Bytes to Eat
Bytes to Eat
Introduction
A pinch of this, a cup of that… in recent years, food blogging has become a popular and prominent form of blogging. Food blogs are made up of a blogger’s opinions, recipes, stories, and photos. Although food blogs are publically available, integrating personal information in food blog posts creates intimacy. Food blogs are distinct from Instagram and Pinterest food pages because they combine private and public spheres.
Who is a Food Blogger?
Anyone can create a blog and post recipes; however, according to popular food blogger Nicky Simpson, a successful food blogger is someone who has “…various talents in one person (eg. trend-spotting, story-telling, recipe-writing, food-styling and -photographing)." Simpson concludes that a food blogger, especially a successful food blogger, is a specific type of person. Food bloggers differ from other types of bloggers, such as news and political bloggers, because of their relationship with professionals in their field. Political bloggers have an “antagonistic attitude toward their professional counterparts," while food bloggers have respect for professional food writers; they are not looking to challenge professional’s jobs, but instead to complement professional work with amateur views (de Solier 148). Nicholas Clee believes it is a writer’s “enthusiastic amateurishness" that appeals to readers. It can be intimidating to try to follow the instructions written in some professional chef’s cookbooks. However, readers believe they can follow the instructions written by amateur food bloggers on the web. Clee comments that, “…recipes seem approachable because of the web medium" allowing one to think food blogs might be a preference for some people because they are not as intimating to follow as some highly praised cookbooks. The voice of the blogger is quite apparent in their posts, which hails readers to continue reading, and to try to create the recipe themselves. For example, Lauren, whose food blog is “Lauren’s Latest", uses the first person when writing her personal message included in her blog post, to engage with her readers. She also uses the second person to explain the steps of the recipe. Lauren writes, “Now, incorporate the two. You’ll get a thick batter…exactly what you want" (“Lauren’s Latest" 2015). Lauren’s use of the second person provides confirmation to her readers that they are following the recipe correctly; a type of confirmation one does not receive in cookbooks. When I follow recipes from food blogs, I feel the blogger guiding me through the instructions, while I find cookbooks a little less personal. I think the experience is different when following a recipe from a food blog compared to a recipe from a cookbook because of the connection felt to the blogger.
Food Blogs as a Cultural Form
A person can share their life and culture through their food blog. Radha Hegde discusses how South Asian diasporic food bloggers use their blogs as a cultural form to share information about their homeland and home-cooked meals (89). From reading food blogs, readers are able to get a sense of and appreciate other cultures, while also using the recipes as inspiration or a guideline in their own kitchens. This is one example of how food blogs combine privates and public spheres. As quoted in de Solier’s book, “Food blogs have a public function as they seek to ‘inform and influence people’" (148). South Asian diasporic food bloggers are able to achieve this function by incorporating personal aspects from their homeland into their blog posts for the public to read. As presented in Signe Rousseau’s book, “when you read a writer’s words and see what their cameras capture every day, their lives become an integrated, regular part of your own" (9). Food bloggers can also use recipes to document and correspond with important events in their lives. The blogger “Smitten Kitchen" announced her pregnancy with the aid of a recipe for cinnamon buns that alluded to another bun in the oven (Rousseau 9). As mentioned by Simpson, story-telling is one of the aspects she believes makes a successful food blogger, which allows for readers to feel involved, and not just feel like they are reading a flat screen.
Analysis of Food Blog Vs. Instagram Vs. Pinterest
I will examine a food blog, a food account on Instagram, and Pinterest’s “Food and Drink" page to demonstrate what food blogs are, and how food blogs are distinct from food posts on Instagram and Pinterest. Although all three platforms use appetizing and appealing pictures to attract an audience, food blogs incorporate personal stories and recipes into their posts, which allow a connection to be built between the blogger and readers. Instagram and Pinterest use more impersonal measures to display food, which does not allow for the same personal connections to be formed.
