American Journalism Review | Poynter.org
When he became Associated Press food editor six years ago, J.M. Hirsch was surprised that there were no guidelines for commonly used food terms. He was trying to find a spelling for bok choy, the white-stemmed Chinese cabbage, only to find that there were five or six to choose from. So he started keeping a list of terms he had looked up, and the spellings he used, to stay consistent from week to week. Earlier this month, the AP added a 16-page food section to its Stylebook. Jeffrey Benzing writes:
Food writers looking for guidelines previously had to go with their gut ―and still will for thousands of food terms that didn’t make the cut. But the addition of a food section now gives writers a place to turn for a quick reference. Hirsch says this is useful for general assignment writers who might not have a background in food―and it’s also useful for food bloggers looking to post professional quality writing.
> JMHirsch.com: “Originally, I was just aiming to make my life easier”
> Interview with J.M. Hirsch — AP’s food editor and a dad who cooks
