Eat Your Words

Trend Alert: Getting rid of bad food writing clichés

2010-11-18T13:42:00.000-08:00

In our Eat Your Words course that just finished on Saturday, we had a running list of culinary writing clichés that really need to be locked in the basement for a very long time. (Yes, you are allowed to trot them out if you are trying to make a point, be ironic or funny, or if they are in keeping with the "voice" of a passage.)

Dianne Jacob, author of Will Write For Food, was obviously thinking along the same lines as we were. Her November 15, 2010, post, "The Worst Food Writing Words" has received 99 comments to date. My favorite "worst" is drinkerie. Gag.

Oh and anyone in the Edmonton area who would like a copy of Dianne Jacob's newly revised and updated book Will Write For Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir, and More (2nd edition, 2010) on the fundamentals of good culinary writing can contact me. I have two more copies to sell from my big box of books.

Eat Your Words Class of 2010/2011 - Food Trends

2010-11-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

(Above photo via Julie Van Rosendaal's Cherpumple "cake / pie" hybrid as seen on Babble's Food blog. Dessert's answer to the turducken!)

Trend-spotting is a major part of any culinary writer's skill set. We talk about tuning into these trends and keeping a running list as we spot them. Here are the trends we compiled in class yesterday.

pop-up restaurants
“foodcations” (an off-shoot of the "staycation" trend)
locavore
raised wild game (elk, bison, wild boar, reindeer, etc)
craft beer-and-food pairings
ginger beer
food security issues
sustainability
food ethics
cupcakes or NOT (this is a trend that just won't die even when it's dead)
macarons
gastro-pubs
covercharges at restaurants
enomatic systems
wine bars
tapas – again
raw milk
lentils
quinoa
infused spirits
bacon -- still, it's a mainstay trend
meat-stuffed inside other meats trend, and in fact, any food stuffed inside other foods (see yesterday's Wall Street Journal article featuring Calgary food writer Julie Van Rosendaal's Cherpumple dessert.)
pork belly
sugar backlash
80s fashion (so we're wondering how that will manifest itself in the food world)
growth of casual fine dining (aka premium casual)

Here are some links to other trend lists:

enRoute magazine's annual Food Issue (Nov 2010) list of trends noticed by writer Sarah Musgrave in EnRoute's Top Restaurant Trends 2010 (quail eggs, plums, pescuterie, radishes...)

Epicurious' Food Trends for 2010 (homemade beer, butchery, Vancouver) Note this was a list for 2010 compiled in late 2009.

The Globe & Mail's food predictions for 2011 (pie shops, smaller indy restaurants on a shoestring budget, "dirt" as an ingredient???)

Here's what the Canadian Chefs Congress in May 2010 identified as major trends that professional chefs are seeing (edible ocean greens, sustainability ranking and certifications of ingredients like fish, underutilized species, etc.)

2010 food trends out of Australia (food cocooning at home; local across all sectors; need for treats; a little trade up; being squeaky clean to gain trust)

What are the trends on your radar? We'll add them to the list.

Via Twitter, we had a comment that waffles should be added to the list. Via Comments, Peter Bailey, the beer columnist for The Tomato and great book blogger, adds IPA and Imperial to our list of "in" beers for 2010/11. Thanks Pete.

And here's another trend round-up out of the UK: Food Trends to Peak in 2011: Special-needs, Urbanism, On-demand from The Independent Food & Drink pages.

Food-Writing Course Alert: Nov 6 & 13, Edmonton

2010-10-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

The snow is flying in Edmonton, and that means, it must be time for my Eat Your Words food-writing course that I teach at Grant MacEwan University, City Centre campus in Edmonton.

This is a very lively two-Saturday course where we cover everything from getting your first published credits to how to spot food trends to pitching to small, medium and large newspaper and magazines. We cover the essentials of building your food-writing career: from starting a blog to getting a book deal, if that is your goal. The classes tend to be about 10 people and it's a very free-flowing discussion where everyone brings their knowledge and their expertise to the table.

Here are the specifics:

Eat Your Words
Do you have a discriminating palate? Do you love to concoct your own recipes? Do you have a nose for food trends? And do you want to get paid for doing something you love? Food is a hot topic, and editors are always looking for insightful, original, and well-written food and drink articles and recipes. Learn how to take your passion and put it down in words for newspapers, magazines, radio, and the Internet. $174, noncredit

WRIT 0155 (570)
2 Sat, Nov 6 & 13
9 am - 4 pm
Instructor: Jennifer Cockrall-King

For more information call 780-497-5346.
To register call 780-497-5000.

OR send me an email for more information.

Edmonton PSA: MacEwan Writing Works Spring/Summer 2010 Workshops

2010-05-04T04:44:00.000-07:00

Click on the above images to enlarge.

Edmonton PSA: MacEwan Writing Works Spring Workshops

2010-03-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

The MacEwan Writing Works (Edmonton) has just come out with the spring 2010 line-up of writing classes.

The courses range from grammar refreshers to blogging classes. These are open to writers of all levels. The above link has the complete list of courses. Here's a poster for a couple of highlights.

Eat Your Words Food Writing Course at UBC Okanagan

2010-01-20T13:43:00.000-08:00

I'll be teaching another one-day foodwriting course at UBC Okanagan campus on March 27, 2010. The course runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bring samples of your writing, or ideas you'd like to get working on. You don't need to have any prior writing experience, just a serious passion for communication your food- and drink-related points of view to the world.

Don't delay, register now and get your foodwriting mojo working.

The Future of Story: Writing Workshop in Edmonton Feb 5 & 6 2010

2009-12-01T08:44:00.000-08:00

This conference / workshop has a list of great writer-speakers.

Of interest to anyone in writing or story-telling. Register before Dec 11 to take advantage of the early-bird pricing. For more information, click on the MacEwan School of Communications page here and follow the links for detailed programming information and on-line ticket sales. Tix are $30 to $85 depending on the event.

A cure for the 'Oh, what do I make' blues

2009-11-19T08:22:00.000-08:00

Albertans are entrepreneurs, and our foodies are no different. Read about Edmonton home economist (and friend of mine) who realized several years of work by going the self-publishing route with her book: Cook! Self-publishing is becoming much more attractive to cookbook writers (certain types of cookbooks have a long shelf-life), and given the fact that so much of promotion and media is now left up to the author, it makes sense to explore this option.

