The (Meat and) Potatoes of Recipe Editing
You say “potatoes.”
I say, “How many?” “What kind?” “What size?” “Peeled or skin-on?”
That’s not all.
How are you preparing those potatoes?
If they’re mashed, will you boil them? If you boil them, in what size pot over what level of heat? Do you salt the water?
Do you toss the potatoes in whole or cut them into pieces? What size pieces? Do you cut them as the water comes to a boil, or do you prep them before you start to cook?
How long do they boil for? When will you know they’re done cooking and ready for mashing?
What will you add to them afterward to make them creamy, dreamy, and delicious?
How many people will they serve?
It sounds like so many considerations for simple mashed potatoes, but they’re all necessary for the home cook to successfully recreate the recipe—from shopping list to serving dish.
(If you’re serving meat or a plant-based alternative with those potatoes, that’s a whole nother set of questions!)
This is just one portion of what I learned in Melissa Haskin’s Recipe Editing 101, and it’s a sample of why recipe editing is a specialty niche.
If you’re an editor looking to add recipe editing to your repertoire, I highly recommend Melissa’s class.
If you’re looking for an editor to add to your team, I highly recommend someone trained to know what to look for, what questions to ask, and how best to prepare your recipe for consumption.
Dig in!
P.S. How many food puns did I use in this blog post? Answer below.
————————————————————————————————————————
Hi, my name is Jess, and I bring nearly 20 years of editorial experience to the table. Like a vintage Cheddar, my skills are sharp, my editing style is smooth, and my industry knowledge pairs well with a wide variety of projects and genres. Fresh out of recipe editor training (hence the food puns), I’m ready to ensure your recipes, food blogs, and cookbooks are accurate and accessible to the home cook. If you’d like to work with me, please reach out here.
————————————————————————————————————————
Answer: Eight, not including my bio. Did you find them all? Did I miss any?