Dear Author
Feb. 4th, 2009 07:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
neadodsDear Author,
The whole superior journalist thing of "I went to investigate these losers and then found out they're decent interesting people" trope only works if your disgusted bias doesn't continue to ring through every chapter and description.
I was quite interested in reading "Cookoff" Ms. Sutherland; there aren't many books about the people who like to compete in cookoffs, and recipes are always a nice touch. Such a pity that your attitude was a turnoff, from your oh-so-disingenuous discovery that liberated women like to compete through your "Well, I've entered a contest but I'm not like many others" conclusion. This was supposed to be about cookoffs, not "my superiority complex, let me show you it."
Could you - could *anyone* - possibly be shocked that modern women enter contests for prestige, prizes, and, oh, let's not forget the cold, hard cash? And why is cooking somehow retro and antifeminist as opposed to, say, beauty contests? At least cooking is a skill. You described people driving for miles to get the right presentation dish, but nobody had to vaseline their teeth and glue a swimsuit to their ass to be judged on their waist and tits.
You certainly judged by ingredients and tools. Scallions are not automatic indicators of haute cuisine. There is no "war" on crock pots except in the mind of technology snobs. (Little hint: All those pre-technology recipes that say "long slow simmer"? What the hell do you think a crock pot DOES?)
But that's nothing on how you judge the way people spend their time. You're above convenience food, I get it. But how dare you talk about how you can't understand how people can "drive for hours" and not want to spend time in the kitchen? Maybe they're using convenience food because they're tired and hungry and don't want to pfaff around in the kitchen. And it's not like you approve of anything else people do outside the kitchen. I notice that every chapter includes a dismissive description of the parties and events surrounding the cookoffs. Parties in bars are drunken orgies where women spray nameless liquids. Dressage is "interminable prancing to music."
And then there are the people. You're nice... to a few of them. But you will keep throwing in those little digs about "widening hips," "a gangster moll," women talking about hair dye, and (in almost every chapter) people talking to "no one at all." After that was repeated a few times, I started to think that they were probably trying to talk to you but couldn't penetrate the bubble.
Actually trying to put your money where your mouth was in the final chapter showed a little humanity. Such a pity that by then I was fed up with your dictations on the "right" ingredients, tools, and forms of cooking.
The whole superior journalist thing of "I went to investigate these losers and then found out they're decent interesting people" trope only works if your disgusted bias doesn't continue to ring through every chapter and description.
I was quite interested in reading "Cookoff" Ms. Sutherland; there aren't many books about the people who like to compete in cookoffs, and recipes are always a nice touch. Such a pity that your attitude was a turnoff, from your oh-so-disingenuous discovery that liberated women like to compete through your "Well, I've entered a contest but I'm not like many others" conclusion. This was supposed to be about cookoffs, not "my superiority complex, let me show you it."
Could you - could *anyone* - possibly be shocked that modern women enter contests for prestige, prizes, and, oh, let's not forget the cold, hard cash? And why is cooking somehow retro and antifeminist as opposed to, say, beauty contests? At least cooking is a skill. You described people driving for miles to get the right presentation dish, but nobody had to vaseline their teeth and glue a swimsuit to their ass to be judged on their waist and tits.
You certainly judged by ingredients and tools. Scallions are not automatic indicators of haute cuisine. There is no "war" on crock pots except in the mind of technology snobs. (Little hint: All those pre-technology recipes that say "long slow simmer"? What the hell do you think a crock pot DOES?)
But that's nothing on how you judge the way people spend their time. You're above convenience food, I get it. But how dare you talk about how you can't understand how people can "drive for hours" and not want to spend time in the kitchen? Maybe they're using convenience food because they're tired and hungry and don't want to pfaff around in the kitchen. And it's not like you approve of anything else people do outside the kitchen. I notice that every chapter includes a dismissive description of the parties and events surrounding the cookoffs. Parties in bars are drunken orgies where women spray nameless liquids. Dressage is "interminable prancing to music."
And then there are the people. You're nice... to a few of them. But you will keep throwing in those little digs about "widening hips," "a gangster moll," women talking about hair dye, and (in almost every chapter) people talking to "no one at all." After that was repeated a few times, I started to think that they were probably trying to talk to you but couldn't penetrate the bubble.
Actually trying to put your money where your mouth was in the final chapter showed a little humanity. Such a pity that by then I was fed up with your dictations on the "right" ingredients, tools, and forms of cooking.
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no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 01:21 am (UTC)DIE EVIL AUTHOR, DIE!
*clings to wall of 10-yr-old ribbons*
*posts beautiful YouTube link in protest*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKQgTiqhPbw
Er, well... okay, actually it is interminable prancing to music, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT, DAMMIT.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 01:51 am (UTC)Is that the link to the amazing Voulez-vous Couchez Avec Moi routine? (I could actually click and find out, but I'm not going to have more than "bare glance at flist" time until Friday.)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 01:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 02:25 am (UTC)The other one - I linked to it a long time ago; it may be on my links tag. All I really remember was that the horse was amazing - and the music was... rather unexpected for dressage!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 03:41 am (UTC)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eufBScvvCw8&feature=related
no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 03:35 am (UTC)WOW, that horse was having FUN! :)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-06 01:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 09:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 10:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 01:18 pm (UTC)Shrug. Recycle to your local library.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 10:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 07:22 pm (UTC)How nice. Running short on fireplace kindling? When I sit down to read, I want to be amused, scared, enlightened, educated or just entertained. If I wanted a mess of nasty attitude, I know where I can get it for free.
And they can have my crock pot when they pry it out of my cold dead fingers.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 10:45 pm (UTC)And I love my crock pots. They're lifesavers. I also like fruit and beef, a combination that goes back to medieval times, but which she considered vile and odd.