I entered my first graduate writing course unsure of many things. It seemed like I needed to figure out who I was and who I need to be as quickly as possible, but it took me down a completely different path.
At the time, I was only looking at the future. I thought I needed to figure out where I see myself in 10 years, but I soon realized no one really knows when they are just out of college. Professor Kalm wanted us to challenge ourselves. He wanted us to create arguments and question the norm. Through these exercises I found my voice a little at a time. I learned that it is not the unknown future that I need to be looking at, but to look in the past. The past is what defines you. The choices you’ve made in the past affect the choices you make today and will guide the choices you make in the future. This was the greatest lesson of all.
I see many accomplishments in the work I have created for my writing class. First, I began and maintained a blog. I have tried this in the past and it never seemed to keep my interest, but I love the topic I blog about and wish to keep it going after this class has completed. I have become more confident in my writing and the opinions I share. As Professor Kalm discussed in his lectures, your audience will find you, you just need to put your voice out there.
This leads me into another great accomplishment, my Twitter account. I have tweeted all about my blog and different recipes I find and an audience has found me which I am esthetic about. I have received a handful of followers interested and commenting on the recipes I posted. This gives me complete confidence that your audience will find you as long as you put your voice out there.
The last accomplishment I would like to highlight is my online presence. With an already established Twitter and blog account I also decided to redesign my Facebook page and create a LinkedIn account. All of these are now professional references that employers can look at to find more information on me as well as obtain my resume on my LinkedIn page. This will come in great help when I begin my job search in a year. With all of these social media tools combined, I believe I have a strong presence on the internet. When my name is searched on Google, you will immediately find direct links to all of these pages at the top of the search results.
Following the completion of this course I plan to maintain my blog, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. I will continue to share the wonderful cuisine Europe has to offer through my blog and Twitter. I will continue to find connections on LinkedIn and hopefully gain a few recommendations in the process. I will aim most of my time to my Twitter account. I have seen the highest results here and do not limit my tweets to European food, but offer all types of delicious foods. If change were to occur in my blog it would be to not limit the topic to European cuisine but to discuss a variety of dishes that have a history and meaning behind them.
I have learned a great deal in this writing course, more than I have ever expected. I learned how to write and to be confident through my words when reaching others. I learned how to filter my ideas and edit them down to truly important and specific thoughts. Most importantly, I learned how to define my voice. Unlike many of my classmates I have not begun my career to base my interests and discussion topics off of. I had to look at where I have been and the decisions I have made in the past to help create the person I am today. I am still a long way from a straight path to the future but I am no longer rushing into who I am supposed to be but living as who I am today. I plan to continue writing, even if it is as simple as a journal and I believe it help take me to where I want to be.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Social Media Campaign for Food Network
The Food Network has taken off since its launch back in November 1993. At this point only a few chefs have broadcasted cooking sessions, including the world famous French Chef Julia Child. It was time to bring the kitchen to America and it was welcomed with open arms. The Food Networks reaches out to over 98 million U.S. households and the ratings are on the rise. Cooking is no longer limited to grandmothers and stay at home mothers. Cooking is made easy (5 Ingredient Fix), affordable (Sandra's Money Saving Meals), and perfect to fit even the tightest schedules (30 Minute Meals).
It is amazing to think how far this network has come in the 17 years it has broadcasted. I believe a great portion to their success comes from their social media campaign. The Food Network realized that an important and effective way to reach the public is through social media outlets. The internet is a gateway of communication to people all over the world and it is important to have a strong presence.
Foodnetwork.com
One of the first steps to creating an online presence is their website Foodnetwork.com. Many viewers wish to obtain recipes from the shows they watch or even find a recipe for dinner that evening. Foodnetwork.com has become one of the most popular recipes sites on the web with more than seven million website users monthly. This site was designed to provide recipes and cooking tips, not to revolve around the Food Network station which was a great idea. The landing page is recipes and at the top you can find information on the shows and chefs if you are interested. The designer’s knew what the audience wanted and this set up has allowed the website to be more than just a tv stations website to find information, but can stand on its own as a popular online recipe catalogue.
Facebook and Twitter
As the internet started to change, more social media websites became available for businesses to use to promote themselves, products, and ideas. The Food Network has jumped on the bandwagon and has both a Facebook and a Twitter account.
