Cookbook Etiquette

December 10, 2010

Let me preface this post by saying that it is not a rant.  I am not complaining.  I’m just somewhat confused.

Here’s the story.

In November of 2008, I received an email from a friend who’s in the food industry.  Here’s what the email said:

I’m working on a project and am asking my food savvy friends for help. I am
searching for recipes for a few specific dishes, with these caveats:

1. the recipes must be authentically Southern, although appropriate updates
and variations are fine
2. they must be from unsung cooking hero home cooks, although recipes that
wound up in restaurants and diners are fine if they originated at home
3. the cook must be willing to talk to me and share the recipe and the back
story.

I responded that I might be able to help, and she later wrote that she was working for Molly O’Neill on a “big cookbook project.”  Frankly, I didn’t even notice that comment.  I talked to my friend for about 15 minutes, and then I gave her links to two recipes on my blog, recipes that I had made many times and which were well-received.  That’s the last I heard of this; in fact, I totally forgot about it.

In early November, Andrea Weigl of the News & Observer posted this on Twitter: “Congrats to @VarmintBites, Kavanah and Gabe for their recipes appearing in @onebigtable.”  I had no idea what she was talking about.  I didn’t know what @onebigtable was.  After a couple of messages back and forth, I learned that I had two recipes prominently featured in Molly O’Neill’s new cookbook, “One Big Table.”  Needless to say, I was excited, but I had no clue what those recipes were and how they made it into Ms. O’Neill’s book.  I learned that the recipes were for my Strawberry Shortcake for a Crowd and for the Four Berry Cobbler that I’ve made many times.  Through the power of Gmail archiving, I realized then that it was through my friend, two years earlier, that these recipes made it into Ms. O’Neill’s book.  When Andrea Weigl showed me the book, and how well done it was, I was extremely proud and tickled.

But then, the lawyer part of me started thinking, and this is what this post is about.  Yes, I shared those recipes with my friend, but that’s all I did.  Ms. O’Neill never contacted me.  No one from the publisher contacted me.  No release.  No forms.  Not even a “head’s up” or a thank you.  This may simply be a type of journalism where authorization is not needed, but shouldn’t there be some approval process prior to publication?  If not, shouldn’t there at least be some form of acknowledgment?

I am not complaining, as once again, I’m very appreciative of having not one, but two, recipes included in this marvelous book (yes, I’ll be giving copies for Christmas, although Amazon only let me buy 3 copies).  It’s cool to have your name and recipes featured in such a work.  And let me be clear, this was not a case of Ms. O’Neill lifting these recipes from my blog without my permission.  I readily suggested these two recipes to my friend two years ago, but I certainly didn’t think they were worthy of publication.  Was that act on my part sufficient to move forward with publishing the recipes and my comments?

In the end, what is the appropriate process here?  If not legally required, should etiquette have demanded some follow-up from the publisher?  Help me here, those of you in the cookbook industry!

14 Comments | Books, Food writing, General | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

The Best Community Cookbook Ever — And Two Events to Celebrate It

October 12, 2010

Yes, I love the Southern Foodways Alliance.  Yes, I’m a member.  And yes, I’ve even been nominated to be on its Board of Directors.  So it should be no surprise to you that I’ll do just about anything this organization asks of me — not just because I’m a good soldier, but because there’s nothing this organization does that I don’t support.  Whether it’s a fundraiser for their film or oral history initiatives or for scholarships for burgeoning food writers, I’m going to spread the word.

This time, however, it’s different.  This time, the event is to celebrate a cookbook.  A fantastic, spiral-bound, community cookbook, suitably named, “The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook.”  The cookbook  is divided into chapters that represent the region’s iconic foods: Gravy, Garden Goods, Roots, Greens, Rice, Grist, Yardbird, Pig, The Hook, The Hunt, Put Up, and Cane.  It’s been edited, written and compiled by some of my favorite people in the world, including April McGreger, baker and pickler extraordinaire of Farmer’s Daughter in Carrboro, Chapel Hill’s great cooking instructor, Sheri Castle,  and Sara Roahen, author of the fantastic book on New Orleans, “Gumbo Tales.”  Heck, I even submitted a recipe for the book — and yes, it is a recipe for cooking one type of varmint.

