Reader Question: Where would you go for your last meal in Cincinnati?

Our lovely Cin Twin, aka Amber, is leaving town for Denmark in just a couple of days. She chose her last meal in Cincinnati: Via Vite.

So I'm wondering... what's YOUR ideal last meal in Cincinnati? If you were to leave and never go back (or were on death row, or whatever), what would you eat?

I'll reveal my choice in a bit-- I have a feeling you'd guess, though.

Female bloggers: are we taken seriously?

I've been blogging on and off for about eight years now. I started at Livejournal, where I keep a blog that is mostly geared towards my friends, and tends to be posted as "friends only". Trust me, you don't really care about the stuff I write about there. My Vox is fairly public, and of course I have my food blog and my professional blog. I still feel, quite often, that women as bloggers are not underrepresented (we make up about half of bloggers) but we're not taken as seriously as our male counterparts. I had a male friend last night who was incredibly surprised that I was miffed that a local article virtually ignored female bloggers-- "Does that really matter?" he asked? Yes, it does. Women's voices are often ignored (as this article details), and we really aren't taken as seriously. Though there are tons of successful female food bloggers (Accidental Hedonist, I'm looking at you), it's still a bit of a boys' club. Most lists of prominent bloggers nearly ignore female bloggers, but shouldn't for much longer: mom bloggers are a huge demographic (and quite vocal), women are becoming more prominent in political blogging-- we're becoming more prominent in all areas of the blogosphere.

Maybe I'm just on a high of connecting with so many bloggers (though some may consider it self-congratulatory, knowing you're not alone in your interests or pursuits is pretty important), but what do you think-- women bloggers, do you feel ignored?

ETA: Jezebel and The F Word (UK) both had some interesting things to say. Salon's Broadsheet did too.

clipped from www.nytimes.com Blogging’s Glass Ceiling Blogging has come a long way from its modest beginnings. These days, there is money to be made, fame to be earned and influence to be gained. And though women and men are creating blogs in roughly equal numbers, many women at the conference were becoming very Katie Couric about their belief that they are not taken as seriously as their male counterparts at, say, Daily Kos, a political blog site. Nor, they said, were they making much money, even though corporations seem to be making money from them. Other prominent female bloggers who did not attend the BlogHer conference agreed that there are unique challenges that women in the blogosphere face. “Women get dismissed in ways that men don’t,” said Megan McArdle, an associate editor at The Atlantic Monthly who writes a blog about economic issues.

Blog Etiquette with wine me, dine me

Good afternoon, class!

It's that time again-- yes, like other local bloggers I feel the need to have a short informational session about how to properly interact in the blogosphere, both as a commenter and as a blogger.

1. Copyright infringement isn't cool. I, for one, spend a ton of my free time writing, taking photographs, reading about food, learning about food, eating food-- you get the idea. I'm also a professional writer and my words are my livelihood: Don't steal them. If you're quoting me, link back. It's generally not recommended to quote the whole post (confusion can arise, trust me). If you want to use a picture, respect Creative Commons and attribute (Flickr makes this very easy) or, if you're going to be super-polite, ask for permission. That is always appreciated, nothing brightens another blogger's day like someone emailing them and saying, "Wow, I loved your picture of such-and-such! Can I use it on my blog?" Remember when you learned how to write a research paper in high school? Cite your sources! And as far as pictures go, I'm a big believer that food blogs can be effective without pictures (the writers of Restaurants and Reservations do a great job at it, for example). There are some things that just don't photograph well (grits, refried beans, anything at The Quarter Bistro because the light is red) , occasionally I leave the house without charging the battery, sometimes I'm just silly and forget-- and if you're writing food reviews, unless it's a stock photo from the restaurant's website, you shouldn't use other people's food photos to document your experience.

2. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Thumper's mom was right. I've been seeing some really mean commenters on other local blogs lately. There's a big difference, in my mind, between snarky and mean. Disagree all you want-- blogs are all about opinion, and I will definitely not always agree with you-- but leave the ad hominem attacks for Gawker.

3. On that note, don't post just to pimp your blog. We all want traffic, we all want readers, but get your readers because you're interesting and have something to say, not by simply posting "I really love your blog!" or "Look what I wrote about that same subject on MY blog!" without any real commentary on what's written.

4. Just because you link to me doesn't mean I will link to you. I'm blatantly stealing this one from Kate, and it's true. Every blog I link to is one I read on a regular basis, one with content that is compelling and well-written, pertinent, signficant or maybe even funny (I mean, I don't think about food ALL the time. Just most of the time.). There are actually a ton of blogs I read that I don't link to here, as I only want to give you, the reader, a limited view into my world. You come to me to read about food, not about my politics or my fashion sense, right? However if you think there's a blog out there I *should* read, feel free to email me a suggestion. I'm always glad to hear it!