The Food Network’s Facebook page is a huge success with almost 700 thousand fans. People of all ages write on the wall with their thoughts and praises on the network. A discussion board has been set up to allow its followers to talking about their favorite shows and to get their opinion for future ideas. Having a discussion board is great for a company to get to know their audience. For example, What chef or show would you like to see upgraded or deleted? This allows the network to communicate directly with its viewers and find out what the audience likes and doesn’t like. It is important to keep close relations with your audience because they are what keeps the business thriving.
Twitter has been on the rise within the past decade. The Food Network has a strong presence on twitter with over 18 hundred tweets and almost 200 thousand followers. The page is updated every day with tweets about the up and coming shows and great recipes to recommend to its followers. This is a great way to publicize the network and provide its fans with the recipes and cooking tips they are looking for.
Blog
Food Network maintains a blog on their website, Behind the Scenes in the Kitchen and on the Road. Here is an inside look at the staff and stories that you don’t get to see on TV. The blog was not able to be found easily but it’s a good sign they have one.
Another popular blog is Food Network Addict. This is a popular blog that comes up on the first page of results when searching Food Network. This blog gives you all the gossip and information on the stars you see on the network. This site is great for fans to follow in order to keep updated with their favorite chefs and shows.
Mobile
Having a social media presence on the internet is not enough anymore. Today people are accessing their favorite websites from their phones and other mobile devices. Food Network has established a mobile friendly website allowing people to sign on to foodnetwork.com from their cell phones and view a mobile friendly site that loads faster then the original page and is easier to navigate through on a small screen.
The latest craze is the iPhone and iTouch providing applications the user can download to be a click away from their favorite website, games, and news. The Food Network quickly joined this craze and has now created an application for the iPhone and iTouch called Food Network Nighttime. This application provides video clips from your favorite nighttime shows, a photo gallery, tv schedule, and recipes. Applications on a mobile device is becoming huge and it was a great tactic to get involved so quickly.
Food Network has done a great job with utilizing all of their social media outlets. They have an
amazing website, strong Facebook and Twitter accounts, a blog to give you behind the scenes information, and have gone mobile. They are very involved with their audience over the internet and have a huge online presence. Food Network utilizes Twitter and Facebook to be the core of their campaign. As a writer attempting to break into this niche I will follow this lead and concentrate on increasing my presence on these social media websites. This is an example of a strong, well organized social media campaign that I will use as a guideline to help define my presence on the internet.
It is amazing to think how far this network has come in the 17 years it has broadcasted. I believe a great portion to their success comes from their social media campaign. The Food Network realized that an important and effective way to reach the public is through social media outlets. The internet is a gateway of communication to people all over the world and it is important to have a strong presence.
Foodnetwork.com
One of the first steps to creating an online presence is their website Foodnetwork.com. Many viewers wish to obtain recipes from the shows they watch or even find a recipe for dinner that evening. Foodnetwork.com has become one of the most popular recipes sites on the web with more than seven million website users monthly. This site was designed to provide recipes and cooking tips, not to revolve around the Food Network station which was a great idea. The landing page is recipes and at the top you can find information on the shows and chefs if you are interested. The designer’s knew what the audience wanted and this set up has allowed the website to be more than just a tv stations website to find information, but can stand on its own as a popular online recipe catalogue.
Facebook and Twitter
As the internet started to change, more social media websites became available for businesses to use to promote themselves, products, and ideas. The Food Network has jumped on the bandwagon and has both a Facebook and a Twitter account.
The Food Network’s Facebook page is a huge success with almost 700 thousand fans. People of all ages write on the wall with their thoughts and praises on the network. A discussion board has been set up to allow its followers to talking about their favorite shows and to get their opinion for future ideas. Having a discussion board is great for a company to get to know their audience. For example, What chef or show would you like to see upgraded or deleted? This allows the network to communicate directly with its viewers and find out what the audience likes and doesn’t like. It is important to keep close relations with your audience because they are what keeps the business thriving.
Twitter has been on the rise within the past decade. The Food Network has a strong presence on twitter with over 18 hundred tweets and almost 200 thousand followers. The page is updated every day with tweets about the up and coming shows and great recipes to recommend to its followers. This is a great way to publicize the network and provide its fans with the recipes and cooking tips they are looking for.
Blog
Food Network maintains a blog on their website, Behind the Scenes in the Kitchen and on the Road. Here is an inside look at the staff and stories that you don’t get to see on TV. The blog was not able to be found easily but it’s a good sign they have one.
