Wikiversity

Food writing

Food writing is a genre of writing that includes recipes, food blogs, food and restaurant critiques, and print and online medium. If you are interested in learning how to write your own recipes, create your own food blog, or write critiques of other restaurants, this Wikiversity page is here to help! We also help you to break down whether your own personal food writing works best either online or in print!

Recipes

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An example of the oldest cookbook in Britain!

Recipe-writing is a crucial and integral part of the food-writing process. Without recipes, it would be impossible to create uniformity within dishes and share them with others! In order to write a structured and successful recipe, there are several conventions of the genre that should be adhered to:

  1. Recipes typically begin with a brief description of the food and, if applicable, a brief history of the food. This informs those who are new to the recipe of the basic components and previous uses of the food.
  2. Secondly, a list of ingredients is given. Typically, the more descriptive, the better. Divide the recipe into mandatory ingredients and optional ingredients (such as for toppings, sauce, etc.), and list the ingredients in the order of which they appear in the recipe. Include specific units of measurement, fully spelt out. Some sources encourage using small steps in the list of ingredients, i.e. "2 eggs, beaten."
  3. Next, describe the cooking procedure. Again, be as specific and descriptive as possible. Include prep time and cook time, and use baking temperatures where applicable. As always, write the cooking procedure in the order of the procedure.
  4. You're done! Some online resources include picture tutorials (and even video tutorials)! Be as creative as possible. Some recipes include extra tips, recommendations for side dishes, and give alternatives for your recipe if wanted (i.e. a vegetarian option, a gluten-free option, etc).

History of the Recipe

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Recipes have existed as early as 1600 BC, when there was more diverse access to foods. Some ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics show the preparation of food and others were written on tablets[[[Wikipedia:Recipe|1]]]. The establishment of the printing press in the 17th century[[[Wikipedia:Printing press|2]]] allowed recipes to be printed more widely and liberally, in addition to the advent of the cookbook[[[Wikibooks:Cookbook:Table of Contents|3]]] — a collection of recipes, usually containing a single theme.

Food Blogs

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File:FoodBlogex.jpg

Aside from writing recipe books and getting them published, which would require extra work, most food writers and critics find easier and faster ways to get to their audiences. Recently, blogs have been on the raise as a new public platform for writers to connect to their audience. Most food writers and critics freelance for magazines and newspapers but others start their own blogs to better suit their needs as well as the needs of their readers. Because of their freelancing, food writers and critics are able to have a vast reader base by the time they decide to start their own blog.

There are a few things that you need to know before starting your food blog:

  1. Having a background in Culinary arts helps. Your readers will trust you if you know what it is you are talking about.
  2. Being professional (In other words, no slang and check for grammatical and/or spelling errors before posting.)
  3. Knowing the rhetorical situation is a must.
  4. Building a relationship between you and your readers is important.
  5. Choose a specific type of food that you would want to focus on in your blog.

The tips listed above would be helpful to you in your planning process so that your blog comes out the way that you and your readers are hoping for. With that being said, looking at other blogs as guides could be useful.

Google search is a helpful resource when trying to find examples of food blogs. Some websites show you how to create a food blog step by step and others give you tips for having a successful as well as professional food blog. Some examples of food blogs would be David Lebovitz, Amateur Gourmet and I am a Food Blog (just to name a few). Using other food blogs as a template could be helpful to you in your process. Overall, the next generation is becoming more technologically advanced which means, in order to accommodate, you as a food writer and/or critic need to be prepared to reach your general audience.

