Criticizing the Critics

[Bart]

16 hours ago, Escoffier said:

I tend to agree with you, Don.  There seems to be more cheerleading (albeit sometimes lukewarm or tepid) than criticism.  I vaguely remember (dis-remember?) a review that said something along the lines of "Inn at Little Washington prices with Harold of Chinatown food".   That wasn't written by the WaPo resident food taster obviously. Unfortunately, I can't find that review now but I do know that people weren't exactly breaking down the door to get "tickets' to fill seats. 

I wonder if it's more a sign of the times in the newspaper world than some sinister act perpetrated by Tom S and company.  I mean, do you remember what the Food Section in the Post looked like 10 or 15 years ago?  It was nearly as thick as the entire paper is today!  Do they just not have the budget and staff to do deeper pieces these days?

[Escoffier]

3 hours ago, Bart said:

I wonder if it's more a sign of the times in the newspaper world than some sinister act perpetrated by Tom S and company.  I mean, do you remember what the Food Section in the Post looked like 10 or 15 years ago?  It was nearly as thick as the entire paper is today!  Do they just not have the budget and staff to do deeper pieces these days?

I like Tim C. and some of the people (stringers?) the WaPo has have added a much needed variety to the food writing.  I do remember when the Food section was seriously packed with ads for local food stores, recipes and the now -and-then fluff piece.  It's nice to see bylines by some people who are familiar names on DonRockwell get published and Joe Yonan has added a nice vegetarian leavening but still, Food is a mere shadow of its former robust self.  Not sure why Tim C. isn't writing those Twenty Dollar meal articles anymore but someone else picks up that assignment now and then.  My (unfounded as of now) fear is that Tim C. will leave for main article writing at another venue and we'll be stuck in Mediocrity Land with those generic review/puff pieces.

[Lori Gardner]

1 hour ago, Escoffier said:

Not sure why Tim C. isn't writing those Twenty Dollar meal articles anymore but someone else picks up that assignment now and then.  My (unfounded as of now) fear is that Tim C. will leave for main article writing at another venue and we'll be stuck in Mediocrity Land with those generic review/puff pieces.

What do you mean?  He is still writing $20 Diner.  There was a great piece just the other day with his favorite cheap eats of 2016. 

[Escoffier]

36 minutes ago, Lori Gardner said:

What do you mean?  He is still writing $20 Diner.  There was a great piece just the other day with his favorite cheap eats of 2016. 

Year-end wrap up articles don't count Either I haven't been perusing the Thursday regional WaPo tab or I've been overlooking the articles.  Okay, I just pulled the Regional section and there was something by Tim C.  Now about the main point of my post... the mediocrity part, whaddya have to say about that?  (okay, I give up, there must be at least 3 emoji and I can't find any of them, so this is going to have to do  ;-) ).

[DonRocks]

"Is The Era of the White Male Food Critic Coming To an End?" by Tim Carman on washingtonpost.com

Good Lord.

[Pat]

16 hours ago, DonRocks said:

"Is The Era of the White Male Food Critic Coming To an End?" by Tim Carman on washingtonpost.com

Good Lord.

Pray tell?

I especially liked the quote from Sam Sifton: 

Quote

“Culture criticism requires a collection of skill sets and a desire to learn and a desire to report,” Sifton says. “That leads to good and accurate criticism about the restaurants at hand.”

 

[Ericandblueboy]

We've had this discussion before.  I don't believe any one person can critique all the different cuisines.

[curiouskitkatt]

On 12/31/2016 at 1:59 PM, Escoffier said:

I like Tim C. and some of the people (stringers?) the WaPo has have added a much needed variety to the food writing.  I do remember when the Food section was seriously packed with ads for local food stores, recipes and the now -and-then fluff piece.  It's nice to see bylines by some people who are familiar names on DonRockwell get published and Joe Yonan has added a nice vegetarian leavening but still, Food is a mere shadow of its former robust self.  Not sure why Tim C. isn't writing those Twenty Dollar meal articles anymore but someone else picks up that assignment now and then.  My (unfounded as of now) fear is that Tim C. will leave for main article writing at another venue and we'll be stuck in Mediocrity Land with those generic review/puff pieces.

sometimes you are directly quoted in a piece.

[Escoffier]

5 hours ago, curiouskitkatt said:

sometimes you are directly quoted in a piece.

paraphrased :)

[dcs]

Watch Sacha Baron Cohen Convince a Food Critic to Eat Human Flesh, by Greg Morabito, August 20, 2018, on eater.com.

[Kanishka]

On 12/20/2006 at 3:10 AM, Joe H said:

sweet, thick spargel from a field just south of Stuttgart picked at the start of the season.

I owe everyone thoughts on food here in Swabia, one of the most unfairly besmirched areas of Germany for food and a million other things.  This line from JoeH, who I miss, is a good tease.

[DonRocks]

3 hours ago, Kanishka said:

I owe everyone thoughts on food here in Swabia, one of the most unfairly besmirched areas of Germany for food and a million other things.  This line from JoeH, who I miss, is a good tease.

Having driven from Heidelberg to Munich, I suspect I drove through it once.