Another popular blog is Food Network Addict. This is a popular blog that comes up on the first page of results when searching Food Network. This blog gives you all the gossip and information on the stars you see on the network. This site is great for fans to follow in order to keep updated with their favorite chefs and shows.
Mobile
Having a social media presence on the internet is not enough anymore. Today people are accessing their favorite websites from their phones and other mobile devices. Food Network has established a mobile friendly website allowing people to sign on to foodnetwork.com from their cell phones and view a mobile friendly site that loads faster then the original page and is easier to navigate through on a small screen.
The latest craze is the iPhone and iTouch providing applications the user can download to be a click away from their favorite website, games, and news. The Food Network quickly joined this craze and has now created an application for the iPhone and iTouch called Food Network Nighttime. This application provides video clips from your favorite nighttime shows, a photo gallery, tv schedule, and recipes. Applications on a mobile device is becoming huge and it was a great tactic to get involved so quickly.
Food Network has done a great job with utilizing all of their social media outlets. They have an
amazing website, strong Facebook and Twitter accounts, a blog to give you behind the scenes information, and have gone mobile. They are very involved with their audience over the internet and have a huge online presence. Food Network utilizes Twitter and Facebook to be the core of their campaign. As a writer attempting to break into this niche I will follow this lead and concentrate on increasing my presence on these social media websites. This is an example of a strong, well organized social media campaign that I will use as a guideline to help define my presence on the internet.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Global Eats Pitch
Hey everyone. Here is a pitch I made to establishing an International food website called Global Eats. I hope you all like it!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
A Taste of Italy
Ciao! Italian cuisine is a favorite for people all over the world. All ages love Italy’s most basic spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce to a more complex dish Saltimbocca, which is veal and prosciutto. Traveling to Italy was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The food was absolutely amazing and I could not get enough at any time of the day.
Italian cuisine is set up into courses. You are first offered bread and wine when you are seated. Oil is provided for dipping. I always asked for balsamic vinegar because I loved to mix it with the oil. First is the Aperitivo. This is the appetizer to the meal. Some of my favorites are bruscetta and calamari. Next is the Antipasto. This is eaten right before your meal almost as a second appetizer. My favorite is mozzarella and prosciutto. I am not a huge fan of tomatoes but all of my friends were obsessed with mozzarella and tomato for their Antipasto. The first course is called Primo. This is usually a pasta or risotto dish. The second course is Secondo. This is the main dish which is usually fish or meat. A side dish is called the Contorno which is a salad or cooked vegetables. After the meal is complete it is time for dessert. You can have Formaggio e frutta, which is cheese and fruits, or Dolce which is a sweet dessert such as a cannoli or gelato.
The taste of Italy I am going to share with you is a dish called Pasta alla Carbonara. This is a pasta dish usually with spaghetti or fettuccini. The Carbonara saurce is an egg based sauce which is unlike anything I’ve had before traveling to Italy.
How is it made?
Growing up in America I’ve noticed we tend to use cream in many of our white pasta sauce recipes. Not in this case. This dish is made with pasta, pancetta or bacon, eggs, parmesan cheese, black pepper, olive oil and garlic. Some recipes call for white wine but it is up to the cook if they would like to use that.
How do I taste Pasta alla Carbonara?
This recipe can be found in many authentic Italian restaurants. It is not as popular and Fettuccini Alfredo or many marinara dishes so you may want to call ahead of time and check if it is on the menu.
Pasta alla Carbonara is so easy to make. All of the ingredients can be found in your local food store and can be prepared in a half an hour time.
On Thursday night my boyfriend and I wanted to try a new dish and we landed upon this amazing Pasta alla Carbonara recipe which I need to share with all of you. Spaghetti Carbonara II . This is an amazing recipe, even if you do not like egg. I made some alterations though. I replaced the bacon with pancetta for a more authentic taste. I used four cloves of garlic instead of one. We love garlic but it still wasn’t over powering. I also upped the portion on Parmesan cheese. Instead of a half a cup I added a cup and a half. I love cheese and this just erased the step of adding more when it was time to eat it on my plate. Lastly I chose to use the wine. This took away from the egg taste and kept the pasta moist.
Again this recipe is amazing. I sent an email to my family and friends letting them know this is a must have dish. So if you have a night where you aren’t sure what to make, bring a little taste of Italy home with Pasta alla Carbonara.
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