Liane Faulder did a great job covering it in yesterday's Edmonton Journal Bistro section. Click here to go to the story. A cure for the 'Oh, what do I make' blues

Food Trends for 2010

2009-11-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

The Eat Your Words class of 2009 has come up with trends for 2010:

mojito cakes are the hottest thing

Great Cookbook PR advice from authors of Earth to Table

2009-10-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

Cuisine Canada has a great food blog, featuring news about and interviews with Canadian top Canadian food writers and cookbook authors. I just read a post of particular relevance to any food writer working on a cookbook project. Jeff Crump, author of Earth to Table: Seasonal Recipes from an Organic Farm (Random House Canada, 2009) discusses how he used social media and the internet to have a ready-made fanbase for his book which has just been released but which is getting a lot of buzz and media attention. That translates directly into sales and bigger crowds at book signings. It also landed them an audience with Martha Stewart, the holy grail of exposure in the US cookbook market. Here's the post I'm talking about.

In short, the promotion actually starts when the writing starts, so that when the book is finally published, you come out swinging in the book sales department. That gets you on the media radar and the best-seller lists which in turn fuels more book sales. There's no time these days to wait for a book to build an audience because there's always another cookbook right behind it vying for that shelf-space at the bookstore (or in COSTCO). Remember: it's standard to have a year to write the book after inking a book deal with a publisher; THEN the book is a year in editing and production). So, aspiring cookbook authors, start your Twitter / Facebook / Blog engines now!

So many literary events...start your daytimers

2009-10-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

Thursday, October 22, 2009
How to Pitch Panel
Want to write for magazines and see your byline flashing back at you? Don't know where to start? Learn how to focus your pitches and sell your stories to noted Alberta magazine editors. These tips are straight from the pros and this panel is highly recommended for any writer looking to improve their batting average.

Featured editors:
- Barb Dacks, Legacy
- Michael McCullough, Alberta Venture
- Omar Mouallem, Avenue Edmonton
- Joyce Byrne, Venture Publishing

Grant MacEwan University, 10045 - 156 Street
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Room 436
Free event, open to the public

Friday, October 23, 2009
The Inside Story on Magazine Features: Q & A with a Magazine Pro

AMPA and LitFest are hosting a special professional development session with New York Times Magazine editor, Paul Tough.

Paul will discuss how to develop a killer feature story, plus it's your chance to pick the brains of this star editor. So bring your questions and get ready to take advantage of this amazing opportunity.

Stanley A. Milner Library, Sixth Floor, Room 7
2:00 pm
Cost: $10 for AMPA members and students. $15 for non-members.
Registration is required.

To register, email Alberta Magazine Publishers with your name, phone number and email address.

Friday, October 23, 2009
Small Press & Maga/Zine Fair
Hosted by the Edmonton Small Press Association (ESPA) and AMPA

Stanley A. Milner Library, Library Theatre Lobby
12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Free and open to the public

AMPA & ESPA team up to present a one-day event in the Library Theatre Lobby to expose you to some of the great literary activities happening in our backyards. Find some of your favourite magazines like filling Station, Legacy, Notebook, Penguin Eggs, Synchronicity, and more, all in one place.

Friday, October 23, 2009
RAMM cocktail reception followed by films presented by the North of Nowhere Expo
Metro Cinema, Citadel Theatre, 9828 101A Ave NW, Edmonton

5:30 pm: Come check out Alberta magazines and have a bite and some vino on us!
7:00 pm: Radical Jesters: A Film about Media Hoaxers & Culture Jammers with HONK! No Noise is Illegal
8:30 pm: American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein
Admission to films is by donation, recommended donation $8 to $12

Saturday, October 24, 2009
RAMM cocktail reception followed by films presented by the North of Nowhere Expo
Metro Cinema, Citadel Theatre, 9828 101A Ave NW
6:00 pm: Come check out Alberta magazines and have a bite and some vino on us!
6:30 pm: Freedom of Expression: Resistance & Repression in the Age of Intellectual Property
7:30 pm: You, Me & the SPP: Trading Democracy for Corporate Rule
*plus post-film Panel Discussion, Director in Attendance
Admission to films is by donation, recommended donation $8 to $12

October is Read Alberta Magazines Month! Enter to win a Bellstar getaway to Canmore.

RIP Gourmet magazine...listen to editor Ruth Reichel's CBC Interview

2009-10-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

I have played this interview in my food writing classes, time-permitting, because Writers & Company's Eleanor Wachtel interviews Gourmet magazine's (then) editor Ruth Reichl, and Wachtel asks all the right questions. This is a great one-on-one discussion of Reichl's long career and relationship with food. If you want to know what drives a great food editor to do what she does, take a listen.

I'm glad the CBC has resurrected the interview in light of the recent news that Conde Nast has shuttered Gourmet magazine. Grab a snack, coffee or tea. It's worth the hour spent listening.

Support your local writers, editors, photographers, designers and publishers

2009-10-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

It's cold outside, which means it's October, which also means it's Read Alberta Magazines Month (RAMM). Yes, put your money where your mouth is and renew your magazine subscriptions; it's the chief selling point for a magazine to a potential advertiser, so yes, your $20 matters! And buy, buy, buy local magazines instead of giant lattes. They're the same price, but one lasts longer.

This year, Alberta Magazine Publishers are also campaigning to convince the Alberta government that local magazines matter, both economically and culturally. So, check out What is Ed Stelmach Reading, and send a letter to the premier. Besides, it's funny to see the various magazines zip through Stelmach's hand on the main flash page.

Pitching Workshop from the Pros

2009-10-03T22:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a great looking course for anyone looking to sharpen their pitches to editors...

What Not to Pitch – Style your Magazine Query for Success
9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m., October 17th
MacEwan University, City Centre Campus
$10 for members; $20 for non-members
Hosted by Get Publishing Society and Alberta Magazine Publishers Association

Magazine editors and experienced writers will give you the tips and tools to put your best foot forward to successfully enter, branch out or specialize in magazine writing.

Editors Tracy Hyatt from Westworld and Gregory Kennedy from Where Edmonton are just some of the people you will meet at this interactive session that will include magazine pitch dos and pitch don’ts. Understand print and digital magazine trends. Learn about topics that never go out of style. Find out how to create eye catching storylines to pitch to different magazines. Get the scoop on opportunities to strut your writing for new magazines. For sophisticated and experienced writers, find out how to develop a niche for yourself. Leave this session with the inside scoop on how to make your query pitch shine, get an editor’s interest and get your writing published into magazines.

