As this semester is wrapping up, I am reflecting on how much my understanding of the rhetoric of food has expanded. One of my favorite readings this semester was Lucky Peach‘s “A Guide to Venezuelan Arepas.” Just like with the rhetoric of food, arepas were something that I have always enjoyed without really understanding the context behind them. This article, by Allie Lazar and Gustavo Castillo, gave me a deeper understanding of both the iconic Venezuelan dish and of food writing in general. An arepa is a flattened disc of maize dough that is often served with choose, meats, alone, etc. Not only did this article provide me with a rich history and cultural background of the arepa, it also gave me a great appreciation of the dish. Before reading this article, I did not even know how arepas were made. Lazar and Castilla, however, do a great job at providing the readers with a brief, informative history on the dish and its preparation, the anatomy and fillings of arepas, and different variations, from the nourishing, colorful “huevos pericos” version (with creamy scrambled eggs, tomato, and garlic) to the dessert “arepita dulce” (a sweet version of the dish that is full of authentic, unrefined sugar cane). I did not know how much labor and effort it took to make the delicious circles of fried corn dough. What really stood out to me though was the authors’ connecting of the Venezuelan dish to Venezuela’s present state of affairs. In the past few years, Venezuelan life has been so inflicted with political turmoil and inflation that the Harina P.A.N. flour, that was once so commonly used to make the simple arepa, is now scarce and difficult to find in Venezuela. Still in spite of these obstacles, the people of Venezuela still find ways to consume and make the dish by returning to traditional preparations and using cassava root or sweet potato. By making this connection, the authors of this piece of food rhetoric taught me that the meaning of food is so much deeper than a sensory experience. Both food writing and food itself are ways to bond and connect with people during tough times and can even be a symbol of solidarity and strength. This text illustrated how. behind the delectablly rich, fried arepa, there is an even richer history and meaning. In addition to the actual text, I enjoyed this article for its unique, engaging animations of the different variations of arepas. Though I usually prefer real-life pictures of food, I think that the authors made a stylistic choice that is consistent with Lucky Peach‘s other publications and one that made me remember the authors’ words long after reading.

One of my favorite readings that I chose as part of my outside reading was Smitten Kitchen‘s “blood orange olive oil cake” recipe blog post. While I have been a long-time fan of Deb Perelman’s blog, I did not really fully appreciate her warm, personal writing style until I, myself, had to write an original composition that describes food in a way that’s original and expressive and not hackneyed, which was a lot more difficult than I thought. However, this recipe blog post is an exemplary example of how to write in a way that makes the readers feel as if they themselves were eating the food with the author. With phrases, such as “I was hoping for it to bake in a loaf pan, as rustic everyday cakes should, have a slight crunch at the edges, like a beloved one at a nearby coffee shop does…”, this text creates a personal, homey feeling and connection to the reader. Beyond that, I really enjoyed the time and effort that Deb Perelman took in taking and editing her aesthetically-pleasing pictures; they were the extra cherry-on-top that I needed to be convinced to make this recipe. ASAP. As for the recipe itself, I appreciated that she also took care to provide the reader with additional instructions on special techniques (i.e. how to supreme an orange); the recipe itself is clear and very approachable for beginning bakers. Overall, this piece showed me how all food rhetoric, even recipes, have more than a surface-level meaning. Perelman shows that through her very personal food writing, she creates a community and welcomes her readers into her home.

Because of texts like these and because of the diverse collection of classmates’ original compositions, my understanding of the rhetoric of food has greatly expanded. Before this class, if someone had asked me about the rhetoric of food, I would have automatically only thought of recipes. Clearly, though, I have come to understand that the rhetoric of food is so much more. Food writing is a way to describe a culture, tell a story, advocate for change, connect the current generation with the past, etc. Additionally, the rhetoric of food can take on so many mediums. Not just limited to traditional texts, the rhetoric of food can also be a video, a “listicle”, a food quiz, etc. Simply put, the rhetoric of food is diverse and unlimited. There are so many genres and topics that I cannot believe that I never even considered. After engaging with my classmates’ original compositions, I realized that the rhetoric of food can give great insight into someone’s personality or other talents. For example, some videos showed a person’s tongue-in-cheek humor, while others’ review displayed the writer’s artistic, stylistic skills. This class opened my eyes to the broad world of food writing that I hope to continue to explore outside of our course!