Instagram
The Instagram account, “new_fork_city" displays appetizing pictures of all types of food. Everything from bagels, to ice cream, to full meals can be seen on this account with a link to where that “meal" can be purchased in New York City.
Layout
“New_fork_city" is presented in the same way as every other account on Instagram. Viewers get a nice overview of the pictures of food, and when a picture is clicked on, the viewer gets an enlarged view, and can also see the caption, comments, and where the food can be purchased. The layout of “new_fork_city" is nice, but nothing unique.
Content
The comment on this post is, “It’s 4pm and I haven’t eaten anything all day, so I’m just going to sit here and stare at this bagel for a while" (new_fork_city). Although the poster is using the first person point of view, there is nothing in depth about this comment. Viewers do not know how the bagel tasted, how they can make a bagel similar to this, or what every ingredient is. Since the poster gives credit to another account, most likely the person who runs “new_fork_city" has never tasted this bagel and would have nothing to say about it besides that it looks good. If a similar picture to this bagel was posted on a food blog, readers would know each ingredient involved, how to make it, what it tastes like, as well as a story about where/when the blogger enjoyed this meal. I think the extra details that are included in food blogs, that are missing in Instagram food accounts, such as “new_fork_city", make all the difference.
Style/Tone
The reason I think food blogs are distinct from Instagram food accounts is because, accounts such as “new_fork_city" do not contain a recipe, or a story or personal message of real value to go along with the picture of the food. I think Instagram’s audience is better referred to as “viewers" than as “readers" because only a series of snapshots of a person’s life is provided to view, unlike on food blogs where pictures are accompanied by a story or message to read, as well as the recipe so readers can try to make the item at home. Because “new_fork_city" only provides the link to where the food in the picture can be purchased, there is not the same connection between the poster and the viewer as there is between the blogger and the reader. There is nothing personal about a link to a restaurant or bakery on the corner of a street in one of the worlds busiest, and most populated cities. There is also no mention of “we" or any other form of language that would connect the blogger to the reader. I think Instagram food accounts lack the connection between the viewers and the posters, as well as the connection between the viewers and the food, as there is no recipe to assist the viewer in creating the food in the picture on their own. If “new_fork_city" wanted to be considered a food blog, I think they would need to convert their audience from viewers to readers by providing a recipe and a personal message to be read. A much more personal connection would then be established, one which allows the private and public spheres to overlap.
It is possible “new_fork_city" is not trying to imitate conventional food blogs, but is instead trying to become their own type of food account which is less intimate, and is intended more for viewing than engaging in. Popular food accounts on Instagram are similar to “new_fork_city" in their method of using appealing pictures of food to attract viewers, which are accompanied by small amounts of impersonal text. Instagram is a mobile photo and video-sharing app; therefore, it is not surprising that pictures and videos take up the majority of the screen, leaving little room for text. However, Instagram does not enforce a word or character limit on captions. If an Instagram user wants to write a couple hundred words, or as many words roughly equivalent to a food blog post, he or she can. Therefore, even though Instagram caters to pictures and videos, there is the possibility of posting longer texts or stories along side photos, allowing Instagram food accounts to become more similar to food blogs if the poster wishes. However, not many people use Instagram in this manor. For this reason, I still believe food blogs to be distinct from Instagram food accounts because of “new_fork_city"’s lack of recipes and personalized texts. A blog is a “collection of personal journal-like postings" (Kingsley). I do not see “new_fork_city" fitting that description because there is nothing “personal" or “journal-like" about the posts that are shared on the account.
Layout
Pinterest’s “Food and Drink" page is different from food blogs because of the differences in layout and function. Food blogs do not link readers to other sites in order to view a recipe. Pinterest also groups together all food and drink related posts. This means there are multiple posters’ posts located in the same location.
Content
There are thousands of appetizing pictures to choose from the “Food and Drink" board. However, one must click the picture to be redirected to the recipe.
