Social media provides multiple platforms for people to cook and share their food. Many of us over the years have expanded our palettes, cooking repertoire, and explored cuisines, all without leaving our homes, except perhaps when we step out to shop for ingredients. For many of us, it has, and continues to be a wonderful journey and learning experience. For others, it has been a time to criticise, embarrass, and alienate.
There is a group on a popular social media platform called, Guyanese Cuisine – Dishes, Recipes, Food and Drink. I am not a member of this group, however, posts from the group show up in my newsfeed because some of my ‘friends’ are members of the group (and their posts show up in my newsfeed). Last week, a member posted a dish she had made. It was one of those everyday dishes, for which there are many versions and interpretations. I do not know about you, but my everyday cooking is about what I have available in the house. Sometimes, it is not really a dish that can be identified by a name or title, it is simply something that I ‘throw together’. There is no recipe, no set list of ingredients, I eyeball everything and cook based on instinct. It is that kind of approach to cooking that the person took who posted that day in the group. One of the administrators (it was indicated at the top of the post), responded to the person who posted saying: This group was not created to showcase talent or showcase dishes, but to edify, help and support each other. You have to post a recipe with each dish and if you can’t do that, this is not the group for you; find another group.