Honouring your craft

Time doing this is time well spent

In my work, there are few things I love more than geeking out and delving into a style guide to get to the bottom of a grammar or punctuation question I have.

That’s all well and good, I hear you say, but honestly, Kristin, does it really matter? Does anyone care about that comma?

I hear this a lot when it comes to this nitty-gritty level of detail of recipe writing.

And yes, it does matter.

My favourite scene in season 2 of The Bear is when Richie is staging in the three-star restaurant and comes upon Chef Terry (played by Olivia Colman) peeling mushrooms on her own in a quiet kitchen.

Richie: What are you making?

Chef Terry: I’m just peeling mushrooms for the lamb des Tournelles.

Richie: Peeling mushrooms.

Chef Terry: Yeah. It’s just a nice little fun detail so when the diners see it, they know that someone spent a little time on their dish.

Richie: So why do you do this? Don’t you have stages that do this shit?

Chef Terry: Well, I like starting the day with this.

Richie: Why?

Chef Terry: Respect. Feels attached. I think time spent doing this is time well spent.

Richie: Time well spent? That’s what it’s all about?

Chef Terry: Yeah, I think so.

A similar point is made in one of my favourite poems, ‘Filling Station’ by Elizabeth Bishop:

Somebody embroidered the doily.

Somebody waters the plant,

or oils it, maybe. Somebody

arranges the rows of cans

so that they softly say:

ESSO—SO—SO—SO

to high-strung automobiles.

Somebody loves us all.

So what does all this have to do with recipe writing?

Simply put, honouring your craft – and your readers – by taking the time to pay attention and do your job well shows that you care.

I’m particularly attuned to this after reading Slow Productivity by Cal Newport. It can be summed up in three key principles, the last of which is most relevant here:

Do fewer things. Work at a natural pace. Obsess over quality.

When I read a recipe and see that Baby Gem has been capitalised or that the ç in Niçoise has its little pigtail diacritical mark, it’s reassuring. It implies a level of expertise. I know I’m in good hands, that someone cares. And who doesn’t want that?

Somebody loves us all.

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Season 3 of The Bear is streaming now on Disney+.

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About me

I’m Kristin Jensen, the founder, publisher and editor at Blasta Books and Nine Bean Rows. Before I started my publishing house, I was a freelance editor and food writer for over 20 years and I’ve co-authored three books. I pretty much eat, sleep and breathe books and food. You can also find me on Instagram @edibleireland.📚