Food and Restaurant Critics

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The food and beverage industry is a unique sector that seems to be getting a lot more prestige lately. Professional chefs and mixologists have emerged from behind the scenes and have gained a lot of popularity. In years prior these kind of jobs were ones that no one saw and were regarded as low income, while in today’s world people are going to school for these professions and they are highly respected and regarded. Many food enthusiasts have helped shine light on the food and beverage industry in many ways, but mainly through television shows. Whether it be the Food Network, Esquire Channel, or the Travel Channel, people are devoting their life to teaching about the food and beverage industry. One of the founding fathers in this segment is Anthony Bourdain who has many shows on the Travel Channel. He is a food writer, food critic, and major foodie who travels the world learning and writing about the insides and outs of the food industry. Bourdain started as a line cook at age 18 and has moved his way through the ranks to be regarded as a top notch professional chef. He travels around the world learning about different cultures and how food plays such an integral role in their culture. Along with Bourdain many others have helped to develop the food and beverage industry such as, Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, Adam Richmond, and Andrew Zimmerman. Each person contributes to the F&B industry in different ways and does much more than just write recipes. They educate about food and cultures and focus more on why things are done in a certain way, as opposed to how things are done. Today’s world has such a global focus and it can be seen in the kind of cuisine that is popular. Most of the popular cuisines in F&B are extending far from just the typical US foods and have focused on different methods and ingredients. Many spokespeople for the industry, like Bourdain, have helped to familiarize people to these different cultures and these are major trends that can make restaurateurs millions of dollars.

Differences between Online and Printed Media

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Whether reading a magazine or scrolling on an iPad, food writing seems to be a popular subject these days. The way such articles are written can vary greatly depending on if the article is to be published in print or online. In order to successfully reach intended audiences, writers should recognize the differences in food writing for print and online and write accordingly.


Online

Online readers typically scan the page to find what they need as opposed to reading it all the way through. When designing the article, be sure to structure the text in a way that will catch the reader’s attention. This can be achieved by using images, bold font, subheadings, and catchy headlines.

Web content should have roughy 50% of the count of the same article in print, as most web users will not read the entire page and will often go to another page if the website they are on is too text heavy. Even if users do read an entire page, most only absorb 75% of the information.

Online, the reader has more power to pick and choose what they read, instead of being guided through the document. This is all the more reason to thoroughly organize a document by making important points stand out.


Print

Readers who prefer printed material typically have a more reliable source of information. Anyone can start a food blog or write a review, however, it takes experience and time to be published in a printed piece, so print writers are more likely to be educated in food.

Food writing in the printed format can essentially act as a monthly cookbook or weekly recipe, which users can continuously refer back to with ease. This is partly due to publishers investing a great deal of money into making these works visually appealing with photos, catchy headings, and subheadings.

These works additionally offer thorough introductions and conclusions, as printed media allows the writer to control the reader by organizing the document in a specific way.


No matter where the work will be published, be sure to write for the intended audience, not for yourself. The goal is to have readers read the article, not just the headline.

References

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  1. Gillingham, Sara Kate. "How To Write A Recipe Like A Professional." The Kitchn. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2015.
  2. Hardwick, Natalie. "How to Write a Recipe." BBC Good Food. BBC, n.d. Web. 05 May 2015.
  3. "Cookbook:Table of Contents." Wikibooks. Wikibooks, n.d. Web. 05 May 2015.
  4. "Recipe." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 May 2015.
  5. McCord, Garrett. "11 Tips to Improve Your Blog Writing." Food Blog Alliance. Food Blog Alliance, n.d. Web. 12 May 2015.
  6. "How to Write a Rockin' Food Post and Get Readers To Your Blog." The SITS Girls. The SITS Girls, n.d. Web 12 May 2015.
  7. Suss, Jessica. "Why Food Magazines (the Ones Written on Actual Paper) Could Endure." American Journalism Review. American Journalism Review, 7 May 2014. Web. 10 May 2015.
  8. Shaviv, Miriam. "How to write well on digital: It's not like print." LinkedIn Pulse. LinkedIn, 1 Apr 2014. Web. 10 May 2015.
  9. Redshaw, Kerry. "Web Writing vs Print Writing." Kerry Redshaw. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2015
  10. Sebellin-Ross, S.J. "How to Write about Food: How to Become a Published Restaurant Critic, Food Journalist, Cookbook Author, and Food Blogger." Amazon. 2015

The hyper-linked names in the Food Blog section takes you directly to examples of Food Blogs that can be used as guides.

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