On Food, Words and the Internet
This coming October, I’ve been invited to participate in the second annual Food Writers’ Festival. The line up of speakers include Belinda Jeffery (one of my all time favourite cookbook authors) and one of the best chefs in Sydney, Peter Gilmore of Quay. Needless to say, I’m absolutely terrified of being amongst such esteemed company and the very idea of public speaking fills me with gut churning anxiety not dissimilar to that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you’ve eaten too many pork buns.
Which is why I have agreed to do it. Conquering demons, constantly seeking new ways of self improvement and all that kind of stuff.
My presentation will be about this blog and my use of social media. Kind of amusing in a way, given I’m secretly pretty technologically challenged. However, not a day goes by that I’m reminded of how much of an influence social media has had on my life. At the most personal level, B and I met online 17.5 years ago. When he travelled to Tokyo recently for work, I asked an Instagram friend for some shop recommendations, and he managed to bring back a few pieces from a place we would never have otherwise known about. See, the Internet is not just about Grumpy Cat and Gangnam Style!
One of my current projects for work is looking into the possibility of creating a pork bun recipe using sourdough or a preferment. Despite owning hundreds of cookbooks, I ended up with the best first-attempt success via several food blogs. For those who regard the majority of food blogs as self indulgent rubbish, well it turns out self indulgent rubbish can often be quite useful afterall. If you want the recipe, I think it’d be best if you go read a few food blogs 🙂
PS: If you’re interested in attending the festival, to listen to Paul Allam and David McGuinness of Bourke Street Bakery talk about the Bread & Butter project, or hear Belinda Jeffery speak about cookbooks and successful recipe writing, or even to heckle me, you can get more information and tickets here.
Tags: Food and Words, Not Grumpy Cat, pork buns
Rosa Mayland said,
September 30, 2013 @ 7:00 pm
Wonderful buns! That is something ever so scrumptious.
Good luck and have fun.
Cheers,
Rosa
Shez said,
September 30, 2013 @ 7:47 pm
How wonderful (and terrifying! And wonderful!)
chika said,
September 30, 2013 @ 8:07 pm
hello y, what exciting news!! good luck and have fun there.. show ’em how what may seem self indulgent rubbish to some can be a wonderful source of inspiration and joy to others! 🙂
p.s. come visit japan again soon, both of you!
Amanda said,
September 30, 2013 @ 8:56 pm
Congratulations yc! I think your inclusion is a fantastic choice – your blog is so thoughtful and well-written. I’m always happy to see that you have posted. Good luck and enjoy!
Helen | grabyourfork said,
October 2, 2013 @ 4:10 am
Wow your sourdough steamed buns look stunning. Congrats on your speaking engagement too – I’m so sad I’ll be out of town that weekend otherwise I’d be booking tickets this second!
e / dig in hobart said,
October 3, 2013 @ 9:37 am
congratulations on the food writers fectival gig! what a wonderful opportunity. that’s afab poster for it, too. i shall have to look out for it – maybe next year i can save my pennies and travel interstate for it!
Bill said,
October 6, 2013 @ 5:52 am
You’re right about the internet and social media. Notwithstanding all that is wrong about them, they are amazing tools for connecting people and sharing information. Even something like the food movement, which at it’s foundation is about being outside and away from screens, benefits greatly from it. Our farm’s facebook page is the main way our customers and friends keep up with us, for example. And blogging is a great way to spread the message and counter the multimillion dollar industrial food budgets.
GourmetGetaways said,
October 8, 2013 @ 7:11 pm
These buns look amazing!! I have loads of recipe boos but food blogs are so current and reliable.
Samantha said,
October 10, 2013 @ 6:13 am
i dont think any reader of your food blog would think they’re self indulgent rubbish, after all they are reading your blog
anna said,
December 25, 2013 @ 11:21 am
It’s nice to know I’m not the only professional who uses food blogs as a major resource 😉
Gourmet Getaways said,
February 14, 2014 @ 10:22 am
Congratulations!!
I don’t know how anyone could fail to love bloggers, there is a wealth of information available on all topics now.