Spot-on brings together a collection of columnists who offer:
"a range of well-written and smartly argued commentary from a variety of viewpoints. In a world saturated with news and information, where readers like you can make their own news judgments and come to their own conclusions, Spot-On won't tell you what to think or why to think it. Instead, we offer clarity, good-sense and great writing about what matters most, when it matters. Our writers are experienced, smart and opinionated; our information is accurate and smartly presented."
I like being described as experienced, smart, and opinionated. It's about time I was properly recognized.
But aside from the ego strokes, I've been wanting to write more about the politics and culture of food and cooking. However, aside from an occasional essay, neither my blog, Seriously Good, nor Gather were the venue for it. That's not why I created Seriously Good and not why I post on Gather.
Here, I want you to think about "food," lower case "f," what we eat and why and how we enjoy it. This writing is for your sense of taste, texture, smell, sound, sight, and imagination it's about satisfying your animal.
My columns at Spot-on will be about satisfying your intellect. They will be about "Food" with a capital "F." I'll delve into the politics of food and the posturing of foodies and their institutional enablers. I'll point fingers at the smug — including myself — and reward good sense when I run across it.
But it's not going to be easy so I need your help, if you're willing. My column will appear every Monday at http://www.spot-on.com/weeks/. Please log on and catch my fox passes and illitracies and point them out to me. Tell me when I'm being stupid. Tell me what's bothering you — a weekly column is a major idea drain and I'll need the help.
And hey! Thanks to all of you, the regular commenters and the much, much larger body of regular readers. That matters to me.
Kevin Weeks is a Gather food correspondent (Paisano), personal chef, cooking teacher, and writer in Knoxville, Tennessee who spends too many hours on his feet, cooking. "Paisano" is a column focused on peasant dishes from around the world. To read more of Kevin's writings or connect to him click here. His blog, Seriously Good, is read by 50,000 cooks a month.
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Comments: 17
Ah, I missed a "why." Thanks.
Thanks.
Donna,
The Spot-on gig includes real editing -- and, as good as you and others here are, I love having someone catch my mistakes as part of their day-time job. Makes me feel all warm inside.
I will bookmark it and read every week!
Thanks. And yeah, the gap I talk about is tremendously frustrating. We've got a tremendously sophisticated agricultural system -- and like many sophisticated systems it's complex and often self referencing, which makes it tremendously resistant to change. It really can't evolve further, it's a commercial neanderthal, too adapted to it's world to respond to a new environment.
Laurie,
It's a cool gig for sure.
Tonia,
Thanks. And, please, don't be afraid to tell me when I'm full of shit.
Thanks.
This is some of the best news I have heard in a long time. I cannot even begin to express the joy (and perhaps a wee bit of envy *smile*) that I feel for you. Yes the joy out weighs the envy!
I promise to do my utmost best to remember to log in and read your article each Monday but feel free to remind me with an e-mail if you don't see me there. Sometimes life overwhelms me and I forget things. However this is something I really do not wish to forget.
It is for just this reason I came to gather. Not only for my own desire to achieve goals, but to be supportive to others who's determination and skills have earned them recognition somewhere. Good Luck to you and I hope it leads you to greater things in the future.
I read your current article and found it both articulate, informative and thought provoking. It made me aware of issues I was unaware of and will most likely make me pay more attention at the butcher shop and grocery store. There was a great deal within your article that added to my outlook and opinions on issues and organizations. Great job on the first of what I hope are many more articles that make me think, research and examine my own outlooks and opinions.
Thanks.
Amber,
Thanks for all the kind words. It's a complex topic because, as Brillat-Savarin notes, we are what we eat and what we eat is because of who we are.
Thanks.