Eat All About It

I’ve been impressed with the events food-lover Keren Brown organizes around town, from the Foodportunity networking nights to meetups with visiting authors. I’m glad to be part of her first “Foodportunity Expression” seminar, a food writing class that I’ll lead at Andaluca restaurant from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Jan. 16.  We’ll cover a range of topics, including effective writing and meaningful restaurant criticism, hands-on exercises and critiques, standing out in a crowded field, and finding inspiration.We’ll also enjoy lunch together, with pintxos cooked up by  Andaluca’s Wayne Johnson.

Here’s a link to the full details. Want to join us? Sign up here. (Cost: $99, including lunch). I may be the official speaker for the day, but I can already see that some wonderful writers will be part of the group, and I’m looking forward to a great day of conversations and questions and constructive criticism.

This is one of the saddest pieces of Seattle restaurant news I’ve heard since the Beeliner Diner and the Dog House closed: Jonathan Kauffman, restaurant critic for Seattle Weekly, is heading back to his old Bay Area eating grounds. Starting Jan. 1, he’ll take the critic’s job at SF Weekly.

Kauffman’s background as a cook, his knowledge, and his voracious curiosity for exploring all kinds of cuisine made him a must-read when he came to Seattle three years ago. He’s not just a must-read, he is a joy to read — perceptive, honest, and marvelously skilled.  (On top of all that, not only has he kept his relevance in this Internet age, he’s even retained his anonymity.) When I saw in 2007 that a food critic had won the Pulitzer Prize, and that his name was Jonathan, I more than half expected to hear Kauffman’s name follow. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading his work, check out his takes on teriyaki, on what he saw at the pig slaughter, and Number One New York Pizza. 

Treat him well, SF, and feed him well.

When people ask me where to go for advice on food writing, I often tell them to talk to Kathleen Flinn, author of The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry,
who is both a fine writer and remarkably good at helping others figure out the publishing world. When I spoke in her class at Hugo House earlier this year, I only wished I’d gotten there earlier to write down more tips for myself.

Kathleen is teaching another Introduction to Food Writing class Nov. 14-15. Details are here. The cost is $192 for Hugo House members; $213.50 for non-members, but you still have time to snag a chance at a free reserved spot. Just send your name and phone number to bumbershoot@kathleenflinn.com by 12:01 a.m. Sept. 9. One lucky winner gets a free spot in the class plus a signed copy of her book.

I do understand why some people roll their eyes at Twitter. But if you’re reading this, chances are good that you’re interested in food. And I would bet a pint of homemade jam that you would find Twitter worthwhile. I have an article in this month’s Seattle Magazine on just that topic.

One of my oldest friends continues to resist, saying that it’s better to spend time with actual human beings than to engage them online. No argument. The funny thing about Twitter, for me, is how much it does spill over into real life. It led to the impromptu canning party I attended this afternoon with Jeanne Sauvage at Kathy Casey Studios, and this lovely afternoon of cherry picking on Vashon Island. As I told people at Keren Brown’s Foodportunity last week, I was recently walking to the Lake City Farmers Market, and ran into Alice of Savory Sweet Life in person for the first time. We ran and embraced like the friends we clearly kinda are.

Want to know where to begin? Here are just a few of the most active Seattle-centric tweeters on my own follow list, for a starter sampler. It’s heavy on local food writers, but that’s my tribe.  I could easily make the list five times as long, but hey — those of you already on Twitter, feel free to let people know how to find you, or to add your suggestions for other places to start. You can also add your suggestions on the article, over here: (more…)

Cakespy art courtesy of www.jessieoleson.etsy.com

Gourmet.com has listed nearly 100 of its favorite food blogs online, not long after the Times of London made a splash with its top 50. A bunch of my favorites are on the Gourmet page, including a bunch of locals — I’m especially glad to see Cakespy, a long-time favorite, get such a prominent national nod. For locals, the alphabetical list also includes The Accidental Hedonist, Cook and Eat, Gluten-Free Girl, A Mighty Appetite, and Orangette.

Of course, you’re asking, how could they forget Hogwash? Where’s Tea and Cookies?” (Fill in your own favorites in the comments.) But even as I write that, I know I’m leaving out some of my own other must-reads too.

Here’s the full list from Gourmet.