To Register

Email your name and contact information to patwood@shaw.ca and send a cheque to What not to pitch" Workshop c/o Cynthia Dusseault, Treasurer, GPCS, 14011 - 91 Avenue, Edmonton AB, T5R 4Y1. Make the cheque payable to Get Publishing Communications Society. Include your contact information, including your email address, with the cheque. Receipts will be provided at the workshop. Enrolment is limited.

Edmonton's Fall Literary Season Kicks Off in Style, Oct 13 at The ARTery at 7 p.m.

2009-10-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

The first exciting event to kick off the Edmonton literary season (a.k.a. October, or whenever the first of the winter-type weather drives us all indoors) is the launch event of the Edmonton Literary Saloon, a fantastic concept dreamed up by local literary lights Marina Endicott (Good to a Fault, Open Arms) and Lynn Coady (Mean Boy, Saints of Big Harbour, Strange Heaven).

To launch this Saloon series in high-style, Coady and Endicott anticipate a very special evening will feature scintillating readings and some gossipy conversation with award-winning authors from the House of Anansi: Karen Solie (Pigeon, 2009), Lisa Moore (February, 2009) and Shani Mootoo (Valmiki’s Daughter, 2009). It's a steal of a deal at $5 to attend and rub elbows with the likes of so many great writers in a room. If that doesn't convince you, maybe this will. SEE YOU THERE!

Join the Edmonton Literary Saloon on Facebook too.

Blogging and Tweeting...Oh how things change.

2009-09-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

Every fall, I teach a foodwriting course or two. I've got a one-day course coming up soon at University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna (October 17) and a two-day course at MacEwan College in Edmonton (November 7 & 14). Last year, I had a few bloggers sign up and I actually used them as my impromptu "experts." (That's the point of blogging...there's no diploma or credentials to become a blogger so the playing field is nice and level.) It really became a round-table discussion amongst peers on blogging do's and don'ts, and what works for them, what doesn't.

That was so last year. I realize I have to whip up a proper component about blogging and also Twitter. It's almost a given now that if you want to get your work seen and "respected", you need to be on-line in some form or another. I must admit, despite my usual reluctance to these sorts of things, I've become addicted to Twitter lately and find it quite useful for information gathering and spreading. I think it also takes the pressure off of bloggers to blog every day.

In other words, I'm compiling good articles or advice on food blogging and tweeting...all and any comments, advice, links are most welcome:)

Dianne Jacob's What Makes a Great Food Blogger link came in from a link via Dinner with Julie thanks to her "Blogher" sidebar.

Eat Your Words Food Writing Course at UBC Okanagan

2009-09-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited to announce that I'll be teaching my one-day food writing course, Eat Your Words, on Saturday, October 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the UBCO campus. This course is geared to food writers of all levels and covers basics of taking your passion for food, restaurants, and cooking and putting it down on paper, the internet and radio. We'll brainstorm ideas, talk trends, look at pitching to a food editor and figure out how to get your ideas and projects to the next level. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

The cost is $175 plus GST. Email cs.ubco@ubc.ca or call 250-807-9289 to register.

UBC Okanagan (Kelowna) offers great creative writing and continuing education studies and seminars. Click here to go to the UBC Okanagan Continuing Education page with the new fall course lineup.

2009 Canadian Culinary Book Awards -- Shortlist

2009-09-06T13:42:00.001-07:00

The Shortlist has been announced for the 2009 Canadian Culinary Book Awards. And they are:

Short-listed in the English Cookbook Category are:

The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book: The Essentials of Home Baking by Elizabeth Baird (Transcontinental Books, Montreal);

Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes by Jennifer McLagan (McClelland & Stewart Ltd., Toronto);

Small Plates for Sharing, Laurie Stempfle, Ed. (Company’s Coming Publishing Limited, Edmonton).

Short-listed in the English Special Interest Category, books about food, but not cookbooks, are:

Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid (Random House Canada, Toronto);

Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood by Taras Grescoe (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, Toronto).

Three books are short-listed for the Canadian Food Culture Category, books that best illustrate Canada’s rich culinary heritage and food culture:

Anita Stewart’s Canada by Anita Stewart (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, Toronto);

Apples to Oysters: A Food Lover’s Tour of Canadian Farms by Margaret Webb (Penguin Group Canada, Toronto);

A Taste of Canada: A Culinary Journey by Rose Murray (Whitecap Books Ltd., North Vancouver).

The contest is also open to Canadian French-language books. Short-listed in the French Cookbook Category are:

Gibier à poil et à plume: découper, apprêter et cuisiner par Jean-Paul Grappe (Les Éditions de l’Homme, Montréal) ;

Ricardo : parce qu’on a tous de la visite: cuisiner en toutes circonstances par Ricardo (Les Éditions La Presse, Montréal);

Les secrets des sauces révélés par Jérôme Ferrer (Les Éditions La Presse, Montréal).

Short-listed in the French Special Interest Category, books about food but not cookbooks are:

Manger, Un jeu d’enfant par Guylaine Guèvremont and Marie-Claude Lortie (Les Éditions La Presse, Montréal) ;

Répertoire des fromages du Québec, Édition augmentée by Richard Bizier and Roch Nadeau (Les Éditions du Trécarré-Groupe Librex inc., Montréal) ;

Les vins du nouveau monde, Volume 2, by Jacques Orhon, (Les Éditions de l’Homme, Montréal).

In the French Canadian Food Culture Category is:

Québec capitale gastronomique by Anne L Desjardins (Les Éditions La Presse, Montréal).

Cuisine Canada is a national alliance of Canadian culinary professionals who share a common desire to encourage the development, use and recognition of fine Canadian food and beverages. For more than 140 years, the University of Guelph has contributed to Canadian cuisine in its programs in agriculture, food science, hospitality and tourism management and is the home of one of Canada’s best cookbook collections.

The Canadian Culinary Book awards are sponsored by: Agricultural Adaptation Council, CanolaInfo, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Parmalat Canada, Beef Information Centre, The Ancaster Old Mill, Niagara College Teaching Winery, The Fairmont Royal York, Niagara College, Borealis Grille & Bar, George Brown College, Georgian College, Liaison College, Rootham Gourmet Preserves, Harbinger Communications, Stratford Chefs School and Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association.