Style/Tone
The style and tone is similar to what I examined in Lauren’s blog post. By clicking a picture of food on Pinterest, Pinterest redirects you to a food blog with the recipe, as well as a personal story. When redirected to a food blog from Pinterest, one can expect a similar experience to “Lauren’s Latest".
Food Blog
Lauren is a “Wife. Mother. Blogger. Food eater. Thunder thigh haver. Baby maker. Carb lover. Travel goer. Exclamation point user" (Lauren’s Latest). Her blog, “Lauren’s Latest", includes appetizing recipes, accompanied by personalized stories in order to build a connection with her readers.
Layout
Lauren presents her food blog in a professional way. It is very clean and simple while still incorporating beautiful blog posts, as well as headers such as, “Recipe Index", and “Travel", with “FAQ", “Contact", and “Subscribe" (Lauren’s Latest) below the picture of Lauren and her family. I think it is important that Lauren included a picture of herself with her family because her readers can now put a face to a name. While Lauren’s food blog earns her a profit, which I can infer from the advertisements on her blog, her blog is free to the public. The majority of food blogs are freely available for public use, while most cookbooks must be bought. I think one leading reasons people turn to food blogs for recipes is because they are free, and constantly updated. However, some people will still buy cookbooks because they like that they are “curated and finite" (Anderson 2).
Content
Lauren begins her blog post by saying no other dessert has ever come as close to beating chocolate lava cake than the pumpkin pecan cobbler she is going to show her readers how to make. She creates a connection to the reader by saying “we," unlike “new_fork_city" who only said “I" in the post about the bagel from Black Seed Bagels. Lauren combines personal and private spheres when she writes, “If you are like my husband…" (Lauren’s Latest). She allows for her readers, whom she most likely does not know personally, to become connected to her husband through their love of chocolate.
Style/Tone
Lauren hails readers to try this recipe, regardless of how much they love chocolate compared to pumpkin, by referring to readers as “you guys." She does not know her readers individually, but she writes as if they are friends. From reading multiple food blogs, I have gathered it is common for food bloggers to write to their readers as one would talk to their friends. This type of dialogue and language makes food blogs personable. Lauren also shares with her readers a small personal story of what will happen if baking powder is not added to the recipe. Her whole message (above) that she includes before the recipe (below), allows the reader to feel connected and more comfortable with Lauren. The reader can also feel at ease knowing she has made the mistake of not adding baking powder; a mistake I feel would not be admitted in a professional cookbook.
I have concluded that “new_fork_city" and Pinterest’s “Food and Drink" page are different from food blogs, which is not a negative conclusion. Both Instagram and Pinterest are very successful platforms that have millions of users. Food blogs, Instagram, and Pinterest are formatted differently which provides each audience with a different experience. All three platforms heavily rely on pictures of food to attract an audience. The difference is in how posters utilize their chosen platform to incorporate recipes, as well as combine private and public sectors. Incorporating personal details can make all the difference to the reader’s experience, as well as the blogger’s.
The Julie/Julia Project
Julie Powell is well known for her blog, “The Julie/Julia Project," which she began in 2002. Her goal was to cook all five hundred and twenty-four recipes from Julia Child’s cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in just one year (Karnasiewicz). Powell’s blog quickly gained a large following because she had a unique idea, and posted regularly (Martin-Maude). Powell first found food blogging extremely boring, but once she began incorporating personal details about her life in her food blog posts she became more interested. In an interview she said, “The stuff about my life was just kind of squeezed in there, but it became the thing that the readers of my blog were more interested in, or at least as interested in" (as quoted in Karnasiewicz). Powell’s experience is a prime example of how integrating private and public spheres creates a unique form of blogging. From Powell’s experience we learn that readers want to make a connection to the blogger. It was when Powell started talking about her personal life that readers became even more interested in her blog, and what she had to say. Integrating personal information allows food blogging to become more interesting and worthwhile for the blogger as well. It seems the more Powell posted about her personal life, the more her readers, as well as herself, became invested in her blog. Integrating personal thoughts with food is the perfect recipe to create a different genre of blogging that readers are interested in reading.
