Recipe versus Review
Today I make a list to re-evaluate my blogging life.
Recipe posts:
Pros:
- A lot of room for personal story
- A lot of control with pictures: position, setting (decoration, utensil, plating), lighting, time (time of the day, amount of time for taking picture), camera equipment (unless you’re brazen and bring a tripod into the restaurant, some people do that, and I know some people who dislike people who do that)
- Single product – cost efficiency
- No partner necessary, although a helpless victim test subject friend might be useful
- Almost always a good result
- Experiment: you can do things a thousand times, talking about your experiments also makes a good story (example: tofu misozuke experiment by Oanh and Linh-Dang at Rau Om)
- Relevance to readers: high – almost everyone can follow a recipe if they want to
Difficulties:
- Finding the ingredients
- Setting up and cleaning up: the nightmares untold tales
- Making your recipe unique
- Cooking – the kitchen is a battlefield
Review posts:
1. Restaurant reviews:
Pros:
- Everything is set up and cleaned up, you don’t have to lift a finger except to eat.
- Possible interview/friendship with the chefs – I’ve yet to attain this level, but professional food bloggers like the Food Gal Carolyn Jung do it all the time, and information from/about the chefs adds credibility to the post.
- If the restaurant is just average, it’s good practice to hone your writing skill because you have to think of something to write out of nothing.
Difficulties:
- You have to eat a lot, have a lot of friends who tolerate your behavior, or go to one restaurant multiple times. It may upset your boss (due to the time you spend eating) and/or your bank account.
- Less time for pictures: annoy inconvenience your dining partner(s), unless they’re also food bloggers.
- Pictures can be either very good or very bad, depending on the plating and the lighting, which are totally out of your control.
- You have the same pictures as everyone else who go to the same restaurant (or the same type of restaurant, because every bowl of grilled pork vermicelli looks just like the first google image you find)
- Mental debate: how nice should you be? Too nice –> your reviews are no good, and you risk hyping up the restaurant, then someone goes there, they don’t like it and you lose your credentials. Too critical –> nobody likes you.
- Availability/relevance to readers: very limited –> low traffic
- Hard to think of a personal story when you review the 67th Korean restaurant, which has the same menu as the 43rd and the 66th.
2. Product reviews:
Pros:
- Availability/relevance to readers: medium to high, a large number of people can buy the same thing you buy, thanks to globalization
- Cost: pretty cheap, and you don’t produce anything –> no prep work, no cleanup, no time spent making it
- Flexibility: high – pictures can be taken any time, anywhere, anyhow
- Single product – no partner necessary
- There’s room for personal story, e.g., how you run into this product. Although this is hard to come up with times after times when your objective is simply to eat every Ben and Jerry ice cream flavor there is.
- Room for facts: show off your expertise (at the very least, in googling). This also greatly expands your knowledge in “related fields”. I learn more Chinese looking up the Suzhou mooncake than if I ever try to just sit down and learn Chinese.
- Possible interview with the producers: always an eye-opening experience
Difficulties:
- Not sounding like a salesman for Pearl soymilk
Conclusion: for these past 4 years I’ve chosen the worst possible kind of food blogging… And I shall not change.
Did I miss anything in the list?
Hello my family member! I wish to say that this article is awesome, great written and include approximately all vital infos. I’d like to peer extra posts like this .
1you’re really a excellent webmaster. The website loading speed is amazing. It seems that you are doing any distinctive trick. Moreover, The contents are masterwork. you’ve done a great job on this subject!
2I’d constantly want to be update on new articles on this site, bookmarked! .
3certainly like your website however you need to take a look at the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very troublesome to inform the reality however I’ll certainly come again again.
4Some truly nice and useful information on this site, as well I conceive the style has wonderful features.
5Great, I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your website. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs and related information ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, web site theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Excellent task.
6Spot on with this write-up, I really suppose this website wants way more consideration. I’ll in all probability be once more to read way more, thanks for that info.
7I’m really impressed along with your writing talents and also with the layout for your blog. Is that this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Anyway keep up the nice high quality writing, it is rare to see a nice blog like this one today..
8I like this website very much so much fantastic information.
9Excellent blog! Do you have any helpful hints for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you advise starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there that I’m totally confused .. Any suggestions? Cheers!
10Real wonderful visual appeal on this web site, I’d rate it 10 10.
