My favorite text from class was definitely Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace. I found this text to be insightful and informative. This writing required me to think in a way that I’ve never thought before about lobsters and brought a very unique perspective on this specific food. I appreciated his style of writing and how he wasn’t forcing his point of view and opinions on the reader, but instead merely coming to the audience as a confused individual. His perception of certain things such as the type of people who attend these festivals also made me laugh.

My favorite text that I read outside of class was The Truth About American Sushi No One Wants to Hear by Hannah Cooper. There were several aspects that I liked about this text. For one, I really enjoyed the format that she utilized. She made it organized and easy to follow while also numbering her list. I also thought that this piece was helpful when it came to writing my bibliography on the difference in sushi in Japan and America. This was a short, yet enlightening text that gave me an idea on what specifically is different in each region.

The rhetoric of food is an attempt to put into words what we eat and all that is food. It is a very broad term, but it can cover countless aspects such as the history of food, food culture in certain regions, the production and consumption of food, or the taste of food itself. There are many ways in which to write about food: recipes, reviews, memoirs, blogs, etc. I have also learned that food writing doesn’t have to be presented in the form of words, but can also be viewed as videos. Throughout the semester we have covered and researched many different types of genres and looked at the specific meaning and purpose behind each one. I have learned about different styles of writing and how each style can commence different feelings or thoughts within the reader. In general, I believe that the rhetoric of food should make the reader feel emotions whether it be happiness or sorrow through telling a story about food.

The link below will take you to my Website where you can read my post on the 5 best food trucks in Austin that will satisfy your sweet tooth!

https://caromiz721.wixsite.com/austinfoodfanatic

Since my last blog post, I have thought more about what I wanted my genre to be. I originally was thinking that I wanted to create a blog and do a blog post, however I did some research and came across the idea of doing a “best of”  list. I’m sure most all of you have seen lists that are comprised of the best restaurants in a certain geographical location or the best bars or drinks. I haven’t exactly decided what my list will include, but one idea I had was creating a list of the best food trucks in Austin. Food trucks are where (in my opinion) some of the best food can be found. Not to mention, they attain a ton of Austin culture.

After researching and finding countless “best of” lists on the Internet, I started to gather information about the elements and purpose of this genre. I concluded that all of these types of lists always incorporate pictures. For example, after each item listed, the author would include a picture of whatever the topic was: restaurants, food, drinks, etc. This is an important element that provides the reader with a visual and idea of what the author is talking about. Another aspect that always occurs in this genre is a description of each item that they list. I found that these descriptions can either be brief or lengthy, depending on how much detail the author wishes to go into. Sometimes, like one of the sources I have listed below, a heat map is utilized in order to provide the address of geographic location of the destination. Another feature that is sometimes shown in this genre is a specific item on the menu that the author believes is the best. If I were to choose the topic of best food trucks in Austin, I think that this would be a very useful tool to include.

The purpose of this genre is not only to highlight the best of the best, but also to urge the reader to try these items or restaurants by providing helpful information. In a sense, it is almost like a list of brief reviews. What would you guys be interested in reading? I’ve had the idea of food trucks, but also was thinking some type of drink would be fun to make a “best of” list for. Also, do you think each item listed should include a brief description or should it be more lengthy with several tips and aspects?

Sources:

20 Excellent Margaritas in Austin

10 Food Trucks You Need To Visit in Austin, TX

22 of My Favorite Healthy Restaurants in Austin

In my last post about my research process, I mentioned how I wanted to write about sushi but didn’t know exactly which specific route I wanted to take. Since then, I have looked at my options and decided that I am going to write about the difference between sushi in Japan versus sushi in the United States. I am still going to incorporate my idea of writing about the history of sushi by mentioning in briefly at the beginning, however, the main focus of my paper will be how sushi is Americanized when brought to the U.S. and how that differs from how sushi is served and prepared in Japan.

I have had a little bit of trouble finding articles on this topic that contain thorough and efficient information that will help me with writing my annotated bibliography. However, I have found some helpful ones such as “Global Sushi: Eating and Identity” by Paige A. Edwards from Western Michigan University and “A yen for sushi: an analysis of demographic and behavioural patterns of sushi consumption in Japan”. These two articles are some that I find myself returning to a lot and have been two of my favorites. They highlight on the importance of studying culture through food and how sushi in Japan is more than just something to satisfy hunger, but rather a means of association.

One goal of mine in my research process is to find resources and articles written by American authors along with authors of Japanese descent. This will allow me to receive information from both perspectives. My future plans for my research also include finding videos or movies that will help me with my writing. I plan to do this through the use of YouTube and finding movies on Netflix such as “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”. I plan on watching this movie in order to give me an idea of the art of sushi in Japan. Are there any other ways for me to retrieve information on this topic or anything in particular I should be researching? Do I need to broaden my research a little bit more?