Blue Pencil Cafe

2009-09-06T12:58:00.001-07:00

This is the first I've heard of the Canadian Literature Centre (home-base is the U of A Humanities Department) but it seems to be home to some very interesting literary events in Edmonton...including this one:

Food and Wine Writing Course at UBC Okanagan in Kelowna

2009-06-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm taking my show on the road this summer! First: I'm teaching a food and wine writing course at UBC Okanagan's campus in Kelowna. The course, called "Writing the Okanagan Food and Wine Story" runs Monday, July 27 to Friday, July 31 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $249 plus GST. To register, call Elaine Crebo at 250-807-9981 or email ccs.ubco@ubc.ca.

I've paired up with veteran Kelowna-based wine writer Julianna Hayes for this. Please pass the word on to anyone you know who might be interested. What a great excuse for an Okanagan vacation this summer.

Here's the pitch:

Thirsting for a career in wine writing? Hungering for a way to satisfy those food-writing cravings? The Okanagan is the perfect setting to be inspired and get writing during this hands-on, experience-driven week for the food-and-wine-loving writer. Kelowna-based wine expert, Julianna Hayes (www.vineliving.blogspot.com), will teach you how to turn those swirls, sips, and winery visits from mere tours into compelling wine stories. Alberta-based, award-winning food writer, Jennifer Cockrall-King (www.foodgirl.ca), will explore ways to get to the heart of food stories, either from your own travels or those discovered in the heart of BC’s wine and orchard country. This course will teach budding food and wine writers how to turn their oenological and culinary passions into inspirational articles for newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. Price includes wine tastings. Participants must be 19 years of age or older to register.

Instructors: Julianna Hayes & Jennifer Cockrall-King
**************************************************************************

(Then I am launching The Okanagan Food & Wine Writers Workshop, which will be three days of small group professional development with some of Canada's best food and wine editors and writers. Stay tuned. I'm just finalizing details and I'll post them here as well as on the workshop's official site.)

Get Publishing 2009...A Roaring Success

2009-05-05T08:27:00.001-07:00

My heartfelt thanks to the hardest working volunteers in the world (writerly hyperbole but it may actually be true). This year's Get Publishing conference in Edmonton was incredibly energizing, informative and fun. There was just the right amount of information, schmoozing and having a laugh with some friends. I mean, there was a great keynote by a South African publisher and a live performance by a Brazilian band and a Capoeria demonstration. What more could you want? It's actually difficult to believe it all happened (and so much more) in just one Saturday.

Aside from the information I gleaned from the sessions and from informal chats with presenters, it was a special priviledge to meet so many of the attendees and hear about their many exciting projects in their heads and in progress. As my co-presenter, Tracy Hyatt, put it: The attendees should have been presenting their knowledge to us, the "experts." I am completely energized by the range of writing projects that were talked about in the formal sessions and over coffee breaks.

I'll post specific gleanings from the conference in future posts. (I'm taking some of my advice that I so confidently doled out in my session on blogging...keep it short, and post more often. I'll try to follow my own advice.)

The above flickr photostream is courtesy of photographer Marilyn Jones of mediamag.ca (full website coming soon) and the Get Publishing group.

Blogging about Talking about Blogging

2009-05-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

The Get Publishing Conference kicks off today.

I'm looking forward to the event and I'll be talking about blogging and on-line publishing tomorrow at one of the sessions along with my colleagues Tracy Hyatt of Westworld magazine and Mading Ngor, editor of the New Sudan Vision a non-profit Website. Should be fun. I'll report back!

Absinthe and Hot Squid Salad

2009-04-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

Last evening was lots of fun. I'm so glad that a few of your could make it out to our first post-food writing course meet up. I PROMISE that we'll have another one soon.

It was a great thing to catch up with those who popped in. A number of interesting things came up:

1) Is Science Fiction a predominately teenage boy obsession? A casual comment I made about a great novel I just read, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, was picked up on by Cathy and now I'm interested in my subconscious belief that science fiction (of which I am a fan) is a more masculine thing than a feminine thing. (Warning: the Junot Diaz book has loads of swearing and vulgarity, but it is brilliant...so unless that puts you off, I highly recommend reading it.)

2) I am currently reading Taras Grescoe's excellent non-fiction award-winning book Bottomfeeder: How to eat ethically in a world of vanishing seafood. My mid-point review is that it is a worthy winner of the Writers' Trust for Non-Fiction Prize in 2008. It's everybit as densely researched BUT completely readable as Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. It's nice to see food journalism getting such good recognition by the non-fiction world at large.

3) Hanne discussed her current fave "cookbook" which isn't really a cookbook but a fabulous reference: The Flavour Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity,
Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg. It's a guide to getting the most out of ingredients, with tips, tricks and pairings from some of the best chefs.

4)Then we talked about Okanagan Spirits -- some excellent distilled products made in Vernon, BC. They make an award-winning Absinthe...yes, Absinthe. Yes, it's legal. You can buy it around town at various places, including the Chateau Louis liquor store, Athlone liquor, and a few other places. If you want to find an outlet near you...go to the ALCB database lookup and search for "Okanagan Spirits." Let your fingers do the walking!

Next meetup? That first weekend in May? Maybe the Friday evening, May 1st??

How to Craft Flawless Features

2009-03-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association's annual conference in south Calgary. I go each year both as a publisher, but also as a writer. It's a great opportunity to network with editors and make new connections with publications (last year, I met Candace Vallentine from UP! magazine and got an assignment just a few weeks later). The sessions are also very valuable. Some directly, such as this year's "How to Craft a Flawless Feature" by former editor-in-chief of Canadian Geographic Rick Boychuk. Yes, I was taking notes furiously so that I can pass all of his good advice on to you. (I'll save the recap and how we can refocus the information through a food writing lense in a later post. Also, because he generously offered to email me his speaking notes!)

In the meantime, check out the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association blog. Kathe Lemon has expediently posted a couple of session recaps. There might be more to come. I also added a comment with a couple of the more important points that I gathered from the talks (so do read the comments of her posting if you are interested.)

Lastly, I posted a bit of a recap on the sessions on The Edible Prairie Journal's blog.

It was nice to see you, Evelyn, at the event. Which brings me to my next point...

Shall we try to organize a coffee meeting so we can do some catch-up, bragging, complaining and blood-letting of excuses? I'll send around an email.

The New Yorker Food Issue / November 24, 2008

2009-03-02T14:02:00.001-08:00

Some of the best food writing for years has been coming out of the New Yorker. NYC being such a foodie city, it tends to be scattered throughout the weekly issues throughout the year. But they devote one issue a year to food -- it seems to be the third week in November. It's a delicious read cover-to-cover. (I just attached the URL of the Table of Contents from the issue to the previous sentence.)

