Guest post: Discovering my foodie side at Bite N Write

I have lived with good food all my life. My mother weaned me on her Cordon Bleu directory and I was guinea pig to a whole range of her recipes throughout my childhood. I went to a catering college and then married an Italian hotel owner and worked with him for nearly 20 years. Anyone who’s been to Italy knows how passionate they are about food.

So with all this training I should be a marvellous cook. Well, the fact is, just like my school report always sneered, “Marianne could do better.” In fact, if I am to compare myself to some of the delicious food bloggers I see around the blogosphere I’d give up. But I can’t! I enjoy cooking and good cooks only inspire me to perfect my skills more.

That’s why when I saw the food blogging event Bite N Write advertised, I had to go. It took place this past week on 19 November. BritMums sponsored me on my ‘Mission to Improve’ and asked me to report back with my findings.

The founder Annie Ko, who writes at annieko.com, had chosen the aptly named Custard Factory in Birmingham for her event and we arrived from all over the UK to spend one day together talking food. (The talking I’m really good at – see my school report.)

A photography workshop was held by Craig Fraser of FraserShot. He gave us tips like using a cheap piece of silver card to reflect light back onto the food to deflect shadows and to use a tampon dipped in water and shoved in the microwave to create the perfect steam rising from your food. Obviously you hide it behind the plate, right?

We listened to Judith Lewis from MostlyAboutChocolate.com run us through SEO and the use of social media to promote our blogs.

Annie Ko addresses foodies at Bite N Write

Then, the microphone was passed over to L’Artisan du Chocolat who proceeded to flirt with our taste buds for more than an hour. The tasting took us from 100% cocoa bar, which was really bitter, through an entire chocolate scale to their infamous Liquid Salted Caramels, which are heavenly and very addictive.

Charlotte Pike from GoFreeFoods.co.uk talked us through recipe developing and food allergies (did you know they affect around 45% of us?).

Jeanne Horak from Cooksister.com (who is appearing at BritMums Live!) gave her advice on copyright, finding your niche and asking us the vital question Does Google see your blog? Excellent food for thought.

James Bolton spoke WordPress to us and Ben Frazer from Cupcake Artisan/Great British Bake Off ran us through his vlogging work and how we can also make our vlogs more effective.

A very informative day, not to mention the enormous quantity of food blogs I discovered – giving me a fabulous online cookery book to prompt me when I’m in need of an idea.

I’m quickly becoming a foodista, fancy joining in?

Join the BritMums Foodie groups to keep up with the latest in food blogging:

Mummy Food Bloggers
Mum Who Cooks With Love – cooking and lifestyle
Foodie parenting

Tart picture: courtesy of Dr Craig via Flickr

About Marianne Weekes

BLOGS AT: Mari's World; TWITTER: @maris_world. Mother of four and nana to three, Marianne Weekes has spent half her life in the UK and the other half in Italy. Blogging since Jan 2010, she finds it hard to drag herself away from her laptop and writes about food, travel and lifestyle. Always on the lookout for the next thing which takes her down many surprising lanes.