I'm online, searching for something tasty to round up the week. I Google 'wanton mee in Singapore' and the first page of 25 pages is regurgitated. Looking through about about ten of them, I realise there is a problem with the food blogs that ply their trade on the virtual black hole that is the Singaporean appetite for food.
But a few reasons to start a text-only food blog.
1. Food porn is ubiquitous, as almost any Facebook account will testify. Text however, is less common.
2. Writing is a craft best honed with practise. Food writing without relying on visual aids can only improve the ability to put construct images in ones mind.
3. It loads faster than images.
So why not, hawker food is generally simple fare, with a few elements combined together. The ambiance is a heady mix of food smells, kitchen heat and human bodies in large amounts.
Any writing needs an outline, and here's mine:
1. Trigger: Hunger is obvious, cravings are another, but often what happens is a passing conversation, or reading something online. Or a serendipitous find somewhere in the hours between commitments.
2. Dish: The food and its elements. What appeals to each eater may vary, but the elements common to each dish are generally unchanged. A bowl
3. Atmosphere: Hawker centres weren't built with comfort in mind, but sometimes picking a nice, well ventilated seat can make the difference between a hurried meal, and a place to chill and people watch for hours.
4. Logistics: getting there, parking, the nitty-gritty that will make it easier to find the next time round.
5. Verdict: Would I come back?
Onwards.
