Top Ten Things To Expect When Dining With A Food Blogger
Exactly a year ago I posted this list, the complete contents of which came to me during one of those midnight feedings with the baby where the mind has no choice but to explore the cobwebby corners of itself.
The overwhelming response to the list was a sheer delight to read, as bloggers barred their souls, confessed all, and nodded understandingly.
The Top 10 List made it’s way around many popular food sites and remains one of my most popular posts. It is most worthy of a re-run in it’s anniversary.
**Disclaimer: The following is a tongue-in-cheek and much exaggerated preview of what to expect should you accept a dinner invitation to the home of an avid food blogger. At least, I think it would be like this; certainly at my place things are done with much more consideration for the guest!**
1. You won’t be asked to bring anything for dinner except perhaps a bottle of wine or two.
2. Dinner will be served at three in the afternoon because the natural light is better for photographs.
3. Once the meal is ready, it will be marched past the beautifully set dining room table and out the back door for a photo shoot on the shady deck; it will be served to you approximately fifteen minutes later. If you’re lucky.
4. Due to #3, dinner will be cold.
5. There will be one beautifully presented dish – the one being photographed – but any side dishes may look like they were hurriedly slopped together.
6. The dining room has a backdrop and fill lights. Don’t touch any props.
7. You may be asked if you can be photographed while eating, but note that this request is merely a formality and the host will snap away at will no matter what your response. Expect close-ups of your lips,hands, etc.
8. The host may seem lost in thought for the most of the meal — presumably because he/she is already composing a blog post in his/her head.
9. If there is conversation, it will probably revolve around the food (details on how it was prepared, the chef’s feelings on how it turned out) or the weather (too sunny for good photographs or not sunny enough).
10. You’ll notice that the cake for dessert has a slice missing from it. That’s because the host needed to photograph the layers.
Funny, and probably very, very true!
Cute! At least your brain was functioning during midnight feedings. I think I was in a constant fog for many months.
I loved this list the first time around but after being a food blogger for longer it makes even more sense! Made me laugh 🙂
So true, so true! My family has been putting up with this for years. 😉
Love it! Especially #9. I'm always composing in my mind!
100% true … my husband and family can attest to that. 😀
I LOVED this! This is the first time I saw it, and it is hilarious. and so true. apparently I'm not a serious enough food blogger yet though, because I've taken too many bad/rushed pictures so as to not keep my guests waiting. i love it 🙂
Sounds like dinner at my house,lol plus there is only one pretty plate for the perfect presentation.
Hehehe! So true! I try to keep the rest of the meal warm and just plate up what I need photos of so everyone doesn't have to suffer.
Maybe I'm just not enough into the food scene, but I thought the whole point of being a foodie is to enjoy the food. The delaying of serving seems absolutely contrary to it. It's like the online world is more important than the real life people you're hosting.
I know, I know, it's supposed to be a joke, but it's something to think about.
I know I put myself through a lot of stuff for my blog, but I only do it to myself (I can't eat anything until I photograph it …) I would never subject guests to it.
Hi Cybele- Thanks for your comment! This list really isn't be be taken seriously. It's hugely tongue in cheek!
Funny thing about those guests–if I DON'T photograph dinner, half of them are like
"What? No picture? You're not serving us blog-worthy food?" =)
I just can't win!
So funny! I have a small group of friends who seem to be willing to put up with this kind of treatment and don't mind coming to dinner, even when I warn them "I'll need to take some photos."
So so true! I have only been blogging less than a year and my husband could have written that list!
This is too funny! I make my guests pose for an hour first, and then sign release forms so I can publish them online 😉
(don't shoot, I'm kidding!!)
I get it, it's supposed to be a joke, but the funniest jokes are based on truth.
I guess as long as your friends are up for the ride, well, then they're true friends.
Um, this is all true. Although I try to save one nice piece of cake to photograph after the meal – preferably the next day, when the natural light is better.
I loved your post! So true.
This is great and oh so true.
Too funny and true, my friend next to me as we speak is vouching for most.
hahahhaha! soooo true. and sad. and TRUE. sigh.
love your blog. here's to beautiful, cold, LATE dinners.
OMG 100% true, except in my case dinner is not served at 3 in the afternoon, it is served at 10 pm. Proper lighting is precious and all, but if you're also lazy and a graphic designer… well, there's photoshop. Otherwise 100% true, that's why, this weekend, my ceviche looked like a dog's breakfast whereas my husband's looked like a verrine from a magazine : )
I'm not a good food blogger. I made a gorgeous maple syrup and nectarine almond bread last night and am kicking myself I didn't take pictures of it before I took it to my friends house.
Hah! The first photo says it all.
Guilty as charged, your honor.
Very cute and most accurate! Glad to know I'm not alone.
Oh, dearest! I feel so relieved! This is me! And, I'm so thankful it's you, too. I was starting to think I was going mad with some of the habits I've picked up because of my food blog. What a joy to learn I'm not the only one slowly oozing into crazyville.
The slice of cake? Amen. I haven't taken a whole dessert to a friends house in the last year. HI-larious!
So glad to have found you via Julie BlogAid. Hasn't it been the most remarkable honor to be included in the book lineup?
Hugs and Happy Blogging!
all of these are just to to true
This SO halarious! I love it!