When thinking about what I wanted my topic to be, my mind immediately was drawn toward the idea of writing about sushi (one of my favorite foods). Once I knew that I wanted to write about sushi, I started to research and look for some resources that would point me in the right direction. With just “sushi” being too broad of a topic, I need to figure out exactly what it is that I’m going to focus on when writing about sushi. Do I want to write about the history of sushi? What about how sushi is made and the consumption of sushi? Maybe I want to look at how traditional Japanese sushi compares to the sushi we eat here in America. I began to rely on research in order to figure out which area of interest I would choose. I have done some research in different areas such as the history of sushi and the patterns of sushi consumption in Japan (the links to these two sources can be found below). Throughout the research I have done thus far, these two sources are the ones that I have found myself coming back to. Each of these articles contains sufficient and ample information on their designated topics. They also provide headings for different sections so it is easy for me to read.

For my research, I have been strictly using Google Scholar because it is what I have utilized most in the past and this means of research has proved successful for me. However, for this topic in particular, I have been having some trouble finding thorough resources that would be beneficial for my annotated bibliography. Having said this, I believe that I should look into other research engines such as the UT library database in order to find new information.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1541-4337.2011.00180.x/full

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-4506.2006.00021.x/full

Even today, my grandmother remains one of the best cooks I know. From appetizers to desserts her food never ceases to amaze me. Many of my memories consist of spending long hours with her in the kitchen serving as her side kick when she needed someone to crack the eggs or butter the pan. Having served as my mentor, my grandmother taught me most of what I know about cooking. The one dish of hers that I often recall is her unique ice cream sandwich pie or what I like to call the “Ice Cream Dream”. This flavorful dish takes a frozen dessert to a whole new level. Requiring nothing but a 9×13 dish and a freezer, nearly anyone can make it. The “Ice Cream Dream” is perfect for a hot summers day and a great way to follow up dinner. I can promise your inner sweet tooth will not be let down.

Serving size: 18

Time: 25 minute prep; 30 minutes to freeze

Ingredients

• 1 12 count box Blue Bunny Ice Cream Sandwiches (or any preferred brand)
• 1 12 ounce tub fat-free frozen whipped topping
• 1 16 ounce pkg. frozen sweetened strawberries or fresh strawberries (fresh strawberries preferred)
• 1 jar hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed

Directions

• In a 9×13 dish, line the bottom of dish with ice cream sandwiches
• Spread the thawed frozen/or fresh strawberries over sandwiches
• Spread frozen whipped cream topping over frozen strawberries
• Freeze pie for 30 minutes
• Warm fudge in microwave for 30 seconds
• Top with fresh strawberries and hot fudge before serving

When looking at recipes, it is important to note the form the author utilizes. The form can tell you a lot about a recipe such as the sequence of the text and the layout. The most basic and familiar form would be the introduction of the dish, a list of ingredients, and the instructions. The introduction to the dish serves as a way to let the audience know the details behind the dish. It may include what region the dish is from, how many it serves, and maybe even more. The instructions will simply tell the reader what to do with each ingredient and specific steps to making the dish. There are several recipes or recipe books that include pictures of the meal or even several pictures of how each step should be carried out. Now a days, with technology on the rise, many even include video tutorials. A great example of this would be Tasty videos, which is something that most millennials are familiar with. Every recipe also has a unique theme or topic. Some recipes may focus on vegetarian dishes or meals for healthy eaters. For example, the All Recipes website has a entire category for only vegetarian recipes. Others may focus on culture and food from around the globe.

Many people think of recipes simply as a set of rules, however there is so much more to a recipe than the ingredients and the instructions. Although this is the basic format of all recipes, many recipes serve a deeper purpose and are meant to tell a story to the reader. Some may wonder why authors write recipes. Well, there are many answers to this question. Some authors write recipes to serve a certain purpose or audience. Recipes can be written for several different kinds of audiences such as family and friends. Authors such as Leanne Brown write recipes to target a certain type of audience that may be on a strict budget. In her compilation of recipes titled Eat Well on $4/day Good and Cheap, she says that the “cookbook is a celebration of the many delicious meals available to those on even the most strict of budgets” (p.5). Some authors write recipes in order to shed light on a certain culture to allow the audience a glimpse of food from all over the world.

So what makes a good recipe? The answer varies from person to person and depends on the situation. I personally believe, however, that for a recipe to be good it should taste phenomenal and it should be easy to make. The instructions should be simple, yet effective and easy to follow. Some recipes contain instructions that are unclear and don’t give clear guidelines on what should be done. This is an attribute that may make a recipe “bad”. Another characteristic that I think makes recipes good is having an instructional video. Online recipes are becoming more and more common and this channel allows for the audience to receive a visual of how the dish is made.