Corporate Big Cheese Vs The Little Woman

This is a direct open response to Erica Marcus article. 'Not all Internet recipes are created equal'  - published in the online version of the newspaper St Louis Today [Newsday 07/23/2008]

Outraged by Erica Marcus' article 'How reliable are Internet recipes?' I had to put proverbial pen to paper. This takes the form of an open letter to Erica:


What a load of supercilious, snooty, condescending rubbish. Do you mean to tell us because a recipe may have come from a more amateur source and not a lofty professional one such as Gourmet or Bon Appétit magazine that it is somehow inferior? Don't make me choke on my mother's home made apple pie!

Firstly, most recipes are handed down from generation to generation, rather like music, art or writing. Changes, modifications, fusions and even innovations are made, but essentially we rely on the folklore/traditional path. This is absolutely part of both the amateur and professional process.

Secondly, the only real difference between Cheri Sicard and Martha Stewart et al is money. Cheri has done the spadework herself and publishes via her website. Martha and the pros have a bottomless pocket, and army of staff, many avenues to publish and inform the world of the creation. Cheri (as a one woman operation) may make a mistake and leave out an ingredient or make a spelling error, but it doesn't make her any less of a cook than dear old Martha, just less wealthy and with fewer resources. How many cookery books by so called professionals have you seen with missing ingredients and spelling errors? - plenty - we are all human - even if Cheri curses herself and Martha blames a lowly paid 'proof reader' for spoiling her 'Cote de Bouef Rossini'

Is there any proof that Martha et al writes her own recipes? Largely i believe, staff researchers, chefs and writers do this - she oversees Martha Stewart Ltd like the CEO she is - like any super senior manager in a big, highly, successful industry - don't fool yourself.

Thirdly, surely the fact that you found Cheri's pizza dough "...overpoweringly sweet and yeasty" is a matter of taste? When I make a new dish, this amateur cook does not consult just one recipe. As any good student knows, you do your research and find a number of references before you commit. My wife and I both cook and consult numerous recipe books and Internet sources before we decide on what is going to work for us. Your experience, your comparisons and your own taste will allow you to arrive at a reasonable decision.

Fourthly, patronizingly, you point a haughty finger at Cheri Sicard, because her varied former careers include the unconventional: "aerialist, clown, knife thrower, whip cracker, magician and mentalist" does this make her any less an authority or a cook than Martha Stewart whose former careers include stockbroker and model? 

Martha may be able to preach cooking, publishing, television presenting, selling us products in favour of her rivals as she cleans up in homemaking department. Her success is self perpetuating - her services and goods sell themselves. To quote Shania Twain "It don't impress me much". Martha's best trick is to demonstrate how the members of the super rich can easily sidestep the laws and rules that govern the rest of us mere mortals by serving a cosy and tiny jail term for insider-trading - now that's impressive!

Your assertion that we choose the suggested authorative over the amateur smacks of misplaced commercial elitism. If what you advocate were true, we'd watch Fox for our unbiased news, rather than say Public Television or the BBC. If we wanted products of distinction and craftsmanship we'd all shop at Walmart rather than the Ma and Pa place in the town (if still in existence). I feel you are doing nothing more than giving the status quo a boost to satisfy your paymasters - keeping it in the family.

I've left the best till last - your comments about Google-ing had me rolling on the floor. Sure Google-ing is a relatively passive experience - I guess it assumes you can read(?) and use a search engine - it doesn't interrogate (true -thank goodness). I guess it does assume "...you exist" or who would that be pressing the keys? (Woooo!) Its all rather a nonsensical argument isn't it? Before Google I could go into a bookshop (I still do) and buy a cookbook (I still do) - The book doesn't ask me if I can cook - but luckily I know I can and for the purchase price I can take it away and put it to good use. I could also buy a book on how to build suspended bridges - this book also doesn't ask me if I can (I can't) - it doesn't mean I can't buy the book, nor would it if I found the same information on Google. The only people who need be worried, is if I'm mad and actually put lives at risk by successfully passing myself off as a Bridge Engineer and then be afraid, be very afraid.

Your article reveals a distasteful attitude we can well do without. It poses as a real opinion, but scratch below the surface your piece reveals the industry perpetuating and congratulating itself. We don't need it - roll on the amateur cook - keep flying the flag and serving the dishes.