The content doesn't seem to be on-line, unfortunately, but you can probably find this issue and check it out from the Edmonton Public Library. I know the main Stanley Milner branch has a subscription. Or, if you are lucky like I was this year, you'll find it waiting for you at a magazine and book exchange pile!

Great Food Writing in The Walrus' Jan / Feb 2009 issue

2009-03-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

Ok, I’m sorry that I am posting this NOW. But the January / February 2009 issue of The Walrus had no fewer than three great features on food issues, and even one shorter piece on the emerging wine region of the Gaspereau valley in Nova Scotia.

First, there’s a very interesting article on Canadian ginseng, Change of Pace: Former tobacco farmers have a bumper new crop to exploit by Robert Hough, and then a very well-researched and up-to-the-moment article on vertical farming, The Future Has Begun: Vertical farms will take eating local to the next level — but are they safe? by Nora Underwood. Finally there’s a very important article on the reality of GMO foods in Canada by Anita Lahey (see below).

If you can’t find this issue still on newstands, don’t panic. You can buy the issue on-line. It’s worth it!!

Here’s the one that really caught my attention.

Do You Know What You’re Eating? Canadians want labels on GM foods. But would we understand them? by Anita Lahey

…especially given it’s opening paragraph:

On May 5, 2008, Conservative MP Rob Merrifield, who represents the Alberta riding of Yellowhead, west of Edmonton, stood up in the House of Commons and told fellow politicians, “My fear is that if we put a label on genetically modified foods, you have an electorate that doesn’t quite understand what that means.”

Click here to read the full article on The Walrus’ website.

Butchers in Edmonton

2009-02-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

In last November's class, Shawna was interested in the disappearing case of the local butcher. (Sounds like a murder mystery in the making.)

I was at NAIT last week for a special event, and I happened to stumble upon the NAIT Retail Meatcutting Store! Eureka. Since it's a teaching institution, they love a challenge. They have ready to go meat products in the cooler section, but can accommodate special requests.

NAIT's retail meatcutting store is located in the "Common Market" cafeteria area in the South Lobby. It's open mid-September to mid-December and again mid-January to mid-April (to coincide with the school terms) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The business card I grabbed didn't include a direct phone number to the meatcutting store, but it does list NAIT's school of hospitality general phone number: 780-471-8678.

Cooking in Cast Iron

2009-01-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

This one's for you, Barb! I came across this post in an email from Cook's Illustrated, one of the many magazines we discussed in class. It seems that there are some food which will develop an "off taste" when cooked in cast iron. Here's the intro to the explanation, followed by the link to the complete posting.

Published January 1, 2003, Cook's Illustrated (from www.cooksillustrated.com)

Can I cook acidic foods in cast iron pans?

The foods most likely to react with iron are acidic ones, such as tomatoes, wine, vinegar, and lemon juice. The acid acts to release some of the metal molecules from the pan surface, causing the cooked food to have a metallic or “off” taste. But will you get the same results with a well-seasoned cast-iron pan? Read the entire post.

The Writing Life

2008-12-30T09:42:00.000-08:00

I came across this very funny, and fairly accurate account of how one writer / stand-up comic / musician copes with his freelance lifestyle. Yes, you have to multi-task (I think it helps avoid burnout say, in writing, though I have no musical skills worth selling!). Yes, you keep weird hours sometimes to get the job done. And yes, you do need to schedule non-work activities, hopefully ones that are enjoyable or fun. Otherwise it's all work, all the time.

Click here to read "Diary of a Self-Help Dropout: Flirting With the 4-Hour Workweek" by Chris Hardwick

Top 10 Trends for 2008 and Trends to Watch in 2009

2008-12-12T23:13:00.000-08:00

Let's compare the trends that we came up with in class with the ones that the "pros" conjured up:

Epicurious (Bon Appetit and Gourmet): Trends to Watch in 2009

The National Post's Appetizer (On-Line Food & Drink Section): Top Ten Food Trends in 2008

More Edmonton Blogs....

2008-12-12T22:57:00.000-08:00

They're coming out of the woodwork now. Here are two new Edmonton food blogs that have contacted me this week. I'm now passing them on to you:

The Last Chance Supper Club

Take It and Like It

The World's Top 10 Food Blogs

2008-12-09T19:10:00.000-08:00

...well according to the London Time's writer and food blogger Simon Majumdar. Check out his list:www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article5238429.ece

I also was made aware of another Edmonton food blog: The Last Chance Dinner Club, by writer Paul Bergen.

Culinary Memoir a la Bon Appetit magazine

2008-12-09T16:57:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Sue emailed me this link to post. (Thanks Sue!) Indeed, here's an example of culinary memoir that is obviously good enough to get into the higher circles of the food writing elite. It's written by Molly Wizenberg, longtime food blogger on her site Orangette (since 2004...which I suspect is why she is a columnist now for Bon Appetit) and soon-to-be-published-author. What do you think?

www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/01/a_taste_of_pate_past

A visual lesson in food photography

2008-12-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

Curtis Trent, the photographer who gave me all those great food styling and food photography tips to pass along to you, has also uploaded a gallery of images for you to look at. Here it is.

Oysters!

2008-12-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

In our discussion on Food Trends to Watch, "oysters" came up as a potential ingredient to watch. We put it on our list and I just wanted to let everyone know that I've noticed a few articles in the past few days on oysters. So yes, we were "on trend." The main article that sealed the deal for me was the December food feature in Western Living magazine. It's not on-line yet, as it's in the current issue. I'll keep checking to see if it does get posted.

Michael Pollan's Open Letter to the New President

2008-11-29T12:39:00.000-08:00

Not to spoil the reading of this great piece of political agri-food writing, Michael Pollan urges the next president of the USA to "eat less oil and more sunlight." He also proposes turning the ridiculously large (and chemical-intensive no doubt) south lawn of the White House into an organic garden to provide food to the White House and the local food banks of the area!

This letter was written and appeared before Obama became the President-elect, but for those of you food activists / gardeners and foodies out there, this is a great political food essay. Maybe we should write one to Stephen Harper??

www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html?_r=2&em=&pagewanted=all

Food Trends Summary

2008-11-26T19:41:00.000-08:00

Here's the list of food trends to watch that we came up with on Day 1. Feel free to add any new trends that you see emerging.

Eat Your Words Food Trends to Watch in 2009

Chocolate: single estate, organic, flavoured, nutriceutical, etc.