4. If you get your food for free, know the owner, date the waiter, whatever-- disclose it! Maybe it's because I'm reading Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires, but I think it's important to disclose anything that might make you have better service or food than a regular diner. Polly Campbell can't really give an unbiased review of Boca (they know her there, she knows they know her, and she always has a spectacular meal-- she's admitted as such, which is admirable). I can't give you an unbiased review of Seny (anymore), because Chef Travis knows me and his maître d' knows me (and read this blog, apparently). I've gotten several meals for free as a member of the press (gotta love new media, right?) and have made sure to disclose it. Also, in these cases, I refuse to overlook problems just because it was free or at a reduced charge. That's just not ethical, and I don't want to be a blogger who can be bought (and if I could, it would cost way more than a free meal. Seriously.).

That's all I can come up with for now. On my other (to-be-started) blog I intend on writing something about the Art of Adding Friends on Twitter-- but that's more appropriate for my professional blog. I guess what we all need is to remember that people, even on the internet, need to have their time and their talents respected. It fosters a sense of community, lends some authenticity, and makes the wide world of food blogs (and the 'net in general) a fun place to be.

Have anything to add?

Regulating dining out-- what do you think?

It's not news that NYC has some of the most progressive (or, depending on how you look at it, regressive) food service laws in the US. They were among the first to ban trans fat, and now they mandate that chain restaurants include nutritional information on their menus. I do indulge in the occasional chain restaurant, and am appalled at the nutritional information I have found. Chipotle is a pretty bad one-- their food is purported to be healthy (lots of veggies, no antibiotics in their chicken, the only thing that is fried are the chips) and compared to, say, McDonalds, it is (though McDonalds can be applauded for adding fairly healthful salads to their menu, as well as adding fruit to the choices for their Happy Meals. I'm not saying a standing ovation, but golf claps will certainly do)-- however, I discovered the Chipotle Fan website, which has a nutritional calculator. Oof. Scary. I usually ("usually" translates to twice in a year) get a salad -- for me, substandard tortillas aren't worth the calories-- and the salad, though heavy with veggies, is still about 885 calories. Let's not talk about the sodium, which is atrocious, and the fat, most of which comes from the salad dressing. There is no reduced calorie or low fat option.

If I made the same salad at home-- with a fresh vinaigrette, marinated grilled chicken, and homemade (or perhaps store-bought from someplace like Trader Joe's or Fresh Market or Madison's) fresh salsa, I know I could cut the calories in half. I think that's the problem-- most people in America now don't know how to or desire to cook and don't know what actually is involved in the ingredients of food. All of that salt, fat, and any artificial stuff that might land in there doesn't NEED to be there, but the mass production of chain restaurants needs salt and artificial stuff for preservatives and to match the palate of the average American, which is generally oversalted.

For me, banning might not be the road to go down (I have a libertarian streak, I guess), but education is. At a chain restaurant, where everything is standardized, there is no excuse for not having nutritional information on a website. A book I picked up recently,Eat This Not That: Thousands of Simple Food Swaps That Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds-or More! , has healthful choices vs. really horrible choices at various chain restaurants. Outback, for example, argues that its meals are so "fresh" that they can't quantify nutritional content-- probably because they have an appetizer that has 2900 calories. Ouch. I would never, ever expect a non-corporate restaurant to have the resources to provide nutritional information, but a restaurant that develops their food in a corporate test kitchen has no excuse.

Do you make choices at restaurants based on health or caloric content? I'll admit that lately I haven't, but when I lost a bunch of weight in 2006, it's all I did and found places like Panera, that had nutritional information online, a godsend. Counting calories can be a bear, but for many it works and at the very least allows the diner to go in knowing what they're in for. So what do we need? Calorie counts? A more educated public? I'd argue for both-- not on the menu, per se, but at least available on websites. As Americans, our perception of portions has become distorted ("value" = "big portions"), but we've also got a major collective fear of fat (both in foods and on our waistlines) which leads to some nutritional schizophrenia. What are your thoughts?

Best (and worst) food at ballparks

Oooh, looks like Terry has half of his work done for him: The New York Times put out a scorecard for major league ballparks (it's accompanied by an interesting article about ballpark food)! I've only been to two ballparks-- GABP and Shea Stadium-- but I'd definitely agree with the writer's opinion on Skyline being one of the best things there. It's pretty good and pretty indicative of something traditionally Cincinnati. And the nachos ARE pretty bad, but I think the hot dogs are worse. I didn't have anything other than a hot dog at Shea Stadium, but darn was it good.

What's your favorite food at an American ballpark?

