Naturally, as a food blogger I was excited to see the newest Nora Ephron film, Julie and Julia. Spoil alert- the film is filled with more fluff than food. If you’re in the mood to watch a film about strong determined women and the supportive men in their lives go pay the $10.50, otherwise wait for it on the plane. Despite the film’s lack of plot and shallow character development I left the theater feeling ready and eager to take on the world. If Julie and Julia can make it why can‘t I? A side affect which of course, wore off as quickly as my 8 dollar slushie sugar high. Nevertheless, what I enjoyed about the film was its coupling of my two passions food and writing.
To me, writing and cooking always seemed an obvious marriage. Like writing, cooking is a personal experience, one that is often subjected to a matter of taste or lack thereof. Whether it’s too much salt or too many commas cooks and chefs alike require a great deal of backbone as everyone’s a critic. Worse is that these critics are all eager to offer unsolicited advice. It is very entertaining to see my father argue with the television screen when he is displeased with a chef’s culinary decision, as if Emeril can actually hear him and after hearing his dissent would change his recipe.
Cooking like writing also requires a bit of narcissism. It takes a certain type of person to become a writer or worse, a blogger. A type of person who feels that their opinions and thoughts are so important, complete strangers should be privy to them. For this reason I avoided blogging until I discovered that my 95 year old grandfather and sage began blogging, at which point I decided I was falling behind the times. It reminded me of when I pulled out my laptop at a coffee shop and was informed by the stranger next to me that I was bucking a trend. Looking around, the café was a sea of macs and me, the shmuck with a Toshiba. (I still have a Toshiba).
Regardless of the level of ego involved the thrill and trepidation that one experiences when awaiting the response of someone who is reading or tasting their work demonstrates an equal level of altruism. At the end of the day writers and chefs hope to produce something that pleases their audience.
I have to say I completely agree with you. Never would I have made the same comparison of food and writing but you have definitely made enough arguments in your case. Enough to make me a firm believer. They do go hand in hand and you are at the worst ends of both (the blogger and consumer). Use you're power wisely for now is the age of the blogger. They can make or break politicians and they can definitely make or break a dish or restaurant.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely have your first fan though. I look forward to your gastronomical adventures.