The Food Blogging World

I blog because I want to have something to keep me going and occupied since I am jobless. I have been jobless for awhile, money is running low, so blogging seems to be a good option since there is no set up cost involved, thanks to blogger in my case.

But having started doing this for a month, I realize blogging is a hard core business. The blogs that I've been following are bloggers who have started writing for 7 to 8 (or more) years ago. What started out to be online diaries (that's what they used to call it back in the days) have turned into years worth of well written stories, with creative recipes and gorgeous photos. And you know what this leads to - cookbook deals, jobs as food writers/critics for magazines, awards and honorable mentions in NY Times/Food & Wine for best blogs of the year.

If you have a niche and you do it right and do it well, your blog can change your life.

Food blogging is such a big deal these days that they even have a Food Blogger Camp! (http://foodblogcamp.com/)

For USD1,200 you will get to spend 5 days with a talented bunch at a sunny and beachy place, with seminars to teach you about better blogging, food styling, photography, branding; cooking demonstrations by world renowned chefs; and for the rest of they day, you get to sip on mojitos by the pool and discuss about what makes a good blog, share recipes and cooking techniques, predict upcoming trends in the culinary world and so forth.

Now this is some dedication to food blogging.


This whole phenomenon fascinates me. It brought together a whole community of like-minded people who were strangers to each other before. Through years of blogging and leaving the occasional comments on each others' sites, these food lovers connected.

Check out the of Class of 2011 and you will find list of the leaders and attendees who all have an amazing site with stories to tell. When I found this, I felt like I've struck gold.

And so, now, I am OBSESSED with the idea that my food blog will change my life (ha, right. Cos life is just so kind and perfect).

In the midst of this new found obsession, I spend countless hours everyday to read all the blogs that I could possibly lay my eyes on and that my tiny little brain can comprehend. I search for interesting articles so I have more things to talk about (I must confess that another reason I am doing this is to equip myself to have topics to talk about with [new] friends so I don't seem like a total bore). I read books and learn about the fundamentals of everything about cooking - the techniques, the ingredients, the utensils and basically the nuts and bolts of what real cooking is all about.

My eyes are tired and dry, my shoulders are stiff, I am developing a slight carpal-tunnel in my wrists and my ass is getting bigger for sitting in front of my laptop for too long.

I have entered into a serious and committed relationship with my blog, pouring my heart and soul into it, giving it some TLC and feeding it with what I hope is interesting and worthwhile content.

I think I deserve a gold star.

Ok, maybe I exaggerated a little, but I know I am trying to search for something through this blog. I don't quite know what it is yet, but I actually look forward to waking up in the morning and write something. I write, I edit, I delete and I write again.

Quality over quantity, I know. If you don't have something compelling to say that will hook your readers, is best not to post anything. But I hope you will spare me this time and cut me a little slack. I am not a good writer and I need the practice. And for some reason I am not sure why I like to post things up for the world (well not the world, all of like 5 friends) to read.

Vic would say I am a total attention whore. Which I don't disagree.

But let's just say for this time, I want your help to search for that 'something'.

To end this with something totally irrelevant, I give you the recipe of my crab cakes, which everyone seems to love. This is one of the first few recipes that I've adapted from one of my first cookbooks. I can call this my own creation.

Char's Crab Cakes
250g crab meat (you can use fresh or the canned ones)
1/2 onion, diced
2-3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (optional)
1 egg
salt & pepper to taste
pinch of sugar
1/2t dried mustard powder
dash of Worcestershire
dash of tobasco
3T mayo
2t dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon
enough bread crumbs that the mixture binds together nicely and can form patties
handful of chopped parsley
panko breadcrumbs for coating

1. Saute onions, celery and bell peppers until soft. Set aside and let cool.
2. Mix onion mixture with rest of the ingredients. Taste the mixture as you go to make sure you like the taste. Adjust seasoning as see fit.
3. Form patties and coat them with panko breadcrumbs. You should be able to get 6-8 med size crab cakes from this.
4. Heat skillet and fry in olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Keep warm in oven if needed.
5. Serve with lemon wedges and your choice of condiments and sauces.

Sauce suggestions:
Tartar sauce, Spicy ketchup, roasted red bell pepper sauce, lemon and capers creme fraiche.

Condiments:
Pineapple & cucumber salsa, Mango & mustard seed chutney, Lemon and mint chutney.

I think anything with a slight tang and sweetness goes rather well with these crab cakes.