Recipe Dealbreakers

I read the article in the New York Times on recipes and what turns people off from making them. I read a few comments, posted my own, and got to thinking: Is there anything I won't try? I haven't had luck cooking tofu-- I can never get it to taste like anything other than paste-- but is that to say I wouldn't try a recipe if someone sent it to me and said "here, this is the mother of all tofu recipes"? Marla swears that she has some good tofu recipes, and I'll try them. Not really a "dealbreaker".

A lot of people said that their "dealbreaker" is odd ingredients-- you know, the spice you need a teaspoon of but rarely use again. Terry often says, "Man, I'd love to make that, but I don't have X," and usually I have it-- I love buying sauces and spices.

Another comment that came up on the Ruhlman blog is cook vs. some other designation-- that you have to be willing to do everything to be a cook, otherwise you're just faking it. This reminds me of the Foodie discussion we had here a couple of months ago.

So are you a cook? What makes a cook? Is there anything you refuse to touch in a recipe?

Best of Taste

2008 “Best of Taste” Awards

Appetizer
Best of Taste: Burbank’s Real Barbeque - Southern Smoked Chicken Tenders
Award of Excellence: Buffalo Southwest Express – Wings & Egg Rolls
Award of Merit: Bangkok Bistro – Crab Rangoon

Soup & Salad
Best of Taste: Indigo Casual Gourmet Café – Black & Blue Tuna Salad
Award of Excellence: Carrabba’s Italian Grill – Mama Mandola Sicilian Chicken Soup
Award of Merit: Market Street Grille – Potato Soup

Entrée
Best of Taste: Carrabba’s Italian Grill– Chicken Bryan
Award of Excellence: Taz Restaurant – Chicken Kabob Sandwich
Award of Merit: Pit to Plate BBQ – Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork

Seafood Entrée
Best of Taste: Shanghai Mama’s – Seafood Shanghai Noodles
Award of Excellence: Carrabba’s Italian Grill – Grilled Salmon
Award of Merit: La Petite France – Crabmeat Crepe

Vegetarian Entrée
Best of Taste: Arloi Dee – Vegetable Pad Thai
Award of Excellence: Balboa’s Philly Steaks & Pizza – Slice of Cheese Pizza
Award of Merit: Bella Luna – Grande Ravioli

Dessert
Best of Taste: Buca di Beppo – Tiramisu
Award of Excellence: Bella Luna – Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding
Award of Merit: La Petite France – Chocolate Berries & Fruit Crepe

Best Damn Dish: Chicken Bryan

I'm sorry. I really am, but non-Cincinnati based restaurants shouldn't be able to win "Best Damn Dish" at The Taste of Cincinnati. I know, I know, they say it's "Best of Taste"-- but I'd prefer La Rosa's or Skyline to win over Carrabba's. I know that logistically, it would be hard for a restaurant to do taste if it is fairly small (though Bella Luna and La Petite France seem to do well), but I'm thinking Jeff Ruby's could do a booth (potatoes Anna, anyone?), and Jean-Robert Group does The Flower Show every year. I don't mind if national chains are present, but they shouldn't be able to win awards.

What is a foodie?

I've been perusing the Cincinnati Magazine restaurant issue since I got it, in case I missed something or forgot about a restaurant I wanted to try (I do that a lot!). I've read, over and over, an article in the section that includes comments from local chefs—anonymous, of course. First, apparently the hot kitchen sex only happens in Anthony Bourdain's world (bummer); nearly all of them are tired of foam (thank goodness) and Kobe beef (rarely from Kobe, Japan; it's a word that has become the meat world's champagne, and most of it is Wagyu, a breed of cow that can be raised anywhere); they wish the entire city didn't dine at 7:30 (I tend to dine towards 8:30-9 PM, thankyouverymuch); and French cooking is out and Latin flavors are in. There is one phrase that caught my eye, and I've been thinking about since I read it. When asked what they would wish for in Cincinnati dining, someone said, "More real foodies, not wanna-bes."

What does that mean?

What makes a real foodie? Am I a real foodie?

Most everyone I've met in the (very!) short time I've been writing this blog has been so enthusiastic about the work I'm doing. Sure, some customers look at me a little funny when I whip out my camera as soon as the waiter walks away, but I'm not that easily embarrassed. Not many people do this around here—LA, NY, SF, and other places with bigger populations and a faster restaurant turnover cycle than Cincinnati have tons of bloggers—and only recently has Cincinnati begun to have its own culinary stamp (outside of Skyline and Graeters and other local favorites). Many of the industry people I've talked with are happy that someone who is not on a newspaper's payroll is writing about experiences as a customer.