Charcuterie: cured, salted, smoked meats

Fresh herbs and edible flowers / balcony herb gardens

South American / Latin food

Oysters

Sustainable seafood and fish: See A Good Catch: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from Canada’s Top Chefs, published by Greystone Books/David Suzuki Foundation, 2008; and Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood by Taras Grescoe, published by Harper Collins, 2008

Real Bread

Glamorizing traditional, rustic, “peasant” dishes and especially cuts of meat

Classic cocktails are back: Cocktails with bitters, and obscure mixes like Frenet Branca

Back to the Table movement / Slow Food

Raw Food (though it’s still fringe, but we’re seeing more prepared foods touting raw food ingredients and sections of specialty grocery stores

Mainstreaming of the “groceraunt” (ie. Sobey’s oyster bar and in-store restaurant); "Almost cooking"

“Snout to tail” cooking / meats
Heirloom beans; ties in with the seed-saving trend, concerns about maintaining biodiversity

Slow Cooker / batch-cooking / community kitchens

Do-it-yourself cooking / preserving and canning

Writers Guidelines

2008-11-26T17:06:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are some links to some writers guidelines to look at. When a publication goes to the trouble to have these available, it really is a good idea to look at them closely. And if you can do an on-line search or in-library search, make sure that your topic hasn't been covered already in the past year or so.

Western Living magazine. Scroll down on the page and find the link in red called "submission guidelines.

EnRoute magazine: Air Canada's inflight magazine. November is the "Food Issue" but food articles appear in almost every issue.

More Magazine: A very good Canadian mag aimed at women over 40. (Could be a good market for healthy living / food articles.)

Cottage Magazine: A Western Canadian magazine covering recreational issues.

If there are any magazines in particular that anyone wants me to hunt down, just let me know. I'll see what I can do!

Jennifer

Michael Pollan's Webcast...

2008-11-18T15:01:00.000-08:00

I know a number of you have read Michael Pollan's excellent food journalism: The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food. Those are just his two more recent and success books, but he contributes articles regularly to the New York Time Magazine (which is where I first read an article about "food miles" and that "big organics" might not be the answer intended by the back-to-the-land movement in the 1960s. This article became the impetus for The Omivore's Dilemma, and in essence was a sneak peak at the major trend that would explode two years later (hint!).

I found this webcast on the Internet and it has some excellent food writing insights and tips. It was taped just as he was finishing The Omnivore's Dilemma. It deals with food writing in general (the introduction is a bit rambling, but stick it out until Pollan takes the podium). The entire broadcast runs just over an hour, but you can pause it and take breaks, or make a big bowl of popcorn and sit down and watch the whole thing. Enjoy.

Michael Pollan's Writers at Work Webcast (2005)

2008 Canadian Culinary Book Award Winners

2008-11-16T17:39:00.000-08:00

Winners of Canadian Culinary Book Awards Announced

November 7, 2008 - (GUELPH, ON) Some of Canada’s top food professionals spent their summer at their stoves testing recipes and evaluating culinary books from more than 50 entrants and now Cuisine Canada and the University of Guelph are proud to announce the winners of the 11th annual Canadian Culinary Book Awards.
Winners in the English Cookbook Category are:

Gold: Fresh: seasonal recipes made with local foods by John Bishop and Dennis Green (Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver)

Silver: Dish entertains: everyday simple to special occasions by Trish Magwood (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd., Toronto)

Winners in the English Special Interest Category, books about food, but not cookbooks, are:

Gold: Ultimate foods for ultimate health . . . and don’t forget the chocolate! by Liz Pearson and Mairlyn Smith (Whitecap Books Ltd., North Vancouver)

Silver: The 100-mile diet: a year of local eating by Alisa Smith and J.R. MacKinnon (Random House Canada, Toronto)

Winners for the English Canadian Food Culture Category, books that best illustrate Canada’s rich culinary heritage and food culture are:

Gold: A year at Les Fougères by Charles Part and Jennifer Warren-Part (Chelsea Books, Chelsea, Quebec)

Silver: Menus from an orchard table: celebrating the food and wine of the Okanagan by Heidi Noble (Whitecap Books Ltd., North Vancouver)

The contest was also open to Canadian French-language culinary books.

Winners in the French Cookbook Category are:

Gold: Stefano Faita, entre cuisine et quincaillerie by Stefano Faita (Editions du Trécarré -Groupe Librex, Montréal)

Silver: Serge Bruyère: ses recettes originales et revisitées by Project Coordinator and Author Anne L. Desjardins, (Les Éditions La Presse, Montréal)

Winners in the French Special Interest Category, books about food, but not cookbooks, are:

Gold: La chimie des desserts: tout comprendre pour mieux les réussir by Christina Blais and Ricardo (Les Éditions La Presse, Montréal)

Silver: Les vins du nouveau monde, tome 1 by Jacques Orhon (Les Éditions de l’Homme, Montréal)

Cuisine Canada is a national alliance of Canadian culinary professionals who share a common desire to encourage the development, use and recognition of fine Canadian food and beverages. The University of Guelph has for more than 140 years contributed to Canadian cuisine in its programs in agriculture, food science, hospitality and tourism management and is the home of one of Canada’s best cookbook collections. For more information about the awards visit: http://www.cuisinecanada.ca/

The Canadian Culinary Book awards are sponsored by: The Agricultural Adaptation Council, The Ancaster Old Mill, Beef Information Centre, Borealis Grille, CanolaInfo, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Delta Chelsea, Dufflet Pastries, Egg Farmers of Ontario, Fairmont Hotels, George Brown College, Harbinger Communications, Liaison College, Niagara College, Niagara College Teaching Winery, Ontario Farm Fresh, Parmalat Canada, Rootham Gourmet Preserves, Royal Winter Fair, Sleeman Breweries Ltd. and Stratford Chefs School.

-30-

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Cassandra Umbriaco, Harbinger Communications
(416) – 960 – 5100 x 251

Here's the list of Food Writing Resources so far...

2008-11-16T08:57:00.000-08:00

The reason I tend to wait to hand-out the ever-useful list of all those great essential food writing books, websites and magazines, is that the list usually doubles with suggestions from in-class.

So, here's the list I started. There are some more additions to be made given our discussion from yesterday. Please feel free to suggest others we may have missed. On Wednesday I'll finish the final compilation and send it to The Writing Works to photocopy for us. I'll bring the copies next Saturday. Some of the links are active. I'll make them all live by the end of the day. (I forgot that I promised to help my husband with some stuff first thing this morning! Ooops.)

