country here)
Articles giving both classic and new takes on certain key foods (potato salad, corn bread, yeast bread)
Articles on local restaurants.
Back of the Box recipes
Copycat recipes. (I've found a copy of the hot spinach dip that Applebee's and Longhorn's serve, for example. The base is Alfredo sauce. Also have recipes that approximate Red Lobster biscuits.
Nostalgia recipes. (Banana pudding, chicken and dumplings, creamed chipped beef on toast)
Show-off recipes -- things that persuade people you're a good cook.
Comfort food
Soul food
Nutrition stories
Do you care about vitamin content? Antioxidants?
Breakfast?
How to cook an 800-lb gorilla.
Etc.
Any ideas, comments, feedback would be welcome. PLEASE.
In the meantime, I need help and suggestions. I am now responsible for a six page food section in the paper each week -- and am going to recycle some old things (like the famous "How to make a tomato sandwich" and the battle between mayo and miracle whip.
However, my real question is what makes a food section worth looking at? This isn't so much about "Would you cook it?" as "Would you read it?" In other words give me some ideas about what would make good reading from your point of view.
So please consider the list below, but also add your own thoughts. I've done three of these 800-lb gorilla sections already and I need tons of inspiration. And if you don't live here, just imagine that this would be in your paper. The assumption is that a good section needs a good range -- i.e. the latest mushroom soup invention all the way to show-offy company dishes.
Features on good local cooks with some of their recipes?
Features on local restaurants --what they've got and is it good?
Easy recipes (few ingredients, quick preparation)
Best of the Church Cookbooks.
Party sandwiches and party food generally.
Articles about cooking itself -- like "How to make a roux" or "How to make cream puffs" (I've done cream puffs 101 before)
Articles about seasonal fresh foods -- tomatoes, corn, peaches, etc.
Articles about regional classics - Brunswick stew, burgoo, gumbo, Boston baked beans, whatever. (We have people from all over the country here)
Articles giving both classic and new takes on certain key foods (potato salad, corn bread, yeast bread)
Articles on local restaurants.
Back of the Box recipes
Copycat recipes. (I've found a copy of the hot spinach dip that Applebee's and Longhorn's serve, for example. The base is Alfredo sauce. Also have recipes that approximate Red Lobster biscuits.
Nostalgia recipes. (Banana pudding, chicken and dumplings, creamed chipped beef on toast)
Show-off recipes -- things that persuade people you're a good cook.
Comfort food
Soul food
Nutrition stories
Do you care about vitamin content? Antioxidants?
Breakfast?
How to cook an 800-lb gorilla.
Etc.
Any ideas, comments, feedback would be welcome. PLEASE.
# posted by Charlotte @ 11:26 AM 
Comments:
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A few years back, I bought "Chinese Cooking for Dummies." The most fun of it was figuring out what counts as ordinary in another civilization. Oyster sauce was especially nice: as helpful as cream of mushroom soup or grated cheese in making things taste good. Soy sauce and sesame oil work about the same way.
Think about what a Chinese meal costs and the way those prices compete with American "home cooking" or "country cooking." It stands to reason that they must have basic ways to do things that are just as simple and satisfying, and those ingredients are one part of it.
(I've never been willing to do as much chopping as they want, though. )
Think about what a Chinese meal costs and the way those prices compete with American "home cooking" or "country cooking." It stands to reason that they must have basic ways to do things that are just as simple and satisfying, and those ingredients are one part of it.
(I've never been willing to do as much chopping as they want, though. )
Well, there is almost nothing that would get me to read a food section, but if there were articles about the cultural politics of food, that might catch my eye. There was a fascinating item the other day about how bananas might be wiped out, because only one breed is used commercially, and it is losing to one virus. They almost can't find other kinds of banana trees as a result of global monocropping.
A similar story about peaches might be interesting down your way.
This would also be a wonderful way to revive the fight you had with a reader about "picnic" :-)
I am not really your target demographic, I suppose.
A similar story about peaches might be interesting down your way.
This would also be a wonderful way to revive the fight you had with a reader about "picnic" :-)
I am not really your target demographic, I suppose.
Thanks to both of you for challenging responses. I'm about to do a story on a Thai restaurant that will have some new food ideas in it. They really have VERY spicy and hot dishes, juxtaposed with very well cooked and interesting Jasmine rice and sticky rice. The sticky rice was new to me and I liked it instantly.
Also -- and this was really not Thai, but a specialty to bring in customers -- they serve "fried ice cream" with a fresh strawberry-cinnamon syrup. This was WAY good.
Re the larger story behind foods -- I've always been interested in the "soul foods" of different cultures which always seem to be a matter of making the most of what you've got, or feeding big crowds by stretching the stew, like gumbos or beans and rice.
I sure hope bananas don't get wiped out.
Also -- and this was really not Thai, but a specialty to bring in customers -- they serve "fried ice cream" with a fresh strawberry-cinnamon syrup. This was WAY good.
Re the larger story behind foods -- I've always been interested in the "soul foods" of different cultures which always seem to be a matter of making the most of what you've got, or feeding big crowds by stretching the stew, like gumbos or beans and rice.
I sure hope bananas don't get wiped out.
i used to enjoy those macon telegraph articles with the local people giving their favorite recipes along with a little about the person. they went to the person's kitchen to make the photo though so i never volunteered. :):) i guess you don't have enough staff, but they also let someone on the staff cook a recipe from the week before and write a story about what went wrong or what went right. i know the new section is alot of work for you, but i love all the photos and just everything about it. it calms me almost as much as doing the quiz. on the church cookbook idea, maybe you could just contact a church and have them have their best cooks send in some recipes. you could then give some info about the church's history and present day programs. that should be good for a half page or so.:):)
# posted by 
: Sunday, June 18, 2006
: Sunday, June 18, 2006
Thanks. I always do new church cookbooks when they come out and have five or six that I plunder from time time -- giving the cookbook a plug when I do.
Thanks, everybody, for the helpful answers
Rex - you're right, but we're paying no fees. I've found FDA a good source on nutrition, and also found a quiz called "Is your kitchen safe?" I'm thinking, now that you mention it, that I could do a weekly feature that had one one low carb, one low fat and one no-sugar recipe. The recipes are easy to find. (No question I'm going to recycle basic themes, but my main interest was in finding out what interested the bloggers. Note that gruntled says he can't be compelled to read a food page anyway!)
Princess -- Now that you've tried the baggie omelets, I will. That looked weird to me. I really like having Faye Jones in the section, and will pass your feedback on to her.
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Rex - you're right, but we're paying no fees. I've found FDA a good source on nutrition, and also found a quiz called "Is your kitchen safe?" I'm thinking, now that you mention it, that I could do a weekly feature that had one one low carb, one low fat and one no-sugar recipe. The recipes are easy to find. (No question I'm going to recycle basic themes, but my main interest was in finding out what interested the bloggers. Note that gruntled says he can't be compelled to read a food page anyway!)
Princess -- Now that you've tried the baggie omelets, I will. That looked weird to me. I really like having Faye Jones in the section, and will pass your feedback on to her.
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