Who am I to write a blog about food?
I have never been a “foodie” or a well-known, even among friends and family, “great cook.” I grew up in Russia at the end of the 20th century, in “Lihii devyanostii” (“Лихие девяностые”), indeed “Bold nineties” that made the general population rather more inventive and resourceful than exquisite and elegant when it came to nourishment (certainly, more on that to come in the future articles). To me, food has always carried connotations of “energy,” “necessity,” and “fitness” (more on that to come too), but much less those of “joy,” “excess,” or even “ease.” Undoubtedly, we all have had our food biographic stories.
Today, among a few other designations, I am an expat, an aspiring anthropologist, a career advisor, and a corporate professional. Many hats, paths, and experiences are fused, reflected upon, and lived fully. I contemplate modern and not-so-trends by blending political, socioeconomic, and psychological ideas and try to analyze and calculate the reasons for these trends. An anthropological perspective on events and practices seems the most appealing to me; however, I do not limit my research to anthropological findings only. I genuinely value long, eye-opening conversations and education that inspires me to dig deeper. In fact, this curious journey prompted me to start this blog.
Many ideas for essays are swarming in my mind, usually buzzing like a hardworking bee until I open the new word document and put the first words in order. Hence, following my passion for research and writing, a reader will find articles on such notions as:
- historical perspectives on certain food supplies and demands
- the development of the fitness industry
- various perspectives on eating disorders
- food consumerism, and many others
I also must make an intro story crystal clear for honesty, transparency, and respect to hopefully many future readers. Thus, below are a few remarks on what this place is not:
- a “collection of my grandma’s recipes” (although her traditional baking is exceptional)
- a “foodie’s travel blog” (although I admire the richness of the cultural cuisines)
- an “ex-Michelin inspector’s confession hall” (let’s keep enjoying these articles in Forbes and The Guardian)
Every article adopts various styles such as Op-Ed, book review, or essay, with some pieces more prolonged than others. Every paper is also thoroughly researched by me, as the sole author of the blog (if not stated otherwise on the work’s page), and carefully crafted for the eyes and minds of the reader. I do not expect everyone to find the writings appealing or even agree with them. But I do hope to inspire talks, open some eyes, and bring new perspectives to oftentimes taken-for-granted notions. This is the space I commit to creating within this blog.
As my writings develop, research deepens, and style polishes, so does the answer to this particular question: “Who am I to write a blog about food?” So let’s get started.
with warmest regards,
Angelina Maikova
