“If you would please me—and there are thousands like me—you would write books of travel and adventure, and research and scholarship, and history and biography, and criticism and philosophy and science. By so doing you will certainly profit the art of fiction. For books have a way of influencing each other. Fiction will be much the better for standing cheek by jowl with poetry and philosophy…Thus when I ask you to write more books…I am urging you to do what will be for your good and for the good of the world at large…” Virgina Woolf
And so it is with food blogging. There is not limit to the kind of food websites there are in the blogosphere. Chowhound riles up the locals to give their two cents. The Amateur Gourmet makes short films with a dozen eggs and Broadway musical soundtracks. Orangette makes preserves for her wedding and photographs the jars with the care of an artist.
I want to stand cheek by jowl with the greats and write about the rustic restaurants I’ve discovered in small towns and the great meals I’ve made in my tiny, galley kitchen. I want to describe the flesh of a pear and the meatiness of a beautiful Barolo. I want to share my secret getaways and culinary inspirations. I want to recommend and rant. I want to photograph and document.
Food blogging not only begets writing, but it also inspires a lot of creativity in and out of the kitchen. Moved by the wry wit of the Amateur Gourmet, my pantry has become a casting agency. A big mouthed tea canister, a blustery pile of flour, a cluster of shriveled raisins would make a great cast for my culinary shoot-em up! My wedding day decorations went from the typical choices of roses and got a culinary focus when I turned to my food blogging friends for inspiration. Overly ornate centerpieces became milk bottles filled with wild flowers. My wedding bouquet smelled of mint and basil instead of lightly perfumed white roses. Complicated canapés were cancelled and rustic prosciutto wrapped breadsticks were served in their place.
There will be many journeys here and beyond my kitchen. I look forward to sharing them here with you.