bitter and viscid
a wednesday wander
Hullo to readers old and new!
Jessica DeFino over at The Unpublishable sometimes does these 2 paragraph pieces she calls 1 Minute Musings, an idea that was too good to not steal. If you enjoy my takes on food, you might enjoy reading her reporting on the beauty industry – clear and critical.
“What do restaurateurs and critics really mean when they say ‘challenge’ in descriptions of dishes and/or restaurants?” Adam asked yesterday. He was speaking of lines like:
The label is applied to anything about a restaurant that works against the actual or perceived preferences of the dining public. For instance, American diners are thought to shy away from bitterness, gelatinous textures, and offal. Critics describe dishes or restaurants that foreground these as challenging.
I love this usage of because it’s so revealing. Most writing about restaurants doesn’t acknowledge that diners exercise power over restaurants – except by accident, like when some food on a plate challenges the people who ordered it.
The question also reminds me of one of my favorite comic strips of all time, so thanks, Adam!