..or Food Wankerism...??
If you are a reader here, I would assume you also look at other blog sites, principally Gobblers? I'll make a few wild assumptions now... You will then have read his latest posting about the underground food? It also follows that you probably have read the comments, and seen the one from his first Anon.
Basically, Gobbler made up a bit of prose, like he has done (brilliantly) in the past sometimes, about underground dining. He made it up. It was fiction. You know - a story?
So, along comes Anon with the following comment on the post (and please forgive me for cutting and pasting):
"I am aregular at these dinners. The usual foodie-wannabees have not heard about it yet & aren't invited. I'm surpised that you even know about us as we deliberatley avoid your types & any hoopla."
My initial thought was one of embarassment on Anon's behalf for writing such a stupid thing (and worse still, thinking such a stupid thing!). My next thought was who the hell made anyone in the world the biggest expert in what, let's face it, is basically a world-wide necessity of which we all take part in - food and eating?
Chefs, if you want to be technical about it, are people who have a licence to produce meals in commercial premises. That's it.
Foodie-wannabe's or Foodie-are's (which I think should be the next stage up from a Foodie-wannabe!!! I just made that word up) are merely people who eat, with an opinion about WHAT they eat. Never mind whether you (or I) think they're right or wrong. Does the fact that they possess the opinion, and express it publicly (or not) make them more right about food?
I think not.
Think of all the "experts" you admire in the food world. Obviously we all admire different people, so just think about your own personal faves. What is it about them or their opinions or their food or their knowledge that you admire?
It could be a combination of all the above, or none - you might just like their body! Who knows. What is IS though, is YOUR opinion. You are neither right or wrong to hold this opinion. There are precious few things in this world that you can actually claim as your own, and the right to possess your own opinion in anything has to be one of those!
So - to cut to the chase - my Foodie-are's, to me, are Foodie-aren'ts. Because if no one knows about your secret dining events, how can we all envy you, and try desperately to find out where the next one will be held, and how we get a guernsey?
For gods sake, grow up! We all have dinner parties or have been in dining-type clubs. That's what it's about, surely? A bunch of people with common interests (like food), sitting down together to eat a meal. Why the necessity to keep it silent? Unless, of course, you're a group who is also planning to overthrow the government - in which case - how do I get a guernsey?
Monday, 24 September 2007
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15 comments:
Isn't it amazing how the process of expressing any form of "criticism" OR "an opinion" on anything can get us caught up in egos and temperament. You, Rita, constantly make the point that we all have "opinions" on things that interest us, but the saner of us recognise that they are only "our" opinions. They can be interesting, odd, conventional, eccentric, more or less informed or passionately expressed. They tell as much about the holder of the "opinion" and are a source of comparing our own thoughts with those of others. They are not, however, objective FACTS and should be always open to challenge by others. I am writing all this waffle as a person who has the privilege of being able to express in print my opinions in the arts scene. I try to be interesting but am sometimes surprised that some take our jottings so seriously!
Keep up the good work
Anon2
Hi Anon2 - thanks for that. I know precisely where you're coming from, and agree.
I'll make a deal with you - You keep on reading me here online,(and agreeing with ALL I have to say, naturally!!!!!) and I'll keep on reading your opinions in the media, and naturally backing you to the hilt! I think we both make tons of sense, but then, I would wouldn't I?
If gobblers going to make stuff up all the time shouldn't he just stick to story telling & not pretend to be a blog about food & restaurants?
He doesn't make stuff up all the time, and he doesn't pretend to be a blog about food & restaurants.
He IS a blogger about food and restaurants. hat's just about ALL he talks about. I think it's obvious that he's right in the thick of that industry so naturally he's going to write about this. Also he's so passionate about it, he can't help it!
His stories, of which I think I can recall the grand total of 3 over the past year, are just little stories which seem, to me (a mere amateur in the field of reading and writing) quite amusing and interesting, and make for a good read. That's all.
I don't know that he has any aspirations in that area, but if he did, I'd applaud.
I believe (and I stand corrected) that the definition of a blog is an online diary - his site is his diary. We can all nick into his bedroom, get it out from under his pillow and read to our hearts content (figuratively speaking, of course!).
How exciting is that? AND you can then comment publicly on what he has said in his diary!
You can't get it much better than that, surely?
I feel suddenly strange about going into Gobbler bedroom and reading his diary.
I'm going for a shower.
Rita I so agree with you...as someone in the industry myself what a wanker to say oh you food wannabes etc...how damn conceited can they be...how dare "they " think that they are any better or otherwise than us who thouroughly enjoy reading your blog(and yes i read gobblers too) keep on writing and blogging i lke it
Cheers Rita!
You never get to please everyone all of the time especially with blog postings.
To all of you, stay out of my(& my wifes) bedroom! (unless you are Claudia Karvan or a six pack of stout)
Ello, Ello, listen carefully, I will say this only WANCE.
I ave eard zere ees a, how you say, fude underground in Hobart.
No-one makes a move until we, the resistance, order ett, is that understood?
Our engleesh friends have sent a message via onion soup muzzer-in-law zat zere will be a food and ammo drop on zee Domain after meednight.
Gobbler (Good Moanin) and Cartouche (dicky knee) will rendezvous with Rita (would you like me to sing you a song?) to recoverr ze booty.
Sir Grumpy (Herr Gruber) has agree to blind a turn eye.
Sir Grumpy but discreet
Bugger! None of are Claudia Karvan!
Does that now mean we can't sneak into the bedroom chez Gobbler & sneak a look at the prized diary?
Just when things were starting to look extremely juicy!
Cartouche - hope the shower freshened you up.
Niceglassofred - thanks for the encouragement. Keep reading and commenting. The more diverse the points of views expressed, the more interesting for all of us.
Gobbler - you never know when you might want an agent!
Sir Grumpy - I fear you're close to loosing it, baby! Had a tipple too many of the stouts, or whatever that pommy drink is that you and Gobbler wax lyrical about? Your take on 'ello 'ello is priceless! God bless you, you crazy old man!
PS - Is is Thirkstons? Once again the old memory kicks in after the event!
Zat would be zat infernal Englander brrrrew Theakston's Old Peculierrrr, Rita.
Ve vill find zerr storr of ze brrrrew und make zem drrrink a clean Bavarrrrian Lagerrrrr.
Or eet is ze Russian front for me and my brrrrave fellows.
Herr Grumpy
...and yes please Sir G - I WOULD like you to sing me a song?
Are you familiar with the old Welsh classic "Didn't we have a luverly time, the day we went to Bangor....." ?
Sir grumpy, you are but an umble cafe owner.
Rita was that a Welsh song? There is a Bangor in North Wales, but I thought for some reason they were in the West country with all that Cider. Who knows I was about 7 at the time.
Seence you ask, comrade Rita, I will zing you that Cockerney classic...I've got a luverly bunch of coconuts.
Boasting again
Sir grumpy
Cartouche I have a strange feeling you're right. The reason I said it was Welsh was precisely because I know Bangor is in Wales, and I was pretty much saying it tongue in cheek!
Sir G - I won't ask you to elaborate abou the coconuts! Cartouche has already had his one shower for the day.
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