Melba's Jammin'
Got 'em!
Gooooood Corn BreadW. Wells You missed his point. Corn Bread is not "cornbread". But I suspect you are spamming anyway, since you advocate a specific brand or place to buy this meal...
Yes, food is about sharing of oneself with others, and I could certainly understand how it might promote a "there goes that SOB who never shares" atbreastude were someone to across-the-board refuse to be involved in the camaraderie of breaking bread and creating dishes and meals, but that's not even remotely close to what I was describing. I specifically mentioned in my post that I cater to make ends meet, and many of my catering jobs come directly from these dishes. What's arrogant and invasive is to expect every cook, baker, chef, and restaurateur to turn over his or her product merely because "food is to be shared."
I can certainly understand how one would consider it petty and arrogant if, with any creative item the original creator said, "no, I won't share any of my knowledge," but that's rarely the case with someone who doesn't share a specific recipe or technique. Photographers often don't give away their specific developing or filter technique with it's something that they've become known for. Potters don't necessarily give away their glazing techniques, when it's that finish that gives them an edge over compebreastors in the marketplace. Ditto hairdressers with unique cuts, aromatherapists who create and sell unique scent combinations, herbalists with their special concoctions. Irish dance academies protect their unique steps and becoming buttociated with the school means agreeing not to share certain routines and instruction techniques with compebreastor schools. Aestheticians who create their own lotions protect their compounds, as do house cleaners who have developed their own cleaning products. Part of the management training for the restaurants in which I used to work has always involved protection of proprietary recipe information.
A significant (to me) portion of my income comes from the creation and sale of a few unique food items, and these are most often the items that I bring for special meal events (pot lucks, etc.). Everything else I create, either recipe or technique, is open to anyone who asks, but I fail to see anything petty about not making my entire repertoire open to the public. If a customer of mine asks for the recipe to my dressing and marinade, I'm never "arrogant" or rude in my declination, but were I to share that specific recipe, I'd most likely lose that customer. Do I enjoy being known as the caterer who creates such-and-such dessert or this-and-that holiday meal? Of course I do - it's how I pay a portion of my bills.