To celebrate the release of the book, there are not one, but two events planned for this weekend in Chapel Hill.

The first event is this Friday, October 15th, at Foster’s Market in Chapel Hill (750 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd).  This event is a book signing and is free to the public — and, yes, there will be a little bit of food there.

The second event has a lot of food, and this is a ticketed event.  It will be on Sunday at 4:00 PM at Chapel Hill’s 3CUPS (227 South Elliott Rd.).  If you just want to come and eat, it’ll cost you $25.  If you want one of these awesome cookbooks (all the cool kids have them), then that will cost you an additional 15 bucks.  That’s less than the Amazon price!  So, you get a soon-to-be iconic cookbook, lots of great food (with both cake and pie, as there will be a debate about which is better), lots of social interaction with writers, and all on a Sunday evening!  And because it is 3CUPS, there will be wine.  Tasty, wonderful wine.

So, get off your butt and head to Chapel Hill this weekend to buy a book — the best community cookbook ever!  And if you need more information, just check out the SFA’s Blog.

5 Comments | Books, Chapel Hill, Cooking, Events, Food writing, General, Recipes, sfa, Southern food, Southern Food Culture | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Why I Blog

May 18, 2010

Last night, I had the honor to eat at Herons where a handful of local chefs put together a great meal to support a super cause.  I was in attendance because I’m the chair-elect of the charity benefiting from the dinner, the Lucy Daniels Center.  Before the dinner I was invited back into the kitchen to talk to the chefs, all of whom I knew pretty well except for one.  As the dinner started, I was given the opportunity to talk about the Center to the guests, and then I sat down to enjoy the splendid food and wine.  Over the course of the evening, two or three folks introduced themselves to me, saying that they read my blog.  My initial reaction in those situations is typically, “Really?  Why?”  I’m always surprised to meet one of my readers, as I just don’t think about that side of the blogging equation.  And when I’m asked, “Why do you blog?” my answer is almost always the same: “For me.”

To me, there is no creation of human beings greater than food (other than other human beings, of course).  We must eat to survive, of course, but it’s far more complex than that.  Societies and cultures are defined in great part by food, by the rituals surrounding the dining table.  We celebrate with food and drink.  The most intimate way to welcome guests from abroad is to cook for them.  When I think of France or Italy or Morocco or India or Mexico, my first thoughts are about the food and cuisine of those nations.

I write about food because it is important to me and my family, and quite honestly, I want to keep a journal of my life with food.  I want to help preserve the memories of my 9 year old daughter’s passion for baking, or the time when my older daughter wanted me to cook a multi-course dinner for her birthday party.  I want to remember when my 10 year old son and I bellied up to the bar in DC or when my then 15 year old son went to Herons on a night I was working in the kitchen.  I also want to remember what I cooked a couple of weeks ago, or when I first tried a livermush sandwich.

I like to write about my friends, and that’s why you’ll rarely see me writing negative things in this blog.  Heck, any blog post here about restaurants is typically about a friend’s place, so why on earth would I ever write bad things about them.  I’m not a journalist, I’m an advocate for the local food community.

I rarely write about events that I know nothing about.  I get a handful of press releases each week about this event or the next.  I sometimes even get a very nicely written email about a particular event, but if I don’t know anyone involved, I typically write back explaining that I have chosen not to write about such events.  I do break from that rule now and then, but not very often.

I have also learned that writing about food does in fact give me some credibility in the food world and some access that I might not otherwise have.  I got to work in the kitchen at Herons and the Globe because of this blog, in part.  Some of my best friends are chefs and food writers, but I have learned that those friendships did not evolve because I blog.  It’s because food is nearly as important to me as it is to them.  Folks in the food industry love to “talk shop” more than any other industry I know.  We health care lawyers really don’t want to what we do or health care reform.  We want to talk about music or sports or, of course, food.  When I’m with a group of chefs and food writers, the only thing they talk about is food.  It’s not just their business, it’s their life.  And because I share that similar passion, they’re happy to talk to me about it to.