Readers feel a connection to bloggers; a connection I would argue is stronger than to authors of cookbooks. Food blogs are personal, as well as personable, as they host a blogger’s opinions, recipes, stories, and photos. Food is personal because it has a variety of meanings and levels of importance to different people of different class levels. Some people cannot afford to put food on their table, while others thrive off of having large delicacies. People with specific food allergies have to adjust their diet accordingly; similar to how adults probably no longer eat like they did when they were in university because their bodies and tolerances have changed. This may mean people turning to food bloggers who are in a similar situation to them in order to learn to, “celebrate what they can eat rather than lament what they cannot enjoy" (Rousseau 10). Food blogs are distinct from Instagram and Pinterest food accounts, as well as cookbooks, as, “…the personal element of many blogs puts on display people’s lives as much as the food they cook" (Rousseau 10). Anyone can read a blogger’s personal opinions and explanations alongside recipes, which allows for public and private spheres to connect. Food blogs are personable because the voice of the blogger is heard.
Food blogs are an amazing resource to take advantage of when looking for recipes that incorporate, or often avoid, a specific food ingredient. Today, there are thousands of food blogs that cater to vegans, paleo, and gluten-free diets, etc. Food bloggers and readers are able to bond over their dietary restrictions, as they may feel like someone else understands their struggle with certain foods and/or ingredients. Food bloggers share with the public recipes to enjoy that abide by specific dietary restrictions. Anyone can also make comments on the blog post for other readers, as well as the blogger, to consider.
Are Cookbooks Becoming Extinct?
As food blogs continue to become more popular, I think it is important to ask if cookbooks are becoming extinct because of the increasing importance the Internet plays in our lives, as well as the personal connection to bloggers that the Web allows. Clee informs readers that his friend believes cookbooks are becoming redundant. Food blogs welcome readers to comment on their posts. Often readers will comment and/or review the quality of the recipe, and how the finished product tasted, which is very helpful for those thinking of making the recipe themselves. Cookbooks do not have the option of this instantaneous interaction, which is one of the reasons, “the Internet is far superior to cookbooks for helping readers suss out recipe quality" (Anderson 2). As the Internet becomes even more prominent in our lives, I think most people will make the switch from print publication to web. Although there will always be a minority of people who will completely boycott the idea of the switch from print to web, for reasons such as sentimentality, I think for convenience and variety reasons most people will use food blogs, opposed to cookbooks, to gain inspiration for their meals.
Conclusion
From my research on food blogs I have established that readers are more able to follow a recipe when they feel a connection to the poster. Readers are also less intimated by food blogs than professional cookbooks, perhaps because of the blogger’s incorporation of personal details. Food blogs are distinct from food accounts on Instagram or food pages on Pinterest because they strive to reach different goals.
It takes special talent to be a successful food blogger; perhaps a person who can spot trends, tell stories, and write recipes, style food, and photograph food well, as suggested by Simpson. Because food is personal, blogs, although very public, should incorporate personal information of the blogger, to allow readers to feel personally connected to the blogger and content. Even though bloggers and readers most likely do not know each other personally, readers feel more involved in their reading, and enjoy the personal stories bloggers provide because they are comforting. It is human nature for a person to want to feel a connection to things and other people, as, “our well-being depends on our connections with others" (Cook). Food bloggers build this connection between themselves and their readers by publicly creating and sharing links between food and life, allowing private and public spheres to come together in a distinct form.
