Jack Monroe #169 Please don’t argue about turnips

[Brian Butterfield]

I was just reading the goodreads reviews. That's baffling!!! A lot of the reviews are pointing out they were provided the book for free to in order to get reviews.

Did anyone buy it?!

No.

Non.

Nein.


(to short)

 

[moosesauna]

Nigella has also mastered the art of telling the story then having the recipe so if you only want the recipe you can skip fairly easily past the story and get to it. Any anecdotes within the recipe tend to be actual useful tips “I tried this with rice flour and it came out well and gluten free”. I assume Nigella also has proof readers that are paid to read and test, not random patreons.

Jack hasn’t realised that there should be a split point and just waffles endlessly, combined with recipes nobody except people who seem to worship her and hang on her every word has tested.

Plus Jack doesn't seem able to understand what she's saying for most of the time, judging by how incorrect her vocabulary is

 

[bowiethesdmn]

Has she finished her most recent book yet?!

edit: i feel this is my own 'granola moment'

 

[Sideboard Bob]

I am confused, wasn't Jack an alcoholic? now she is drinking?

I think that was from an old post.

 

[Zelda]

I think it is different now though that people can basically find all recipes online, a book also has to be aesthetically nice , good recipes/writing are not really enough (not that Jack has either of those either...)


how did she get into their house?! my cat will be the death of me from stress worrying, she once disappeared for 3 days during a freezing winter, I had ot take time off work I was so worried

Oh god, I totally identify...

Neighbour had the door left open during the day, going in and out with washing. Pest is incredibly good at hiding and likes to get under covers. She did the same at another neighbour’s house last year. He found her casually sauntering down the stairs from his bedroom. Think she does it a lot as she often smells of laundry detergent we don’t use! We will have to move from our (RENTED) house if it carries on.

 

[Veronicaaa]

Nigella has also mastered the art of telling the story then having the recipe so if you only want the recipe you can skip fairly easily past the story and get to it. Any anecdotes within the recipe tend to be actual useful tips “I tried this with rice flour and it came out well and gluten free”. I assume Nigella also has proof readers that are paid to read and test, not random patreons.

Jack hasn’t realised that there should be a split point and just waffles endlessly, combined with recipes nobody except people who seem to worship her and hang on her every word has tested.

Yeah, and wasn't it last week that she was bigging herself up as perfect for the ADHD / autism recipe market? I'm not an expert on those conditions, but wouldn't it be even more important to be concise and to-the-point if writing for that market?

 

[Jelly Bean]

I think it is different now though that people can basically find all recipes online, a book also has to be aesthetically nice , good recipes/writing are not really enough (not that Jack has either of those either...)

Oh yes totally agree. You couldn't/shouldn't do it now. Just that it *is* just about possible if you are a good and informative writer with good recipes. With none of those skills you are fecked.
Elizabeth David's recipe for ragout sauce was a revelation.
And I love the period details at the end for eg stuff like 'I buy a good Italian cheese from a shop in Soho Telephone Piccadilly 473'.

 

[emm]

Oh god, I totally identify...

Neighbour had the door left open during the day, going in and out with washing. Pest is incredibly good at hiding and likes to get under covers. She did the same at another neighbour’s house last year. He found her casually sauntering down the stairs from his bedroom. Think she does it a lot as she often smells of laundry detergent we don’t use! We will have to move from our (RENTED) house if it carries on.

my cat did this when I had recently moved in to my (half rented) flat, I live on the ground floor and was on my balcony and my neighbour I had never met came out to say "do you have a cat? she is in my living room" (sorry for the OT everyone, this is why I am usually in the food and drink thread instead!)

 

[LittleMissMuffet]

Probably just a rumour but don’t recipe writers write a whole load of gumpf about the dish and how it reminds them of one summer they spent in Tuscany with their granny massaging tomatoes with olive oil etc as it keeps people on their page longer so adverts and pop up ads create more income for them?

 

[bowiethesdmn]

Yeah, and wasn't it last week that she was bigging herself up as perfect for the ADHD / autism recipe market? I'm not an expert on those conditions, but wouldn't it be even more important to be concise and to-the-point if writing for that market?

As someone who may have ADHD (assessment in half an hour!) or may just be genetically useless, I need bullet points. Ideally written down. The only person in my life who can effectively instruct me is my own father. The thought of reading something aimed at ADHD folk/others with similar issues, written by Jack, stresses me out just thinking about it.

 

[Blurp]

Get tatts because you love them, they have meaning etc, but she reallly does still think they are rebellious and edgy.
The bleeping advert for Ariel features a woman with a tattoo for goodness sake.

Jack thinks that the Hyacinths on Mumsnet going on about how tattoos are cheap, sluttish, lower-class etc are how most people think.

 

[moosesauna]

As someone who may have ADHD (assessment in half an hour!) or may just be genetically useless, I need bullet points. Ideally written down. The only person in my life who can effectively instruct me is my own father. The thought of reading something aimed at ADHD folk/others with similar issues, written by Jack, stresses me out just thinking about it.

My brain sees the huge swathe of words and just checks itself out

 

[MaineCoonMama]

Probably just a rumour but don’t recipe writers write a whole load of gumpf about the dish and how it reminds them of one summer they spent in Tuscany with their granny massaging tomatoes with olive oil etc as it keeps people on their page longer so adverts and pop up ads create more income for them?

I've heard this too. I think it's fair enough if you're monetising a blog, lots of people complain about it.

 

[Eurgh]

ESP Janet.

Janet didn’t receive the copy she asked for - she’s the only credible one!

 

[emm]

As someone who may have ADHD (assessment in half an hour!) or may just be genetically useless, I need bullet points. Ideally written down. The only person in my life who can effectively instruct me is my own father. The thought of reading something aimed at ADHD folk/others with similar issues, written by Jack, stresses me out just thinking about it.

I don;t have ADHD but I find having to "rummage" in an article for a recipe infuriating, I found nigel slater's recipes in the observer annoying for this

 

[bowiethesdmn]

My brain sees the huge swathe of words and just checks itself out

Yep haha, stuff like that kills me. Skim it, skip over stuff, half-arse it just for good measure and then be appalled that it didn't work.

 

[Billybellend]

I've heard this too. I think it's fair enough if you're monetising a blog, lots of people complain about it.

Your avatar

 

[Captainmouse]

Just stopped for a piss/sandwich (if that's okay with you?) and been having a look here. Really quite 'interesting' as a veganish 90% of the reviews had my spidey senses tingling.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49435765-good-food-for-bad-days

perchance?

 

[Orphan_Black]

Yep haha, stuff like that kills me. Skim it, skip over stuff, half-arse it just for good measure and then be appalled that it didn't work.

As proven with her Del Monte write up, she doesn't even get the steps in the right order as well as filling up the page with fluff.

 

[MaineCoonMama]

Your avatar

I've had a couple of requests to change it back to my cat Boudicca but I'm having fun with this