On the flip side, some folks aren’t so enamored with the idea of blogging; they believe culinary writers should have culinary backgrounds. I think, perhaps, that they're missing the point. Culinary training certainly builds an excellent foundation for food enjoyment—you learn the fundamental techniques of Western cuisine and, by repetition, learn to make them in both large quantities and with consistent quality. You apply that quantity and consistency to the line, delivering the desired products based on your skill, training, and artistry. It is difficult, physically and mentally draining work, and I applaud the chefs, who largely go unseen by customers. However, the average customer at a restaurant is not a chef. Customers may not know how to cook without opening a frozen dinner, or may be good at a few standards, or maybe they’ve never have taken a cooking class.

Some chefs embrace food bloggers (and blog themselves). Others, like Mario Batali, think we're a scourge upon the restaurant industry. Some food bloggers prefer the scoop to research, and some might argue that there is a lack of journalistic integrity and accountability in blogging, since so much of it is anonymous. Okay, so some bloggers might be in it for notoriety, free food, or social status, etc. There are definitely food blog haters out there (who aren't Batali); some think that we all need to have worked the culinary industry to be "more understanding." How many of us, on a daily basis, judge something as "good" or "bad" without formal training in the subject? I know next to nothing about the mechanics of cars, but I know that I like the way my car handles, and I also know that when a funny sound comes out, something's wrong with it. I know that when it's spring and I start sneezing, I should probably take a Claritin.

I've been cooking since I was a wee tot, and grew up on The Frugal Gourmet and Justin Wilson and Julia Child. I have a fairly educated palate (becoming more educated daily, and I still have a long way to go), and I am a fairly accomplished home cook (unless you count the bacon brittle, which was awful!). With the Internet, foodies are more common, because we have more access to knowledge about good, seasonal, artisanal, and exotic food that our grandmothers (in their Jello-mold haze) couldn't have imagined.

Web 2.0 has opened an entirely new opportunity for people who fall between being a trained chef and chain-restaurant diner. Sites like Chowhound, Epicurious, The Kitchen, Eater and The Accidental Hedonist give a voice to people who truly enjoy food: cooking, eating, and learning about it. There is less of a hierarchy. As one commenter put it on Eater.com:

With respect, I think a lot of you are missing the point about blogs in general. Most "food bloggers" are not pretending to be critics, but are sharing their experiences, prejudices, biases, and opinions. The absence of any pretense at journalistic standards is what makes the blogosphere…so interesting.

Don't think journalism.

Think cocktail party. Maybe after an hour and half of cocktails. Buck Callahan.

That's exactly what the Internet is: one big cocktail party where people have opinions and share them with others. You have to sort out the good from the bad; many blogs are well researched and are based on first-hand experiences. And of course some blogs (Yahoo Answers, Yelp, and Citysearch, etc.) have essentially anonymous and often vitriolic posts that aren't as reliable. There are major news outlets that put out unresearched stories, and there are blogs that are often better researched than the average newspaper.

What it boils down to is this: Chefs and food writers (whether they're restaurant reviewers, bloggers, or whomever) have opinions and have, historically, been at odds with each other. As a food blogger, I am not out to ruin anyone's business. I try to write well-researched posts that highlight the sort of food I like and discover. I hope that my reviews will help Cincinnati readers break the habit of going to known chain restaurants and start trying locally owned restaurants (or very small chains) that might be out of their comfort zone. I love good food, and hope I introduce you to some good stuff that you might not have tried.

What is a foodie? A foodie is someone who loves food. Good food. They want to know where it comes from, why it's good, how to prepare it, and how to enjoy it. If my lack of formal culinary training makes me a wanna-be foodie, so be it. I’ll keep enjoying wonderful meals and taking pictures of the fun.

Too many restaurants downtown?

The Enquirer just posted an article wondering if there are too many restaurants downtown. Initially, my thought was that there couldn't possibly be too many restaurants downtown-- thinking about places with downtowns that are far more thriving, like Louisville or Pittsburgh. Then, this quote popped out:

Paula Kirk of Paula’s Café on Fourth Street, open only for lunch, said she’s getting a smaller piece of those workers’ business. She sees each new lunch-place opening pulling customers away.

“When Potbelly on the Square opened, all the people in the Fifth Third building could go there instead of here,” she said. “It’s hard, and especially because some of the new places are chains. They have more leverage.”

She has an excellent point. Though we have had some new non-chain restaurants open, like Via Vite and Nada, but most of the other newer restaurants are chains: Potbelly, McCormick and Schmick's, Boi Na, among others. They do have more buying power and marketing power than a smaller, locally-owned restaurant. So what can we do, as a city, to encourage more independent restaurants to come downtown? What could open downtown that would give people more things to do? A movie theater might be nice, or more shopping. We have a thriving theater scene downtown already. What about more small venues for music or comedy?

What do you think?