Somebody pinch me... BEST FOOD WRITING 2005.

Best Food Writing 2005

The night I read that e-mail I just about fell out of my Herman Miller, swallowed my Marlboro and sprayed out my Sanka. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I re-read it and re-read it. And everytime the e-mail still said the same thing. It wasn’t a typo or a misunderstanding. The e-mail from Avalon Publishing announced that my writing would appear in the BEST FOOD WRITING 2005 anthology. (Insert me screaming like a girl.) The e-mail continued on and requested my permission to reprint. Permission to reprint my writing in The Best Food Writing book? Hmmm. That’s like asking, “Hey, Eddie, can we get your permission to serve you barbecue ostrich neck?”

Abso-freaking-lutely! Permission granted!

The next thing I did was log-on to e-vite.com to plan a soirée for my Best Food Writing self. I named the party — “The Best Food Writer in the Universe Party”. (Humility is for communists.) Then I got plastered on absinthe and hallucinated that Tony Bourdain was making out with Ruth Reichl in the broom closet. And Amanda Hesser and Jeffrey Steingarten were doing body shots off of each other. (Shudder). The next day I woke up, cotton-mouthed and bleary-eyed and stumbled over to the iMac. It wasn’t a dream. It was still true. I made it into the Best Food Writing 2005 book. God have mercy on us all.

There are many people I must thank. First and foremost, I'd like to thank one of my best friends, Eric Alba, for inspiring me to do my own blog by sharing his awesome photoblog with me. He is an outstanding photographer and his work should be in a Best Photography book somewhere. Next I want to express my gratitude to Bruce Cole of Sauté Wednesday. He’s my food blog guru and was supportive from the very beginning. He has also volunteered all kinds of great information and gave me pep talks via e-mail that emboldened me to try and get into the book. Bruce, you’re the best! Also, in the food blogosphere, I’d love to thank my early link buddies: The Food Section, A Full Belly, Cat Food and, of course, Kiplog. Also, thanks to everyone else who has subsequently discovered Deep End Dining and linked us. There’d be way less quality traffic without you all.

Super big thanks to Megan McCormick. She was on board from day one, even with her new baby and hectic TV hosting schedule. Megan rules! And super huge thanks and kisses to my wife Diane who is my love and lifetime dinner companion. Poops, thanks for not asking me to edit you out of my stories. And, Ma, thanks for force feeding me boiled cow’s brain when I was six. And thanks to my baby Chloe for being born because I probably wouldn’t have started this blog otherwise. Babies do change your life!

I want to give a major shout out to the editors and staff of Best Food Writing 2005. Mille grazie to Avalon Publishing Group, Marlowe & Company, Kylie Foxx (Senior Editor, Marlowe & Company), Holly Hughes (Editor, Best Food Writing 2005), Peter Jacoby (Marlowe & Company) and Nathaniel May (Avalon Publishing Group). Thanks for giving me a shot.

To my readers: my sincerest and heartfelt gratitude to you. Your visits, page views, comments, e-mails and overall good energy really keep me going. Like most food bloggers, I don’t get paid for this. I do it for the love of food and writing. I also do it for the feedback and reader relationships. Deep End Dining would be meaningless without you feasting on and digesting my literary offerings. The ultimate compliment for a cook is to finish everything on your plate. So thank you very much for reading. But, before I start channeling Sally Field, I’d better stop right here. Thanks!

Yo! What are you waiting for? Go and pre-order the book! (Scheduled release Fall 2005)

Comments

Eddie Lin said…
Nic, thanks! I still can't believe it.
Robyn said…
Congratulations! I shall pre-order the book now, bwahaahaaa!
Eddie Lin said…
Pre-order and RE-order because this is that fifteen minutes Andy Warhol promised me on his death bed and I want to milk every goddamn second of it!!!
Anonymous said…
I always knew that blood was indeed able to flow at your cerebrum's altitude. Well done.
Adrian
Eddie Lin said…
Uh, heh, heh, like, thanks, Adrian.
Emi said…
Congrats! I look forward to reading mroe of your reviews.
Anonymous said…
'Bout time, your shiznit is ripe!
Eddie Lin said…
Pilar, thanks for reading. Yeah, I gotta get over myself and start writing again. Can I write more about being in the book? Please.

Disneylandhangover, ARE YOU STILL HUNGOVER??? Read my menudo post fer chrissake!!!
Eddie Lin said…
Alder, thanks, man! You are also one of the people who lifted my spirits in the beginning with your supportive comment. I really appreciate it.

Check Alder out at

http://www.vinography.com

Everything vino! A votre sante!
elmomonster said…
Wow! As a relatively new food blogger, I have always looked upon your work as a model and inspiration for my own writing. I bow to you O' Master! You deserve this honor more than anyone!Congratulations! Might this mean you will write for a major food magazine or newspaper soon? If so, lucky world!
Eddie Lin said…
Elmomonster, your handle cracks me up, thanks for making me your role model. I've never been a role model before. Does that mean I have to take you to the circus and stuff? Seriously, thanks!

Meg Woo-HOO!!! Not bad, eh? You thought I was just a chicken bone sucker.
And I ain't no hollaback girl neither!!
Daily Gluttony said…
that's bad-ass, eddie...congratulations! i don't know of anyone else that can make the silly stuff we like to eat--chicken feet, guts, 1000 yr old eggs, etc--sound so beautiful!
Eddie Lin said…
Pam, I'm that bad azz mo'fo', babee!! Sorry, I'm drunk. Thanks!
Elise said…
Awesome! You so deserve it.
Eddie Lin said…
Elise, I appreciate reading that from you. Thanks.
Anonymous said…
Eddie,

Seems that those San Francisco days, hanging out at cafes and writing, among other things, have come to this. Congratulations, you wordsmith.

By the way, are you my baby's daddy?
Eddie Lin said…
Thanks, friend. Looks like you actually learned something at Hastings. Good man!
Chubby Hubby said…
Wow. Congrats. I've just discovered your blog and am blown away.
Eddie Lin said…
Chubby Hubby, I too am getting to be a chubby hubby. Is it the tripe? I should cut back. Anyhow, thanks for the really flattering comment. Totally appreciate it.
Anonymous said…
Congrats! I always enjoy reading your entries.
Eddie Lin said…
...and it's always good to hear from you, TP!
Anonymous said…
Congratulations. I hope they're paying you. Or is it one of these books where they rip authors off in the name of publicity?
Eddie Lin said…
Do you know how much good publicity costs nowadays??? Thanks for watchin' my back anyhow. Peace out.
danceswthcobras said…
Damn, that video made me hungry! Fresh raw octopus tentacle with a bit of hot sauce as served at Nobu is really delectable, and I'm imagining how much better it would be when it's that fresh. I am definitely going to that restaurant and ordering live tentacles when I visit Los Angeles next month. Other foodie fans are welcome to join me!

Actually your entire blog makes me hungry, so I'll be studying it carefully to help me decide which restaurants are a must-visit while I'm in town. Prince has just made the can't-miss list right beside Matsuhisa Nobu.