I do not blog for economic gain, that’s for sure.  You’ll note the lack of advertising here, as I’ve chosen not to commercialize VarmintBites, even though several offers came my way.  First of all, there’s hardly any money in it, unless you become a huge entity with multiple writers and hundreds of thousands of daily visitors.  Second, you have to write every day, several times a day, and you have to write well.  I have a blog with hundreds of daily visitors and on a busy week, I might have 3 posts, each of which I wrote over a course of 10 minutes, with no re-writes or much proof-reading.  And I can also go two weeks with only one post.  It’s my party and I can write when I want to .

In the end, I write for my memories, for my passion, and yes, for my ego.  I am flattered when someone does tell me they read the blog.  I have my insecurities, too, wondering whether anyone really cares.  It sort of reminds me of some of my chef friends, when I tell them how much I loved a particular dish, and they respond, “Really?  You’re just not saying that?”  It’s pretty funny, those folks who work to feed us.  They’re not rock stars or ego-driven maniacs.  They’re just plain folks, like you and me, who happen to love food and have made it their career.  I don’t have the skills or the stamina to do what they do.  But I’m glad I get to be in their world from time to time.

4 Comments | Family and Food, Food writing, General | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Andrea Weigl Finalist for AFJ Awards — Twice!

May 5, 2010

I’ve known Andrea Weigl since she started writing about food for the News & Observer several years ago.  She had covered death penalty issues for several years before then, and I was surprised that the N&O would let a person so green in culinary issues (and someone who really knew almost no one in the industry) take over this position.  I quickly realized that Weigl was not only a great writer with a passion for food, but she had more initiative in her left pinkie than most others have in their entire bodies.  She is fearless, never hesitating to ask questions or meet people.  She immersed herself in the business, even going to culinary school, just so she could be a better food writer.  Her piece on the closing of Durham’s Starlu restaurant was a masterful story, garnering a lot of acclaim.

Weigl has continued to write fantastic stories for the N&O, even as the paper, and the print news industry as a whole, is struggling to survive.  Writers and editors have left the N&O, many of whom are friends of Weigl.  Budget cuts have forced Weigl to share a greater portion of the cost of reporting.  It’s a tough world, yet Weigl has found a way to continue to put out a great product.  One benefit of the cut-backs is that Weigl started to work more closely with the N&O’s sister publication, The Charlotte Observer, and its food editor, Kathleen Purvis.  Purvis is one of the best food writers in the country, and although the two writers knew each other, they didn’t necessarily work together all that frequently.

Well, Weigl, Purvis and the N&O have just won several awards in the prestigious Association of Food Journalists Awards.  The awards recognize excellence in reporting and writing in all media, newspaper food section design and content, food illustration and food photography.  The AFJ announced the three finalists in several categories, and Weigl is a finalist in two — Best Newspaper Food Coverage for a Paper with a Circulation of 150,000 or Less and Best Newspaper Food Feature for a Paper with a Circulation of 200,000 or Less.  To be a finalist in one category is a noteworthy achievement.  To be a double finalist in the same year just means you’re a food writing rock star.  The placing of each finalist (i.e., first, second, third) will be announced in September at the AFJ’s annual conference, but these folks are already winners.  And what’s even more fun about this is that Kathleen Purvis is one of the other nominees in the Food Feature category.  I believe both of those stories — Weigl’s “When Chefs Dine” and Purvis’ “Roux the Day” — appeared in the N&O, as the budget cuts have led to a sharing of the talents of these writers in both newspapers.  The industry’s loss is our gain.

I’ve written about how lucky we are to have such a good food writer in our area, and this recognition by the AFJ only substantiates that claim.  Weigl made a list last year about the top 50 food items/icons in the Triangle.  There was a huge omission on that list — Andrea Weigl herself.  Congratulations to you and Kathi!

(Image of Weigl courtesy of the N&O)

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Restaurant Review Prognostication

February 17, 2010

Let’s start something really silly for the area.  Each week, the News & Observer tells us in its Wednesday edition what restaurant will be reviewed on the following Friday.  Greg Cox’s review of Durham’s Guglhupf will be published on Friday, and it’s time for us to guess how many stars he’ll give it.

As you know, the N&O has a 5 star system, and only the best of the best get all 5 stars.

So, how many stars will Guglhupf get???