Introduction

The genre that I am studying is a newly popular genre that can be aptly described as “listicles.” These are articles that present information to the reader in a list format – whether or it be a “best of” list, geographically-focused list, cuisine-specific list, etc. Unlike traditional articles, listicles are short and to-the-point because the goal is often virality and shareability. In today’s modern world, readers often do not have the motivation or time to read wordy articles. Thus, listicles rely more on pictures than words; listicles can be read pretty quickly and easily, and so they can act as a quick, recreational read between more demanding tasks.

After doing thorough research and personal exposure to listicles, I have developed a list of formal elements and fuctional purposes of listicles. To further explain listicles in detail below, I will also classify each element or purpose as “always” or “sometimes” appearing.

Formal elements

• Have a title (always)
• Are written in a list format (always)
• Are listed numerically (always)
• Are listed in random order (sometimes)
• Includes items that are focused around a certain subject, region, event, etc. (always)
• Include pictures for each listed item (always)
• Includes a short paragraph (or even just one sentence) description for each listed item (always)
• Include hyperlinks for each item, whether it be to a restaurant website, recipe, etc. (sometimes, but very often)
• Is linked to social media (sometimes)
• Include photography credits underneath each picture (sometimes)
• Are prefaced with a brief introduction (sometimes)
• Rates a restaurant, menu item, recipe, etc. (sometimes)
• Includes a price range (sometimes)
• Includes address and contact info of restaurant (sometimes)

Functional purposes

• Present information to the reader in a concise, short format (always)
• Give the reader a list of recipes or restaurants to try (sometimes)
• Help advertise a food media site or certain restaurants (sometimes)
• Have a social purpose – shareability amongst friends (sometimes)
• Gather likes or views and build traffic (sometimes, but often)
  • Also, gain virality (sometimes, but often)
• Serves as a distraction/recreational read (often)

Text examples

To study and analyze this genre, I have chosen four listicles . I have carefully created this list to ensure that it had diverse authorial viewpoints by using “listicles” from differing websites. For example, while most Spoon University listicles are written by a student-writer, a lot (but not all) of Buzzfeed listicles are written by paid professionals. Also, while some of the authors intended to write a list of restaurants, others talked about recipes, etc.

“The 8 Best Places to Eat Dessert in Austin for Your Birthday” (Spoon University) – both geographically-focused (Austin) and subject-focused (birthdays and desserts)

“6 Restaurants in Austin Devoted to Sustainability” (Spoon University) – geographically focused (Austin) and advocates for change (sustainability)

“28 Delicious Things to Cook in February” (Buzzfeed) – seasonality-focused

“The Best Cakes, In Order” (The Huffington Post) – subject-focused and also differs because here, the ordering/arrangement of the list matters

Questions

• What are some topics that you would want to read in a listicle?
• How short/lengthy would you like the descriptions to be?

For my mentor text, I chose a Spoon University article that falls under the genre of “best of” or “top ten” articles – specifically for the online media format. This specific article is titled “9 Restaurants You Have to Eat at During SXSW in Austin” and is typical of other such online list-articles found on sites, such as Spoon University and Buzzfeed. For example, unlike usual, wordy articles, list-articles are more interspersed with pictures for each list item, followed by a short description, anywhere from one sentence to a short paragraph. For each item, the text also includes other relevant, helpful information, such as hyperlinks, locations, hours, etc. It’s also important to note that these types of lists are usually in one, scrollable page, rather than an encumbersome slideshow that a reader is forced to click through. These types of articles are widely ready by millenials, but also enjoyed by some of the older population. Besides a short introduction, there is not much else; usually, even the number of listed items are short. However, sometimes less is more, and today’s millennials certainly seem to agree. This is exactly why these types of texts are so relevant in today’s world…

Today is different from ever before. We are living in the digital, modern age, where everything is faster, and yet, it seems like we have less time to do everything that we want to do. That is why people nowadays sometimes prefer information that is concise, to the point, and easy to comprehend (thus, the need for pictures). Also, due to information overload, it is often better to present readers of these texts with carefully curated, short lists rather than comprehensive, winding lists. Today, this is how a lot of people get their information, especially for what is seemingly more “trivial” information, such as food, and some even use this format to get their news.

I believe that this text should serve as a mentor for my own writing because it has all of the elements of a successful list-article, especially for a Spoon Texas article, that would capture the attention of UT students, and I, as a member of Spoon Texas, hope to write a series of texts in this genre. It has eye-catching photographs that link to social media accounts, which is very savvy with our social-media-crazed world. Also, the article has consistent formatting. Also, it is written by a community member of Spoon University. This is significant because a lot of these types of articles are written by online community members, as commonly seen in Buzzfeed. Finally, her writing style is impecabble for these types of texts; it’s concise, yet attention-getting and relatable. For example, with lines, such as “…AND [Italic is] open late on Friday and Saturday. Skip the food truck pizza and get Italic after a night of drinking instead”, the author clearly both engages with and understands her audience – which happens to be UT college students, who all can relate to a late night on Sixth.