Jennifer

Eat Your Words 2008: Resource Sheet

Essential Resources:
• The New Food Lover's Companion, 4th edition (2007), Sharon Tyler Herbst, $15, softcover. Barron’s Educational Series.

• The New Wine Lover’s Companion, 2nd edition (2003), Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst, $15, softcover. Barron’s Educational Series.

• The New Food Lover’s Tiptionary: More Than 6,000 Food and Drink Tips, Secrets, Shortcuts, and Other Things Cookbooks Never Tell You, Sharon Tyler Herbst, $26, softcover (2002). William Morrow Publishing.

• The Recipe Writer’s Handbook: revised and expanded, Barbara Gibbs Ostmann and Jane L. Baker, $20, softcover. John Wiley and Sons, 2001.

• Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction and More…, Dianne Jacob, $21.50. Marlowe and Company, 2005.

• A good English language dictionary such as the Canadian Oxford Dictionary. Ask the editor / publication for whom / for which you are writing for the name(s) of the dictionary and or style guide he or she / it adheres to.

Organizations
• Periodic Writers Association of Canada for information on current freelance markets to copyright info and ready-made writing contracts. If you qualify, you may consider joining. The membership fee for an individual is $240 / year.
PWAC’s sister site is a searchable database for PWAC-member writers and lists current pay rates for freelance writers.

• Canadian Authors Association / Alberta branch . Benefits: monthly meetings, newsletters, the national CAA conference, mentoring and professional development opportunities. Annual fees $157.50 / year for individual members or a $50 student fee.

• The Writer’s Guild of Alberta . Benefits: Bi-monthly magazine, manuscript reading services, support information, networking, workshops and retreats. Membership is $60 per year or $30 for students and seniors.

• Cuisine Canada a national association of food professionals (writers included). Annual cookbook awards and food media awards. $39.90 annual dues.

• The International Association of Culinary Professionals a US-based association of culinary professionals. Benefits: the big annual conference every year, many major publication editors and publishers are members; IACP cookbook and writing awards (non-members can submit entries) and general food news. Dues: $270, ($220 annual dues, plus $50 initiation fee).

• James Beard House insider’s access to the New York food scene and James Beard Awards.

• Slow Food began in Italy but has gone worldwide. Their manifesto states that "A firm defense of quiet material pleasure is the only way to oppose the universal folly of Fast Life" and is committed to protecting regional cuisines, artisanal food products and indigenous food sources. For information on the Edmonton chapter, contact Mary Bailey at 431-1802 / .

• Introduce yourself to local tourism organizations / tourism representatives. They can help you generate story ideas and find contacts for stories. For instance, Travel Alberta / In Province sends out regular bulletins of up-coming press trips in Alberta and story ideas.

Good food & drink reading:
• Best Food Writing 2007, edited by Holly Hughes, published by Marlowe and Company, $16, softcover. (annual series)

• On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, 2nd edition 2004), Harold McGee, published by Harper Collins, now in softcover.

• Becoming a Chef, Culinary Artistry and Dining Out, Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, Wiley and Sons, $41.95, softcover. Great resources on North American food and restaurant culture.

• City Palate magazines , in both Edmonton and Calgary. Published 6 times per year. Free pickups or available by subscription.

• City Food magazine West Coast and Pacific NW foodie periodical, published 5 times per year. Free pickup or avail by subscription.

• The Edible Prairie Journal magazine (www.edibleprairie.ca), avail by subscription. Food Arts magazine (available at Hub Cigar and Front Page downtown) for cutting edge restaurant trends and news. (Especially the December issue each year.)

• Food & Wine magazine, , for hot trends and the current food writing style of first person singular, present tense, widely available.

• Saveur magazine, , for food trends but more of the literary element of food writing.

• Gastronomica magazine, . Literary food and drink writing. The tag line is: “The pleasures and aesthetics of food combined with the latest in food studies, food, culture, and society.”

• Wine Spectator for wine education and good food writing, especially restaurant reviews; widely available.

• The New Yorker magazine for good food writing, trends, people profiles. Every September, the New Yorker publishes a “food issue.”

• Air Canada’s EnRoute magazine publishes a very successful Annual Food Issue every November <>

• Cook’s Illustrated for investigative recipe writing, www.cooksillustrated.com

• Food writers living and dead you may want to read: Jeffrey Steingarten, Anthony Bourdain, Bill Buford, Adam Gopnik, Malcolm Gladwell, MFK Fisher, Elizabeth David, Laurie Colwin, Margaret Visser, Harold McGee, Michael Pollan, Ruth Reichl…

Online Food Sites of Note
Local Sites

Food Message Boards, News & Trend-spotting
• www.chowhound.com
• www.eGullet.com
• www.slashfood.com/
• www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/

Food Writers and Good Foodwriting On-line
• www.diannej.com
• http://men.style.com/gq/blogs/alanrichman/
• www.curiouscook.com
• www.newyorker.com/arts/food/index

Professional Development:
• The Symposium for Professional Food Writers, a Professional food writers and editors only, limited to 90 attendees, May 11 to 15, 2009, for more info go to www.greenbrier.com/site/foodwriters.aspx

• Any good writing course, especially ones that focus on developing essay writing skills for those who wish to write for newspapers and magazines.

• Enter writing competitions, nominate your writing for awards.

Welcome Eat Your Words 2008 Participants!

2008-11-15T16:12:00.001-08:00

Wow, what a great group again. I thought that maybe last year's group of talented, interested foodies was just beginners luck.

Anyway, welcome again. I hope you enjoyed Day 1 today. It's a long day to sit and learn, but everyone did well. The chocolate and cookies helped too, right?

So tomorrow I'll post a few of the lists, website and other material that I said I would. I'll do that early in the morning so you "morning people" can start looking through them. But right now, it's a beer and supper for me:)

This is a forum for all current and past participants for Eat Your Words. It's a way to stay in touch and post questions. Any one of us can post, which also means that if you have advice, news, answers to the posted questions or just general food observations that you need a home for, you can use this site. You'll need a Google / Blogger ID to post or reply to anything. It's free and quick to set up. If you have any questions how to do that, just email me and I'll walk you through the process.

Cheers all!

Jennifer

Maisonneuve's winter issue

2008-02-07T10:22:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

Don't know if any of you read Canadian mag Maisonneuve -- if you don't, I'd urge you to. The quality of the writing is great and the articles are always refreshingly quirky (in my humble opinion).

