This week we received an email from a young food blogger, who asked about writing opportunities at THE NIBBLE. She wanted to “gain industry experience.” We get frequent inquiries of this nature from people of all ages. Here’s our advice.

There are limited career opportunities in food writing. If by “career” you mean an occupation with an income that can support you, the continued demise of magazines and newspapers has resulted in fewer and fewer full-time writing and editing jobs. The outlook is not good.

There always have been many more people aspiring to earn a living as a writer, than there have been positions for them. Now, full-time jobs are drying up. Freelance writing is hard to get; the good jobs rely on connections, and even those pay less and less as the publishing industry profits erode. Many people think they can “pay their dues” by writing for a pittance, or even for free, and subsequently turn that experience into more profitable assignments. Those “dues” will rarely turn into properly paid work. We have colleagues who are highly respected and connected freelancers, with 20 years of experience; they are still offered a few hundred dollars for a large amount of work.

That‘a the down side, the reality of the business. But if you want to give it your best shot, here’s what we suggest:

Have a blog and expand it. If you already have readers, ask them what they’d like to see. Every time you research new content, you add to your professional expertise. Consider interviewing bakers, pastry chefs and industry executives for trends and tips. By interviewing people, you make connections that could lead you to other work.

Ask for ideas and constructive criticism. Speak with people who read other food blogs and ask them for input on yours. Don’t respond directly to criticism; one can’t help but be defensive when one’s work of passion is being judged. Just “take it under advisement” and decide how to address the input.

Get business cards with the title Food Writer or Freelance Food Writer and the link to your blog. You can do this inexpensively at Moo.com or Vistaprint.com. Every time the topic of food or your occupation comes up, hand out a card. You never know when a connection will be made, if not that day then down the road.

Join industry associations. Not only will you meet people, but the memberships will strengthen your resume. Go to the meetings of local groups, participate in the message boards, attend conferences. Make friends and hand out those cards. Volunteer for committees, where you get to really know people and they see your skills in action. We think the best committee is the programming or speaker committee. It gives you the opportunity to call leaders in the industry and invite them to speak. You’ll get to introduce yourself to someone who would never take your call under other circumstances.

Network, network, network. Take a class and/or read books on networking. Learn how to find leads in every encounter with everyone, from your hairdresser to friends’ parents. Then, give your “elevator pitch” to everyone you speak with (You’ll learn what that is).

Build the skills you need to stand out. The key talent required for success in most fields is not the industry expertise itself, but the business skills: pitching, selling, deal-making. Read books or find a mentor who can help you to build the ability to sell yourself and your ideas.

Get as close as you can to working in a food related business, in any capacity. It’s by meeting people and getting them to know and like you that other opportunities develop. Even if you had a clerical job at an ingredients manufacturer or a restaurant equipment distributor, for example, you could volunteer to do their blog or social media and build the credentials to move up to a job that focuses on writing. Often, a job that gives you the opportunity to write is not a full-time writing job.

Get a certificate in food studies. See what‘s available in your area or online. This will seriously differentiate you from other job candidates. Many major media outlets require their entry-level people to have such a certificate, even if they are Phi Beta Kappa graduates of Harvard who edited the school paper.

DO YOU HAVE ADVICE FOR ASPIRING FOOD WRITERS? ADD IT HERE!

There is no “expresso,” of course; and it it always black. Take the course, and you’ll never be embarrassed by such errors.

While this ad began running in the early 20th century, the same mistakes are made today. Eat24.com, an online delivery and takeout service that delivers restaurant food in 950 cities nationwide, pulled together a list of most frequently mispronounced foods; and we’ve added a few.

Have fun with it, and feel free to submit your own list.

Beignet: Pronounced ben-YAY, the best of these French-style doughnuts we’ve ever had were at Café du Monde in New Orleans (worth a trip!). Here’s more information and a photo of beignets.

Chipotle: Pronounced chee-POHT-lay, these are dried, smoked jalapeño chiles. For some reason, it’s also misspelled by more than a few of the small producers who send us products. They insist on spelling it (and no doubt, pronouncing it) “chipolte.” These pineapple chipotle ice pops are truly delicious. More about chipotle.

Crudités: Pronounced croo-dee-TAY (or in English, croo-dee-TAYS—the French don’t pronounce the “s” on the end), this is the French term for raw vegetables served in bite-size pieces with a dip. It’s one of our favorite low-calorie party foods and snacks. Serve it with this tzatziki recipe, made with nonfat Greek yogurt.

Espresso: Pronounced: es-PRESS-oh. There is no “x.” See the different types of espresso drinks.

Gnocchi: Pronounced NYAWK-kee. The most famous potato pasta, these small dumplings can be served plain or flavored. Here are tips for making gnocchi, a gnocchi recipe and a sweet potato gnocchi recipe.

Gyro: Pronounced YEE-row or ZHEER-oh. If you must, say “hero,” but never JI-row or GY-row. Here’s how the hero sandwich got its name.

Habanero: In Spanish, the pronunciation is ah-va-NEH-ro, but Americans can say hah-bah-NEH-row. That’s an “n,” not an “ñ,” in the center of the word. Here’s more about habanero chiles, the hottest in Latin America.

Pho: Pronounced FUH. This complex and luscious Vietnamese soup deserves to be pronounced correctly. Here’s a pho recipe.