11I believe this site contains some rattling great information for everyone :D. “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” by Victor Hugo.
12Hey there! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this website? I’m getting sick and tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at options for another platform. I would be awesome if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
13I have recently started a site, the information you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
14Saya mengunjungi banyak website tetapi saya anggap yang satu ini mengandung sesuatu yang spesial di dalamnya
15Hei, saya hanya ingin mengatakan bahwa saya sangat menikmati membaca postingan blog Anda. Ini adalah tepat jenis informasi yang sedang saya cari. Saya pasti akan merekomendasikan ini kepada teman-teman. Terima kasih telah berbagi.
16I like the efforts you have put in this, thanks for all the great content.
17very nice publish, i definitely love this website, keep on it
18Hello. fantastic job. I did not imagine this. This is a great story. Thanks!
19I reckon something truly special in this internet site.
20Spot on with this write-up, I really think this web site needs much more consideration. I’ll probably be once more to read far more, thanks for that info.
21Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I’ll be sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I will certainly return.
22What i do not understood is actually how you’re not actually much more smartly-appreciated than you might be right now. You are so intelligent. You already know thus significantly in terms of this subject, produced me for my part consider it from numerous numerous angles. Its like women and men don’t seem to be fascinated unless it is one thing to accomplish with Girl gaga! Your personal stuffs nice. Always maintain it up!
23I liked as much as you’ll receive carried out right here. The comic strip is attractive, your authored subject matter stylish. nevertheless, you command get bought an nervousness over that you want be handing over the following. in poor health certainly come more beforehand again since precisely the similar nearly a lot often within case you shield this hike.
24This is very interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your magnificent post. Also, I’ve shared your site in my social networks!
25Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have truly enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!
26Thanks for sharing superb informations. Your web site is so cool. I’m impressed by the details that you’ve on this site. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this website page, will come back for extra articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found simply the information I already searched everywhere and simply could not come across. What a great site.
27very good submit, i certainly love this web site, keep on it
28Great line up. We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the good writing.
29I think this site has some very great information for everyone :D.
30Thanx for the effort, keep up the good work Great work, I am going to start a small Blog Engine course work using your site I hope you enjoy blogging with the popular BlogEngine.net.Thethoughts you express are really awesome. Hope you will right some more posts.
31I really like your writing style, great info, regards for putting up :D. “Let every man mind his own business.” by Miguel de Cervantes.
32Dead composed content, Really enjoyed reading through.
33I do agree with all of the ideas you have presented in your post. They’re very convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are too short for newbies. Could you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.
34The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, but I actually thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you werent too busy looking for attention.
35I went over this website and I conceive you have a lot of superb information, bookmarked (:.
36The subsequent time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as a lot as this one. I imply, I know it was my option to learn, however I actually thought youd have one thing interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you possibly can repair if you happen to werent too busy on the lookout for attention.
37Really Appreciate this blog post, is there any way I can receive an update sent in an email whenever you write a fresh update?
38I enjoy the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great posts.
39fantastic issues altogether, you simply gained a new reader. What might you recommend about your submit that you just made a few days ago? Any certain?
40Great weblog here! Additionally your web site rather a lot up fast! What host are you using? Can I get your associate hyperlink in your host? I wish my web site loaded up as fast as yours lol
41I am always invstigating online for articles that can facilitate me. Thx!
42Hey! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one? Thanks a lot!
43I will right away grab your rss as I can’t find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please let me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
44I have read a few excellent stuff here. Certainly value bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much attempt you set to make the sort of great informative site.
45Thanks, I have recently been searching for info about this topic for a long time and yours is the best I’ve found out so far. But, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you sure about the source?
46Trà Xanh Thái Nguyên — Chè Thái Nguyên Vì Sao Được Mệnh Danh “Đệ Nhất Danh Trà”Nhắc đến trà Việt Nam, người ta nghĩ ngay đến Thái Nguyên. Không phải ngẫu nhiên mà vùng đất trung du này được xem là cái nôi của trà xanh Việt, với câu ví quen thuộc “chè Thái, gái Tuyên” vốn dùng để tôn vinh những đặc sản nổi tiếng của vùng trung du miền núi phía Bắc.
47Super-Duper site! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am bookmarking your feeds also.
48I think you have observed some very interesting points, thanks for the post.
49I really like your writing style, good information, appreciate it for posting :D.
50