Foodie Communion

My favourite blogs are ones that share tangibles. Food, and health blogs, are what I most frequent particular because they are most practical to my daily life.  Generally speaking, I’ve found blogs too tempting for my critical nature because the often lure me into debates on loaded subjects like current affairs, culture, ethics, or religion.  In my hectic life, I rarely have time to get into these matters with strangers, despite my interest.  So I often search blogs for new recipe ideas, research health and wellness trends related to the food we eat.  I’ve never been much of a meat and potatoes person, and so I also look to blogs for recipes from other ethnic cultures.  Who better to get recipes for Southern Indian food from then from a blog written by a Southern Indian? Or Pho from a Vietnamese blogger.

For example, my husband’s lactose intolerance has me investigating dairy-free recipes from what I would call lifestyle diets like the Paleo diet and Veganism. I found a recipe for some fantastic Vegan cupcakes complete with dairy-free icing on one delectable blog by Chef Chloe.  Another, great food site I found through a friend of mine is the hilariously brazen, Thug Kitchen.  On this one most of the recipes are plant-based but they also have plenty of Paleo friendly recipes as well.

I am not necessarily adoptive of the particular ideals of Veganism or Paleo dieters, but I do find a lot of the information useful and I enjoy the creativity of new experiences with food that practitioners’ of these lifestyles share.  These I can apply or dismiss very simply in my life and I enjoy that type of blogging. 

Think this what is emphasized in the article by food critic/blogger Denveater,  “The Virtual Roundtable: Food Blogging as Citizen Journalism” (2009).  There’s something communal and thus comforting about blogs. He states, “while the comments on blogs, like the blogs themselves, are often personal and conversational, potentially making all the difference between what is merely public and what is truly communal”(45).

He also talks about the organic nature in which many blogs develop and this being directly related to the unlimited space the internet provides to do so (44).  What transpires is emotionally winding journey into the relationship we have with food in our life outside of simply eating. This can provide a wealth of discussion that stems from a basic love of food.  However, sentimental, Denveater suggests food writng is not with out a sense of responsibility to “invoke” the experience of eating for the viewer through poetic devices (44).   On responsibility, he also acknowledges the potential to influence the course of someone’s livelihood through this form of citizen journalism (46).  Where traditional journalism is about informing the community, food blogging shows how citizen journalism is about connecting with your community.

Blogs are best used as a public space for private reflections.  Hopefully you can attract like-minded people with whom you can share ideas.  The occasional debate may spring up, but it’s all toward a better understanding of each other and perhaps inspiring taking new paths in life. 

Works Cited

Denveater. "The Virtual Roundtable: Food Bloggin as Citizen Journalism." World Literature Today January-February 2009: 42-46.