A Meal That Changed My Mind
Describe a transformative dining experience that altered your perspective on a particular cuisine. Delve into sensory descriptions—tastes, smells, sounds, and visuals—and explain how this experience widened your appreciation for new flavors and cooking techniques.
Suggested length: An essay or article: 800 to 2,500 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Cut every sentence that only repeats the one before it.
- Find one surprising fact and build around it.
- Use one example from your own life.
Writing cooking books
Recipes that work, and a reason to cook them.
Cookbooks and food writing cover everything from a single cuisine to the science of how cooking works. The best ones have a point of view: a voice, a philosophy, a story behind the food.
What readers expect
- Reliable, tested recipes
- A clear point of view
- Stories behind the food
- Beautiful, useful design
A tip before you start
Test every recipe more than once, ideally in someone else's kitchen. Readers forgive a lot, but not a cake that fails.
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- Farm to TableCreate a feature article on the rise of farm-to-table restaurants in your area. Interview local chefs and farmers, and discuss the challenges and…
- A World Without SaltImagine a world where one key ingredient never existed. Choose an ingredient that is central to many dishes (like rice, tomatoes, or salt) and explore…
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