Quinoa: Pronounced KEEN-wah. One of the most nutritious foods on earth, “quinoa” means “mother grain” in the Inca language, Quechua. Serve it as a side instead of rice or potatoes, and try this quinoa tabouli recipe.

Sriracha: Pronounced shree-RAH-cha, lovers of hot sauce should pick up a bottle. Made from hot red chiles, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt, the sauce is named after the coastal city of Si Racha on the Sea of Thailand, where it was first produced and served at seafood restaurants. Try it in this Red Curry Shrimp recipe.

Quesadilla: Pronounced kay-suh-DEE-yuh. Originating in Mexicao, a quesadilla is a flour or corn tortilla filled with a savory mixture containing cheese (queso) and other ingredients, then folded in half to form a half-moon shape. Here’s a ribeye quesadilla recipe from Bobby Flay. Or, try this American fusion peanut butter snack quesadilla.

Worcestershire Sauce: Pronounce WUS-teh-SHEER. It is believed that a Captain Henry Lewis Edwardes (1788–1866) brought the recipe for the sauce home after travels in India. It is not known how the recipe got to Lea and Perrins, but John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins, two dispensing chemists (pharmacists) in Worcester (pronounced WOO-ster), England, created a recipe that was first sold commercially in 1837. “The Original Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce” is now owned by H.J. Heinz Company.

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Roasted and caramelized cauliflower with
Indian spices. Photo courtesy
PaperChef.com.

Recently we discovered a delicious South Asian recipe for roasted and caramelized cauliflower, prepared with an aromatic blend of traditional Indian spices. It was created by By Joshna Maharaj for Paper Chef, makers of culinary parchment paper. This golden spiced beauty is a lively mouthwatering delight.

SOUTH ASIAN MASALA CAULIFLOWER RECIPE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. PLACE cauliflower in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with vegetable oil. In a small bowl, combine cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne and stir to combine. Sprinkle the spice mixture over cauliflower and use your hands to gently toss, making sure to coat each piece with the oil and spices.

CRUCIFEROUS SALAD RECIPE

You can use raw vegetables or steam them very lightly. Add color with carrots or red bell pepper. The recipe can be prepared in advance and refrigerated. Serves 4.

Ingredients

 
*Mayonnaise makes a creamy dressing. You can omit the mayonnaise and make the dressing pure vinaigrette. Just replace the mayonnaise with two more tablespoons of olive oil.
 
Preparation

1. SLICE the onions. If the onions are too sharp to enjoy raw, shock the sliced onions in an ice water bath for 10 minutes and pat them dry. This tempers the sulfur-containing compounds that create the sharp flavor. You can substitute sweet onions, but red onions add needed color to the dish.

2. SLICE the broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower into bite-size pieces. If you prefer, cut the broccoli and cauliflower florets into smaller florets. Combine in a bowl with the onions.

3. WHISK together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Mix in the mayonnaise and celery seed. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss. You can prepare the salad up to this point and refrigerate for a day or two.

4. ADD the optional bacon, toss and serve.
  

Marvelous Malbecs. Photo courtesy Trapiche
Vineyards.

If you’re in charge of the wine for Easter, how about trying something new?

Malbec, the signature grape of the Cahors area of southwestern France, has become the signature grape of Argentina. You’re likely to find a nice choice of Malbecs from both areas on the shelves of your wine store.

Malbec is deep purple in color and lush with ripe, juicy berry and plummy dark fruit flavors. Secondary flavors can include herbal, licorice/anise and violet notes.

Malbec will appeal to lovers of the Bordeaux grapes. It has been called “the more rustic cousin of Merlot” by wine expert Jancis Robinson. For many years it has been used in some Bordeaux blends to add deep color, tannins and plummy flavors. In the Loire Valley it is blended with Cabernet Franc and Gamay.

Malbec is also delicious with bittersweet chocolate (see our chocolate and wine pairing chart).

Those who prefer organic, sustainable wines should take a look at the Malbecs from Trapiche Vineyards, Argentina’s largest exported premium wines. The company practices biodynamic agriculture.

Biodynamic is the word used in most countries to describe what Americans call organic. It is actually the most rigorous approach among biological and ecological agricultural practices, with tougher standards than organic.

Biodynamic agriculture supports everything that is natural and forbids the use of chemicals, herbicides and fungicides. It aims for a balanced ecosystem, biodiversity and the recovery of the bacterial activity in the soils. The only fertilizers allowed are the vegetable and animal wastes from a biodynamic farm.

The Trapiche Vineyards Malbec is a rich red wine with aromas of plums and cherries on the nose, hints of truffle and vanilla on the palate and a smooth, full finish. The prices range from $8 for the basic varietal to $41 for the finest single-vineyard Malbecs.

WANT TO HAVE FUN WITH EASTER WINES?

Beyond Malbec, THE NIBBLE’s wine editor, Kris Prasad, recommends wines that are perfect for an Easter celebration:

 
Here’s the full Easter wines article.

It is almost four years since we first discovered Somebody’s Mother’s dessert sauces—Chocolate Sauce, White Chocolate Sauce and Caramel Sauce—and named them a Top Pick Of The Week (here’s the original review). The chocolate sauces remain our favorite dessert sauces.

Now, the company has doubled the size of the line with three new dessert sauces, building on the original flavors:

 
Read the full review.

HOW MANY TYPES OF DESSERT SAUCED HAVE YOU TRIED?

Check out our Dessert Sauces & Toppings Glossary.