************

Edit (Feb. 19, 2010) —  Guglhupf received 4 stars from Greg Cox, making it the highest ranked German/Eastern European restaurant in the Triangle, surpassing J. Betski’s.  Wow.   Congratulations to Drew and Smily, who nailed it.  You have the admiration and respect of the Greater Triangle Blogosphere, but alas, no tangible prizes are coming your way.

12 Comments | Durham, Food writing, General | Tagged: , , | Permalink
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Southern Folks and Southern Foodways

November 16, 2009
Ashley and Bill

Ashley Christensen, Bill Smith, and Smoked Chicken Wings

I’m sipping a cold beer on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, lazing about on a screened-in porch in rural Mississippi.  The conversation goes from football to Brazilian forestry camps and then to food.  Ah, the conversation always gets back to food, and that’s because I’m surrounded by chefs, who I’ve learned, love to “talk shop” more than just about any other professional I know.  These chefs include three winners of the prestigious James Beard Award, one who was recently nominated, and another who will likely win in the next few years.  Chefs love to talk about food, and so do I, so I feel right at home on this early November day. Read the rest of this entry »

4 Comments | chefs, Events, Food writing, General, sfa, Southern food, Southern Food Culture | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
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The FTC and Me

October 5, 2009

As a health care attorney, I’ve had to work with the Federal Trade Commission, as they are the agency that enforces the antitrust laws (along with the Justice Department).  Frankly, the FTC can be a royal pain in the ass, but I understand their purpose in the antitrust world.  The FTC also regulates advertising to the extent that it may be deceptive or misleading, and they just adopted new rules that require bloggers to disclose whenever they receive anything in value in exchange for a review.

Wow.

Now I believe in full disclosure, and in the one instance that I accepted a fully complementary meal, I disclosed that fact.  However, I also informed the restaurant that providing that gratis meal did not mean that I would review the restaurant and certainly did not guarantee that they’d receive praise.  Frankly, I really don’t write restaurant reviews for the most part.  In this case, however, I did write about the restaurant because I loved it.  If I didn’t like it, I would probably not have written anything at all.

But with the new FTC rules, bloggers like me have to be worried whenever we receive anything of value.  If I’m at a restaurant and the chef sends out an extra course, do I need to disclose that?  What about if the chef has no idea who I am?  I would argue that in the latter case, the extra course has nothing to do with providing something of value in exchange for reviews — it’s just a nice thing to do.  And in the first case, assuming the chef knows me, I would argue that the extra course was sent out with the hope– but not the expectation — that I might provide a favorable review.  That might fall short of the FTC’s requirement.  However, the bottom line is that the FTC wants to ensure that reviews are not bought, and if they are, then it should be disclosed.

So to ensure that I don’t run afoul of federal requirements (which, at this point, aren’t really law, just guidelines), I offer the following blanket statement that addresses everything I write about in this blog:

“I don’t write true reviews, but I do offer my thoughts on various aspects of the food and restaurant industries.  I also write about food and my family.  I sometimes may receive a discounted meal or free drink or a slab of bacon, primarily because I’ve pretty much immersed myself in the food world.  I generally only write about places I like, so if a restaurant gives me something for free, and it sucks, I won’t write about it.  If they give me something for free and I like it, I’ll probably write about it.  If they don’t give me a thing and I like it, I’ll probably write about it, too.  I also am biased in that I’m much more likely to write about places where my friends work.  I like to write about my friends who are chefs, and I have to admit that they have indeed given me something of value: their friendship.  From time to time, they give me a free dish.  I may not always disclose that, because I really think that what my friends do is our own business.  I am horribly biased by that relationship, so please do not be misled into thinking I’m fully objective when writing about their restaurants.  I try, but you know how friendships work.  So if I write about a restaurant or a food item, just assume that my objectivity has been compromised in some manner.”

And if that’s not good enough for the FTC, then I guess I better start boning up on my legal defense skills.

5 Comments | Food writing, General | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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Welcome to the Blog World, Andrea

July 22, 2009

My good friend Andrea Weigl, esteemed food writer for the News & Observer, launched her new food blog, Mouthful, today.  I remember when Andrea started writing about food two years ago, and how excited she was about the entire process.  Since then, she’s gone to culinary school, written an award-winning article, and has established herself as one of the best food writers in the nation — yes, the whole damn country.  We’re quite lucky to have her in our little town, so make sure you check out her blog.  She only posted about 20 items today!