I decided to write the first draft of my project on Word because I was still debating if I was going to switch from Medium to Postach.io. After carefully examining Postach.io, I decided I would use it as my digital strategy because I love how Postach.io allows the user to customize their site by changing the picture in the header. I think the colourful header that I uploaded of the food and laptop, nicely contrasts with the white background of the writing space. The blank writing space allowed me, as the user, to make the space appealing by adding colour through pictures. It as well lets my reader focus on my project, as there is nothing to distract the reader from my work because of the simplicity of Postach.io. I also love how easy it is for the reader to scroll through my work because I would not want to struggle trying to navigate a complex blog, and I would not want my readers to either.
Despite all the aspects of Postach.io that I love, I ran into a few issues with the site that I could not seem to fix. Firstly, from Word, I copy and pasted my prose and images on to Evernote, which I then synced to Postach.io. For some reason, like Jacqueline mentioned, at times there are inconsistent fonts. Secondly, Postach.io does not allow paragraphs to be indented, even if they are indented on Evernote. I find this highly frustrating, especially when it comes to my Works Cited page. Thirdly, in certain spots there are large spaces that are not present in my draft on Evernote.
Even with these obstacles, I enjoyed using Postach.io and Evernote, as they were not too tricky to use, and overall, displayed my project well.
Works Cited
Anderson, L.V. “The Future of Cookbooks." Slate. The Slate Group, 18 June 2012. Web.
12 Nov. 2015. < http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2012/06/the_future_of_cookbooks_they_ll_go_extinct_and_that_s_ok_.html>
Clee, Nicholas. "Bytes to eat: along with a staple diet of cookbooks, the net can provide
all a foodie needs, writes Nicholas Clee." New Statesman 137.4894 (2008): 50.
Web. <
Cook, Gareth. “Why We Are Wired to Connect." Scientific American. Scientific
American, 22 Oct. 2013. Web. 6 Dec. 2015. <
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-we-are-wired-to-connect/>
de Solier, Isabelle. Food and the Self: Consumption, Production and Material Culture.
New York: Bloomsbury, 2013. Print.
“Food and Drink." Pinterest. Pinterest.com, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
< https://www.pinterest.com/categories/food_drink/>
Hegde, Radha. “Food blogs and the digital reimagination of South Asian diasporic
Publics." South Asian Diaspora 6.1 (2014): 89-103. Web. < http://www.tandfonline.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/doi/full/10.1080/19438192.2014.876172#.VkYR_IRYZFI>
“Julia Child Considered The Julie/Julia Project a ‘Stunt.’" Eat Me Daily.
Eatmedaily.com, 20 July 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2015. < http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/07/julia-child-considered-the-juliejulia-project-a-stunt/>
Karnasiewicz, Sarah. “Recipe for success." Salon. Salon.com, 12 Oct. 2005. Web.
12 Nov. 2015. < http://www.salon.com/2005/10/12/powell_27/>
Kingsley, Kathy. “25 Best Food Blogs for Boomers." Huffington Post.
Huffingtonpost.com, 28 Apr. 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. < http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/07/julia-child-considered-the-juliejulia-project-a-stunt/>
Lauren’s Latest. “Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler." Lauren’s Latest. Lauren’s Latest, 19 Nov.
2015. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. <
http://www.laurenslatest.com/pumpkin-pecan-cobbler/>
Martin-Maude, Ruth. “The Julie/Julia Project – A Blogging Success Story." Dandelion
Web Design. Dandelionwebdesign.com, 14 June 2010. Web. 12 Nov. 2015. < https://dandelionwebdesign.com/julie-julia/>
New_Fork_City. Instagram, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <
https://instagram.com/new_fork_city/?hl=en>
Rousseau, Signe. Food and Social Media: You Are What You Tweet. New York:
AltaMira Press, 2012. Print.
Simpson, Nicky. “Food bloggers turning cookbook authors & vice versa- three lists."
Delicious Days. Delicious Days, 16 Sept. 2011. Web. 23 Oct. 2015. < http://www.deliciousdays.com/archives/2011/09/16/food-bloggers-turning-cookbook-authors-vice-versa-three-lists/>
Posted on November 11th, 2015