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IF, Social Media & Newspaper Food History
Yesterday, Lance & I presented at the IF Conference at UCF. We spoke about academics using social media. In my research, I have shown the connection between newspaper recipe exchange columns as early social media: A Culinary Conversation: Newspaper Recipe Exchange Columns as Early Social Media. The food editors had a direct connection with readers as they helped them exchange recipes or found lost ones.
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Food Studies Presentation: Ohio Food Editor History
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Cooking Competitions
I entered my “Two Sons Salsa” in a cooking contest at last weekend’s Fire in the Park Chili Cook Off. I did it to see what t was like to take part in competitive cooking. Newspaper food editors served as judges of the competitions or covered the competitions as news. The Pillsbury Bake-Off always included newspaper food editors as judges, and the Great American Cook-Off—a contest restricted to male contestants—also was judged by food editors. News from that particular contest ran in Sports Illustrated. Houston Chronicle food editor Ann Criswell judged several national cooking competitions, including the National Beef Cook-Off, the National Chicken Cooking Contest, and America’s Cookout Championship for…
- Cecily Brownstone, food editors, food history, food section, James Beard, Jeanne Voltz, Nora Ephron, ruth gray
Jello-O Abusers & Nicey-Nice Lady Food Journalists
Caption: Miami Herald and Los Angeles Times food editor Jeanne Voltz In his classic book about food history, The United States of Arugula, David Kamp described the newspaper food editors as “Jello-O abusers” and as “nicey-nice lady food journalists.” There were certainly some editors who did fit the description of nice. The St. Petersburg Times’ Ruth Gray, for example, felt so badly about writing a negative restaurant review that she would leave town for a few days after it was published. Yet other editors were not quite so concerned about kindness. Brownstone said about herself: “Someone told me I was bitchy. I could be bitchy occasionally.” Charlotte Observer food editor…
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Green Bean Casserole & Food Editor Cecily Brownstone
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My First Cooking Contest
I just registered for my first cooking contest. I am making salsa for the Avalon Park Chili Cook Off. Newspaper food editors were often the judges of local and national cooking competition. In 1968, there were 150 food editors—of both newspaper and magazine writers—who attended the Pillbury Bake Off. Another ten food editors would actually judge the finalists, including Benet of the San Francisco Chronicle and Volpe of the Pittsburgh Press. As in previous meetings, this meant a chance to advertisers to share their products or technologies and a chance for the editors to learn about local foods among the intended propaganda. The women learned about new General Electric products…
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History of the Champagne Cocktail & Grace Hartley
Here is a link to my latest Vintage Cocktail column on OKRA, the magazine of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum. The column also includes information about Atlanta food editor Grace Hartley who is featured in my book, The Food Section. Grace was such a dedicated journalist that she got married at the courthouse during her lunch hour because she was on deadline.
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Pirate Museum & Home Economics
We had a great time at the Pirate Museum in St. Augustine last month. Interactive exhibits and great use of technology. Fun movie and pirate pop culture at the end. Curtis loved lighting the cannon. My favorite part was learning how many home economics skills that a pirate needed. They mixed up interesting drinks. They had interesting menus. And, best of all, they needed strong sewing skills for those flags.
A website devoted to the history of newspaper women's pages