4 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, Food writing, General | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Food Blog Code of Ethics

May 1, 2009

A “Food Blog Code of Ethics” has been proposed, and before I begin my discussion of this concept, I want to say, “I’m all in.”

This Code has been developed by Brooke Burton and Leah Greenstein, the creators of the food blogs SpicySaltySweet.com and FoodWoolf.com.  The power of food bloggers is now unquestionable, which I can attest to based on the number of emails I get from restaurants, chefs and their publicists.  Before I started this blog, I didn’t know a single publicist, and now, well, it’s a different story.  I like getting to know publicists.  I like getting to know chefs and restaurateurs and growers.  I like having the access to the behind the scenes actions of local eating establishments.  But I also know that I have an obligation to my readers.  Therefore, when I get comped something by a restaurant, I let you know.  If I’m a personal friend of the chef, I disclose that, too.

I don’t write this blog to get free stuff or because I’m a journalist in search of that untold story.  This blog exists first and foremost because it gives me an opportunity to record and share my thoughts.  Only a small handful of my 260 posts to date could be considered “reviews,” as that’s not what this is about.  It’s about food and fun and family.  I sometimes get serious here, but not very often.  I sometimes work extra hard to ensure my writing is top-notch, but usually what I quickly type ends up on the blog.

But what I do work hard to do is to be fair and ethical.  I try to check out my sources and find independent verification.  I prefer to report facts more than speculate.  I sometimes make mistakes, and I try to come clean when that happens.  And I stand behind my work.  If you want to know who this “Varmint” dude is, just click on the “About” tab.  No secrets.  No anonymity.  Just me, Dean McCord.

This is why I applaud the introduction of this Code of Ethics.  I first learned about ethical guidelines when I was active with eGullet, as the people behind that organization and forum work diligently to hold themselves to the highest standards.  It may make them come off as somewhat dictatorial pricks at times, but that’s not their concern.  They want to be sure that folks follow rules of civility and ethics.

I am here today to announce that VarmintBites agrees to comply with the Food Blog Code of Ethics.  I owe it to you, my readers.  I owe it to the chefs and restaurateurs, and I owe it to myself.  If you think that I’ve failed to comply, let me know, and I’ll take care of any mistakes and let you know if I disagree.

So, local food bloggers, who else is in???

2 Comments | Food writing, General | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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And How Could I Forget About John T?

March 23, 2009

John T. Edge, Director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, is also being honored by the James Beard Foundation by being inducted into the Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America.  John T. Edge is not only a great food writer, but he is a great eater, a better teacher, but perhaps more importantly, he is a chronicler of life.  He understands people of all types and always makes them feel good about themselves.  And then he writes about it in a style that captivates me.  There couldn’t be a more deserving inductee.

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Tales of a Country Ham

December 12, 2008

I’m very fortunate to know a lot of fantastic food writers, people who make it their jobs to bring us great culinary stories.  One of those individuals whose work I love, and whom I adore as a person even more, is the Charlotte Observer’s Kathleen Purvis.  Kathi is, as my wife’s grandfather would say, “real folk.”  She’s someone you want to drink a beer (or 7) with.  She’s forgotten more food facts than I’ve ever remembered.  And she’s a super writer.

Earlier this week, Kathi wrote about country ham.  This is the South’s finest form of charcuterie, and frankly, it’s fading away.  The good stuff has been replaced by mass-produced, overly salty, shrink-wrapped crap.  But Purvis (and that’s how she introduces herself when she calls on the phone — “Purvis here”) wanted to see how an artisinal country ham maker practices his craft.  How to make a ham so beautiful, so utterly delicious, that you would pay big bucks.

And so she’s doing just that, making a ham with Byron Jordan in West Jefferson using only four curing ingredients: “Brown sugar, salt, mountain air and time.”  I love that.  Read Kathi’s story, which will tell a tale of a country ham, starting last January with a 300 pound heirloom Tamworth pig.  Part II is here.  See the great pictures and a video, too.  This is food journalism at its best.

