Featured noticeboard: FoodieSarah

If you’ll indulge me, for this week’s featured noticeboard, I thought I’d explain what I’m doing with my own noticeboard, foodiesarah.notice.com where I’m experimenting with the ‘offers’ element of the n0tice.com experience. So, with boot on the other foot, I’ve attempted to answer the same questions we usually ask of our interviewees……

Why I set it up and who is involved.
I’ve run a food blog (www.foodiesarah.co.uk) for many years now. Originally it was a companion blog to a newspaper feature I wrote each week but, in recent years, it has expanded and become something of a passion project. But the blog doesn’t offer much scope to include offers or an easy way for other people to share things so I thought the noticeboard could answer both problems – plus I’m always looking to try out something new. In these days of squeezed spending we all appreciate a deal, so I’m hoping that using notice.com in this way will give people a chance to spot and share bargains – whether a restaurant offer or simply something cooking related like a cookbook swap.

The three best things about food blogging
1. Number one has to be belonging to a network of similarly interested people. Over the years I’ve been in touch with a large number of food bloggers across the north of England – some of them I only know from online contact, some of which I’ve had the pleasure to meet in person. All are passionate about what they do and having fun with their blogging. Check some out here.

2. Not exactly a ‘best thing’ but something which can lead to amusing scenarios is sneaking pictures of plates of food in restaurants. Getting a decent shot can be trickier than it sounds without drawing too much attention to yourself but I only review places that don’t know why I’m there so it’s a necessary skill to develop. I’ve only come across one place (Seaham Hall in County Durham) which expressly forbids snapping the food.

3. Being sent stuff to review. Very often these are things I wouldn’t dream of buying so being sent samples to try means I get pushed out of my comfort zone. Although it has to be said the occasional luxury goods are always a welcome treat!

 What I hope to achieve with the noticeboard
As well as extending my blog with the offers element, I hope the noticeboard enables people to get more easily involved with sharing links to other food related content, blogs and events to help northern food bloggers join together and share what we do.

* Visit my noticeboard at www.foodiesarah.n0tice.com. If you’d like to see your noticeboard featured here, please drop me an email – sarah@n0tice.com.