Dieterich, Elizabeth. “9 Restaurants You Have to Eat at During SXSW 2017.” Spoon University. Spoon University, 12 Mar. 2017. Web. 21 Mar. 2017. <http://spoonuniversity.com/place/9-restaurants-you-have-to-eat-at-during-sxsw-in-austin>.

For my annotated bibliography, I have decided to research the business and marketing behind food. As a business student who is very interested in the food industry and product marketing, I was drawn to this topic and its diverse array of subtopics. My bibliography will be able to cover not just long-standing, international, global food companies, such as Pepsico, but also smaller-scale, recent developments, such as food trucks. Two opposite ends of the food business spectrum have completely different issues. For example, in a text that I have selected for my annotated bibliography, The Economist writes about major food companies’ responsibility to both shareholders to maximize earnings and also the public to make healthier products – especially for lower-income consumers; however, these two goals sometimes contradict each other so these major food companies must struggle to find a balance and expand their food empire. On the other hand, according to an article by CNBC, food trucks face issues on how to even start their empire. In recent years, a successful food truck can be the catalyst ofr a food empire; just ask Roy Choi, founder of Kogi Barbecue. Success to these food companies all depend on timing.

I am very excited to continue to explore the broad range of genres and purposes of food writing by researching food business and marketing. For example, I hope to find sample food product marketing plans or possibly relevant multimedia texts, such as the film Chef about a former professional chef who starts a food truck. My other future research plan is to contact my colleagues at food companies to conduct interviews to gather their firsthand experience and viewpoints in the American food industry. I also plan to expand my diverse authorial viewpoints beyond just global versus local food businesses. I also hope to explore multicultural food marketing, ethics behind targeting kids in food business, etc.

However, my research process has not gone without flaws. I have faced some minor complications in my research agenda when it comes to scope. I wonder if my topic could be too broad. Should I restrict my research agenda to only food marketing? Or should I focus on only one of the following: large food companies, restaurants, or local businesses? Or would limiting myself in such a manner take away the diverse authorial viewpoints within my topic? I would love to hear more from my peers on how I should narrow or maybe refine my topic, or perhaps if I should continue my research as is.

 

Over the past few weeks, I have significantly improved my perpetual state of writer’s block. Usually, when I have a writing assignment, I delay and delay, trying to find the “perfect” topic, the “perfect” way to phrase my thoughts, the “perfect” supporting articles, etc. However, through my Learning Record Journal and expanding my research tools beyond Google, I took a more proactive, effective approach in my research, and I have finally decided to research food marketing and business.

At first, I was stumped on what to possibly research in the wide world of food. However, by using Google, cookbooks, food magazines (like Bon Appétit), cooking novel excerpts, etc., I gained inspiration for several topics, such as American-French pastry-making, the New York food scene, the history of Vietnamese food, etc. I settled on food marketing by recalling my past semester during recruiting season. I interviewed and networked (and almost accepted a job) with a huge food company, and I genuinely loved my conversations with the employees/recruiters about how they market their products. Recalling these enjoyable interactions, I decided to combine my love for food and my business background to research food business and marketing – from ubiquitous brands, such as Coca-Cola, to new, trendy fads, such as Sprinkles Cupcakes. I also plan to use primary research by conducting informational interviews with my prior contacts at the food company.

A couple of articles that I found interesting and relevant to my research were about Sprinkles’ marketing with their cupcake ATMs (http://www.contentboost.com/topics/content-creation/articles/375548-whats-sweet-you-sweeter-sprinkles-marketing-strategy-behind.htm) and General Mills’ decision to cut US advertising expenditures (http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/general-mills-plans-u-s-ad-spending-cuts/304764/). These are high quality articles that explain the behind-the-scenes marketing/business strategy for two completely different food brands.

Does anyone have suggestions for other research tools and/or search queries? Are there any suggestions on questions that I should ask the food company employee?

Like most college students, I have a busy schedule, get distracted, and forget trivial things like…the bananas that I bought from the grocery store…until they are spotted with brown flecks and super ripe. BUT this recipe is the perfect remedy for that. This recipe uses all of your forgotten, but now ripe and super sweet bananas to make a delectable, caramelly dessert that is an update of the classic banana bread.

Meet…banana foster cake.