4 Comments | Food writing, Southern food, Southern Food Culture | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
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Lantern’s Reusing Gets Cookbook Deal

November 20, 2008

Andrea Reusing, chef of Chapel Hill’s wonderful Lantern, recently signed on with publisher Clarkson Potter for worldwide rights to a new cookbook.  According to a trade publication news release, seven different publishers were competing for the rights to the book.  The cookbook will feature over 100 recipes organized by season, with an emphasis on cooking with local ingredients, one of Reusing’s focuses at Lantern.

This is no “Lantern Cookbook,” however. “I wanted to do a book about cooking at home, focusing on using local ingredients,” Reusing told me.  “I wanted to create a snapshot of our local food community and not focus on any single ethnicity.  I want this cookbook to be used, with food stains on the pages.  I don’t want it to sit on a coffee table.”

The book does not yet have a title, and unfortunately, won’t be out until the fall of 2010.  But the writing has begun.  Her first draft is due in a year, and trying to write while managing a restaurant and parenting two small children will be quite a challenge, but nothing should surprise us anymore about Reusing.  As we wait for the cookbook to come out, we’ll all just have to go to Chapel Hill and get the real goods right from the source.

1 Comment | Books, Chapel Hill, chefs, Food writing, General, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
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Asian Dining Rules

October 30, 2008

My friend, Steven Shaw, Beard Award winner and co-founder of the eGullet Society, has a new book in print: Asian Dining Rules: Essential Strategies for Eating Out at Japanese, Chinese, Southeast Asian, Korean and Indian Restaurants.  This book serves as a primer for folks who might be mystified by Asian restaurants and is filled with useful information and personal stories.  Once such story includes a mention of yours truly, in a discussion about boiled peanuts.  Yes, boiled peanuts are not a delicacy limited to the American South, as they’re pretty popular in Vietnamese cuisine.  I happened to introduce Steven and his wife to boiled peanuts, purchased from a roadside stand next to a Piggly Wiggly in eastern North Carolina.

The book is a fun read and should be viewed as that, rather than a comprehensive guide to each region’s cuisine.  I particularly found the Indian food section to be helpful, as that remains the cuisine most difficult for me to understand.  And seeing it’s only 10 bucks from Amazon, it’s a bargain definitely worth purchasing.

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Food Tricks and Lies

September 4, 2008

[Although I often think that my kids are far too picky eaters, my wife reminds me that they're really not that bad.  And when I really ponder the situation, I realize that she is right (what else is new?).  None of my kids loves everything, but for the most part (one of my daughters being the exception), they do well.

That made me think of something I wrote nearly 5 years ago, when my oldest child was 9 and my youngest was 2.  I thought I'd revive this piece, which was originally published on the website for the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts and Letters on September 24, 2003.]

“C’MON, TRY the beets. They’re really as sweet as candy! Even better, they, make your pee turn red!” Yeah, those are the words I used not too long ago to get our kids to eat beets. For some reason, the L’il Varmints had a slight problem with putting beets in their mouths. First of all, they saw this veggie get pulled from the dirt at a nearby organic farm. These were nasty, icky, muddy things with hair at the bottom. Second, beets are red, seriously red, with just enough purple to make them unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. Finally, one of the adults at the table already professed that she hated beets. (Why the hell do people do that, right when we’re trying to convince the children how great they are?)

This is not a column about beets or other food that people “don’t get.” This is a tale of what we parents do to get their kids to try new food, to just give it a chance. A story of “try it, you’ll like it.” Most of us parents with normal kids encounter this situation — I’m not talking about children who ate sushi at the age of 4 or truly enjoyed sauteed mushrooms on their very rare prime rib (seasoned with fleur de sel, of course). I’m talking about the Froot Loops and PB&J eating type. The ones who seek out macaroni and cheese, preferably Kraft. Children who expect — no, demand — the blue colored ketchup with their Tater Tots. These are the children I know, my L’il Varmints, God love them. They’re also the children found in most typical households, from Milwaukee to Schenectady to Placerville — and all places in between. Read the rest of this entry »

2 Comments | Family and Food, Food writing, General | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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Most Important Food Story of the Year

