I recently completed writing an article for a local magazine. It was about a hometown restaurant's history and their food as well. The interview came first which was a enjoyable experience. The restaurant manager/owner was a delightful woman with wonderful stories to tell. As a busy woman, I was pleased that she gave me an hour of her time at my convenience.
The day after the interview I returned to sample the food. The article was intended as an informative piece, not a critical review. No one wants a local, pump-up-your-community magazine to rag on a locally owned establishment. So, knowing that, I informed the manager of my intent to sample her food and write about it. (I didn't tell her I was writing only a positive article, but I think she got the gist of that.) I asked if it was possible to have a sample plate of some of their most popular items. And I took a friend along for a second opinion.
Wow! Tell someone you are writing about their business and see what comes your way. I was prepared to pay for lunch, if needed, knowing too that my editor would reimburse me. But my friend and I were treated to a fantastic spread, on the house. We were brought full servings of each item that we split between us. It started with a cup of rich clam chowder each, followed by a double cheeseburger with sweet potato fries. Then came their signature friend bologna sandwich with homemade potato chips. This was followed by flatbread pizza, with all the toppings, of course. And lastly came BBQ ribs with french fries and coleslaw. Somewhere near this end point, the manager told us they were going to bring us some dessert as well! Dessert was a turtle brownie sundae - to die for! (literally, by this point)
I would never even conceive of eating that much at one sitting, and to have it paraded in front of me, and for free! who knew! And, by the way, I had no trouble writing a positive article - the food was delicious! I guess there are some perks to this writing thing, after all.
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