This recipe needs ingredients that most college students probably already have in their pantry. Plus, it’s quick and easy, which makes baking it the perfect study break activity. Try it and share with your friends. Trust me. You and your friends can thank me later.

BANANA FOSTER CAKE
Adapted from Averie Cooks’ Upside-Down Banana Bread Cake
YIELD: one 8×8-inch cake

INGREDIENTS:

Topping
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
a tiny pinch of salt
about 1 large or 2 medium ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds*

Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 large bananas)
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil**, and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Topping – To a large sauce pan, add the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Heat over medium heat to melt butter while constantly whisking to incorporate the sugar well into the butter as it melts.
3. Once butter has completely melted, increase the temperature to boil the topping mixture for 20 to 35 seconds. Pour sauce immediately into prepared pan.
4. Add the banana slices evenly over the pan. Set aside.
5. Cake – In a medium bowl, sift and whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
6. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg, sugars, oil, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and vanilla until no lumps remain.
7. Stir in the mashed bananas.
8. Mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Don’t overmix (or the cake will be tough)!
9. Optional – Stir the pecans and/or walnuts into the batter.
10. Pour batter over the banana-caramel topping. Smooth batter lightly and evenly with a spatula, as needed. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs but no batter).
11. Cool cake for 10 to 12 minutes before inverting onto a large plate. Serve while warm (and optionally with ice cream).
12. Enjoy and share!

*Slice the bananas into thicker rounds, or they might disappear into the caramel topping.
**If you line the pan with foil, it’ll be easier to lift cake out of pan.

The genre of recipe writing is usually thought of a very standardized, reliable set of instructions, always consisting of two parts: the ingredients and the instructions. However, this is an overly simplistic view of this genre. While most recipes are composed of ingredients and directions, sometimes, recipes only include directions (Canora). Additionally, a great recipe is not just a set of directions; instead, great recipes can even tell a story – about a grandma’s Christmas cookies, about a lovely Valentine dinner, or about new motherhood (Perelman).

Generally, though, the form of recipes are first, a set of ingredients, followed by a list of directions, but this has slightly transformed over time. For much of history, most recipes actually didn’t actually specify precisely how much of an ingredient was needed; instead, recipes would call for a “cupful” or a “drop” (Schofield). Nowadays, though, recipes, especially in baking, usually specify a precise amount needed for each ingredient. However, how these quantities are specified can also vary. For example, most of the world tends to use weight measurements (i.e. 400 grams of flour) in recipes while others (mostly the U.S.) measures by volume (2 cups of flour), and some recipes list both for universality. In regards to the preparation method, most directions are listed in short sentences in numerical format, while others prefer an essay method. Furthermore, some recipes’ layout may be vertical-down, while other recipes, especially in recipe books, may include ingredients on the left with the directions on the right. Other text features in recipes may include how much a recipe yields, cooking or prep time, optional ingredients, helpful tips, etc.

Some recipes include a short story or excerpt preceding a recipe, and I believe that this method really adds to the content of recipe writing. For example, Deb Perelman is famous for her cute, relatable family stories in her Smitten Kitchen food blog. Her stories make it clear that her themes in her recipe writing are familial, homey, traditional, and practical. Her writing style and content also makes it clear that her intended audience are parents, families, and practical cooks – both experienced and new. However, other recipes may not need a cute story before each recipe in order to target an audience. For example, in Leanne Brown’s book, she adds an interesting and very helpful feature for each recipe; she lists the total dollar amount needed to make each recipe and also the per serving dollar amount. This clearly targets people on a budget, college students, money-savvy cooks, etc. Thus, already, though there is some continuity in recipe writing, it is easy to see how the recipe genre, a seemingly homogenous form of literature, can actually take on various forms and even contradictions.

It also, therefore, makes sense that there are various reasons why authors write recipes. Some write recipes to pass on memories (perhaps a grandma passing on a family-secret biscuit recipe to her grandchild) or some write recipes to expose others to international cultures (perhaps a writer who blogs about her cooking experiences across Japan). The grandma recipe writer may just compose her recipe literature on a piece of napkin or in a family cookbook, while the travelling recipe writer may write weekly blogs and eventually publish a book. No matter the reason or the audience for a recipe, it is clear the recipe genre goes beyond a set of instructions; instead, it truly is a way to tell a story.

• Brown, Leanne. https://cookbooks.leannebrown.com/good-and-cheap.pdf
• Canora, Marco. http://luckypeach.com/how-to-make-gnocchi/
• Perelman, Deb. https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/best-birthday-cake/
• Schofield, Mary A. https://books.google.com/books?id=zvOppQPQxPgC&pg=PA8#v=onepage&q&f=false