August 13, 2008

Andrea Weigl and Shawn Rocco of the News & Observer have put together an article and multi-media presentation that should be required reading for everyone over the age of ten. This is the story of a pig, a cute Ossabaw hog that has made its way to the abbatoir. A pig that will be dinner in a week’s time. The article itself is graphic and gut wrenching, but is as well-written and objective as anything you’ll find. This isn’t a story that you usually see in the food section of a newspaper, with inherent space limitations and over-editing. This is a well-rounded, detailed journalistic piece and includes a side story comparing the small operation of the packing plant used for the Ossabaw with the large, industrial plant of the Smithfield Packing plant in Tar Heel, NC. This is top notch writing and photojournalism, pure and simple. Rocco’s pictures juxtapose sweet shots of piglets with a scene of “dead pig walking” and a somewhat eery photo of a small plastic pig in the cup holder of the truck taking the pig to the slaughterhouse. Frankly, I have not seen a story as compelling as this in any paper or magazine this year.

As a father of four children, I believe it’s my duty to ensure that my children understand how we get our food. Whether it’s the heirloom tomatoes, the Frosted Mini-Wheat or the barbecue, my kids should know that food production and processing isn’t always pretty. Sometimes, it really hurts.

This story was the second reminder I’ve had of this in the past month. The first time was when we were in Alaska, on a small boat in Resurrection Bay near Kenai Fjords National Park. The primary purpose of the boat trip was to see wildlife and scenery, and boy, did we ever see some sights! However, we also stopped two times to fish, once for silver (coho) salmon and the second for halibut. My 12-year old daughter, who doesn’t eat much meat at all (and absolutely no fish), was looking forward to catching a fish or two. She got really excited when her younger brother hooked a feisty salmon, even though we couldn’t net it. When her 70 year old grandmother brought the first fish into the boat, she was ecstatic. But that was all to change. The crew brought out a small club and brutally and quickly ended the salmon’s life. I hadn’t prepared my daughter or any of my children for that reality. And she couldn’t handle it, starting to bawl from witnessing the cruelty of meat. Just as Morrissey and the Smiths said, “Meat is Murder,” and my daughter just witnessed a killing.

And a small part of me is glad she did.

Many of you are thinking that I’m an awful father for thinking it’s a good thing for your child to hurt, but that’s not the case. I suspect my daughter already had issues with eating meat because of humane reasons, and this incident may make it worse. I know it bothered her later that day when that salmon was on our dinner table, but she saw first hand how the fish gave its life for our nourishment. She knows that the world of food, including fish and other meat, is not pretty. She knows that her chicken drumstick really came from an animal, an animal that was killed to satisfy her hunger. I don’t think she’ll need to go into therapy, thank god, but she’s forever changed. A little less innocent, perhaps. And after many of us read Weigl’s articles, we might be, too.

Edit: Please also read Weigl’s first piece about this particular pig that came out in Sunday’s paper.  Great, great writing.

11 Comments | Alaska, Family and Food, Farms, Food writing, General, Southern food | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Local Food Writer Has a Moose-Excellent Blog

August 12, 2008

My friend Debbie Moose is an expert on subjects as broad as deviled eggs and tailgating. She flat out knows Southern food, and I always enjoy chatting with her about all things culinary.

She has recently started to blog, and you’ll see why I enjoy her writing so much. She certainly loves her some heirloom tomatoes, but she can’t help herself from craving some bacon, lettuce and mayo to go with them. Attagirl! The blog is still in its infancy, and she’s only publishing once a week or so, but check it out. I think you’ll enjoy it.

1 Comment | Cooking, Food writing, General, Southern food | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

New North Carolina Barbecue Book Coming

June 23, 2008

I received in the mail a notice from UNC Press about a book that will be coming out in November, a book on North Carolina barbecue with the title, “Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue.”  Yeah, I know — “Just what we need, another barbecue book.”  That’s what I thought, too., until I saw who wrote this sucker: John Shelton Reed, Dale Volberg Reed, and William McKinney.  I know each of these individuals, but Will McKinney is a friend who may be more knowledgeable about NC barbecue than anyone I know.  How knowledgeable?  Well, how many people have spent HUNDREDS of hours gathering oral interviews from owners and pitmasters of NC barbecue establishments?  How many people can say they founded the North Carolina BBQ Society — when they were a student??? McKinney has a passion for barbecue that few can match, so I’m quite sure his contributions were invaluable to this book.