The most recent issue has a food theme, and features a number of great food memoir pieces. I thought many of you might enjoy it. Much of the content is online:

http://maisonneuve.org/

-- Cait

Best Books for Cooks for 2007

2008-01-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

This was an interesting podcast from the Bon Appetit / Gourmet website. I hadn't heard of several of their picks for the best cookbooks and food books, so I thought I'd post it here. Anyone read any of these?

Click here to go to the list of Bon Appetit's best books for 2007.

Canadian Culinary Book Awards Winners Announced

2007-12-10T11:45:00.000-08:00

Here are some inspiring reads (and good Christmas gifts too).
Posted by Jennifer

November 2, 2007 - (GUELPH, ON) Some of Canada’s top food professionals spent their summer at their stoves testing recipes and evaluating culinary books from more than 50 entrants and now Cuisine Canada and the University of Guelph are proud to announce the winners of the 10 th annual Canadian Culinary Book Awards.

Winners in the English Cookbook Category are:

Gold: Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine by Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala (Douglas & McIntyre Ltd., Vancouver)

Silver: Lucy’s Kitchen: Signature Recipes and Culinary Secrets by Lucy Waverman (Random House Canada, Toronto)

Winners in the English Special Interest Category, books about food, but not cookbooks, are:

Gold: Bitter Chocolate: Investigating the Dark Side of the World’s Most Seductive Sweet by Carol Off (Random House Canada, Toronto)
Silver: Red, White, and Drunk All Over: a Wine Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass by Natalie Maclean (Doubleday Canada, Toronto)

Winners for the English Canadian Food Culture Category, books that best illustrate Canada’s rich culinary heritage and food culture are:

Gold: Canadians at Table: Food, Fellowship, and Folklore: A Culinary History of Canada by Dorothy Duncan (Dundurn Press, Toronto)
Silver: Hearth and Home: Women and the Art of Open Hearth Cooking by Fiona Lucas (James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers, Toronto)

The contest was also open to Canadian French-language culinary books.

Winners in the French Cookbook Category are:

Gold: Á table en famille: recettes et stratégies pour relever le défi by Marie Breton and Isabelle Emond (Flammarion Québec, Montreal)

Silver: Nutrition gourmande: propos et recettes by Isabelle Huot and Thierry Daraize (Les Éditions Publistar, Outremont, Quebec)

Winners in the French Special Interest Category, books about food, but not cookbooks, are:

Gold: Couleur champagne by Chrystine Brouillet and Guénaël Revel (Flammarion Québec, Montreal)

Silver: Cuisiner avec les aliments contre le cancer by Richard Béliveau and Denis Gingras (Éditions du Trécarré, Outremont, Quebec)

The Winner for the French Canadian Food Culture Category, books that best illustrate Canada’s rich culinary heritage and food culture is:

Gold: Au Pied de Cochon:L’Album by Martin Picard (Restaurant Au Pied De Cochon, Montreal)

The Canadian Culinary Book awards are sponsored by: Lead Sponsor: Delta Chelsea Hotel, Platinum Sponsors: CanolaInfo, Chicken Farmers of Canada and Harbinger Communications. The award’s ceremony and reception is supported by: Beef Information Centre, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, George Brown College, Inniskillin, Liaison College and Sleeman Breweries Ltd.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Sofia Hondrogiannis, Harbinger Communications

(416) – 960 – 5100 x 248

Sofie@Harbingerideas.com

Book recommendation

2007-12-04T21:51:00.001-08:00

Hi everybody,

I hope that things are going well for everybody in the food writing world!

Me, being the food history buff that I am, have found a fantastic book that some of you may be interested in having a look at. It's called "Food: The History of Taste". It's edited by Paul Freedman and published by the University of California Press. I found it at the U of A bookstore. It's a collection of essays written by food history scholars. Each chapter focuses on a different period of time: it runs the gamut from the hunter-gatherers of pre-history up to the molecular cuisine movement of the 1990's.

One of the interesting points of the book is the exploration of the sweet/savoury dichotomy. (I believe that it was JoLynn who was interested in this?) As it turns out, there was traditionally no distinction between the two before the mid-seventeenth century. During the medieval and Renaissance times, sugar was such an expensive and rare commodity that it was added to absolutely everything, including things that we would think of now as inherently savory, like stews, soups, and even roast meats. The distinction between sweet and savoury really took off when sugar cane began to be imported from the Carribean in mass quantities. As the author puts it, "...one of the odder consequences... was that sweetness was increasingly relegated to fewer dishes, although a much greater amount of sugar was now used in those dishes that were thought of as 'sweet' ".

Happy reading!

Lisa

Word of the Year: Locavore!

2007-12-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

The Oxford American Dictionary just announced its pick for the word of the year...and it's a food word. This info may come in handy for any of you (and me) pitching a story about "eating locally." You can read the whole story at http://blog.oup.com/2007/11/locavore/.

--Jennifer

Culinary Historians of Canada org

2007-11-28T09:12:00.000-08:00

Hi again,

I should mention that I thought that most of you would be interested in the "obvious" choices in food writing: restaurant reviews and trend-based articles. That said, I was thrilled that you had interest in culinary memoir, cookbook writing, etc.

I just got my latest issue of the "Culinary Chronicles: The Newsletter of the Culinary Historians of Ontario" and it occurred to me that some of you might be interested in knowing about this group. I believe that the group is going national, in other words, their field of interest has broadened coast to coast.

Memberships are cheap at $30 / year and you get a newsletter with interesting historical recipes, articles and newsy bits. For more information, head to the Culinary Historian's website.

The newsletter welcomes items for the newsletter. Just check with the editors to see if your idea is a fit.

Welcome to Eat Your Words' GMCC WRIT0155(570)'s Blogspace

2007-11-25T21:42:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Here's our blog space where we can continue our energetic discussions aboutfood, food writing, wine writing and anything else we covered in class.

First of all, I saw Judy Schultz at the Slow Food Edmonton annual holiday brunch today and she mentioned that her book Nibbles and Feasts is now "owned" by Blue Couch Books. So I will contact them to see if there are still copies in print or how you can order this book if you wish. It's a great example of family memoir food writing and I think you'd all enjoy reading it.

I also realize that there were a few questions that we just didn't get around to answering on Saturday...so if you could please remind me of them...I'll do my best to give you some answers.

I really enjoyed our discussions, and I hope that they continue on this blog, or by personal email, by phone or in person.

This will also be a great place to help one another hone those food story ideas, craft a pitch that sells and boast about any successes that we have as a result.

So let's get the ball rolling...fire off any comments or questions.