John Shelton Reed is not a historian or a food writer by trade; he’s a sociologist, and that makes this book even more exciting in my mind.  It’s the human dynamic of barbecue that fascinates me, and I really can’t wait to dive into this book.  Professor Reed and his wife are two of the leading authorities on Southern culture (if you haven’t read their book, 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About the South, you need to), so I’m pretty darned sure that this book on barbecue won’t disappoint you.

2 Comments | Barbecue, Books, Food writing, Restaurants, Southern food, Southern Food Culture | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Changes at the News & Observer

June 17, 2008

The News & Observer, like most newspapers, is struggling with the competition from the internet. No story there, but today the N&O announced it was reducing its workforce by 70 people, including 16 from the newsroom. Among those who are no longer with the N&O is food editor Amber Nimocks, who played a large part in dramatically improving the paper’s food and dining content. Along with Andrea Weigl, Greg Cox, and several free lance writers (including former editor Debbie Moose), the N&O had one of the country’s best food sections for a regional paper.

The parent of the N&O, The McClatchy Co., instigated the changes as a result of huge losses nationwide. The Charlotte Observer, another McClatchy company, will be even harder hit, losing 123 positions. The features departments of the two newspapers, which includes the food sections, will collaborate on future stories. So don’t be surprised if you see a Kathleen Purvis byline more frequently in the N&O, which is definitely not a bad thing.

All is not lost, however, and I expect the N&O to continue to put out great food stories. Andrea Weigl is remaining with the paper, and Nimocks will write free lance stories from time to time. Nimocks’ editorial presence will be missed, but let’s hope they’ll fill in the gaps. It’s a tough time for print media, so be sure to give the N&O your support if you want to continue seeing good local food writing.

3 Comments | Food writing, General, Raleigh | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Clinical Dining

May 28, 2008

Shortly after my first child was born, my wife gave me a video camera. C’mon, every dad has to have a video camera, right? I used that sucker quite a lot, early on, but after a year or so, it got used less and less. I haven’t touched that camera in 10 years or so, primarily because I realized that I was no longer participating in the action. I was documenting it, trying to get the “perfect shot.” Those perfect shots often took 5-10 minutes at once, where you were more focused (no pun intended) on keeping the camera in frame and not really paying attention to what was truly going on.

The exact same thing happened to me with dining and the internet. I would go out to eat, taking my camera along. I ultimately found myself more concerned with taking lots of food porn, so that I could share my experience with my “friends” on eGullet. I paid less attention to my dining companions — my real, honest to goodness friends — than I did with my camera and the lighting.

That pretty much stopped a couple of years ago, however. As I spent more time with bloggers and the like, I realized that the people who spent so much time on the photographs weren’t all that fun to be with. It’s not that I didn’t like them, but they weren’t enjoying the meal itself. They weren’t engaged with the others at the table. I asked myself, “Am I like that?” and the answer was a resounding “Yes.”

Sitting at the table, sharing a meal with friends and family, is an activity that in many ways defines us as human beings. Our events of celebration and sorrow typically revolve around food. Every culture has their food-specific holidays, and the evening dinner is still considered to be the highlight of our daily family routine (although it’s certainly on the wane). The meal is incredibly important to us, socially and nutritionally.

But when the meal loses that social dynamic, I lose interest in it. The foodie with the camera makes me feel the same way as the person who has to tell me how many grams of fat are in every dish I eat. They take the fun out of it, turning my meal into a clinical exercise.

Yeah, I’ll still take food pictures now and then, and I’ll even chronicle every dish in a meal occasionally. But I’m glad that’s the exception and not the rule, as I truly love to interact with those around me and to appreciate the food that’s before me. Boy, meals are so much more fun now.

6 Comments | Food writing, General, Photos | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

Molecular Gastronomy in the Triangle

May 14, 2008

Andrea Weigl has an excellent piece in today’s N&O on restaurants using molecular gastronomy techniques in the Triangle, including The Mint, 1705Prime, Four Square and The George. Included online are some of Shawn Rocco’s great photographs including a step-by-step overview of the preparation of The Mint’s “strawberry shortcake.”

22 Comments | Best Of the Triangle, chefs, Cooking, Food writing, General, Raleigh, Restaurants | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Varmint

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