Forum

I thought we needed a topic for Nigel Slater here as well, as it seems we have at least three fans of him here ;-)

But I can't add him as new author in "fans of authors", I can only add new topics within folders already made.

Yes, unfortunately the way this blog works is that members can add topics within Forums but not new Forums.  We decided that as the Forum discussions grow there was likely to be a need for more than one topic for each author, so the Forum level, that we have to set up, is the Author name.  I can set up new ones as soon as anyone requests a Forum for their favorite author.  So Nigel is now up - post away!

Jane, maybe if the Authors' names were Topics instead of individual Forums it would give the members more flexibility to start discussions.  Right now, in order to strike up a conversation we have to ask you first to create the forum.  It does inhibit the spontaneity of the conversation.

The same thing holds true for food.  If you want to start a conversation about anything other than meat, there's no place for it.

Could you make the Forum topics a little more generic and allow the members to start the topics?

Yes I do agree, unfortunately this is the way the Forum has been set-up (it's a pre-packaged system) but hopefully as we expand we will be able to customize it.  I can set up as many Forums as you want and then you can add multiple topics under that forum.  You can then see all the topics for one author or cooking subject grouped together.  If you set up just one topic for each author then they would either get incredibly long (hopefully as more members post as we grow) or you would end up with multiple topics that weren't grouped by author or subject so you wouldn't easily be able to view them.  It's easy to see everything now as we are still relatively small but as we grow it will be harder to keep track of topics you are interested in if they aren't grouped.

Once I have set up generic headings then you are free to start as many topics as you want within it - so throw some suggestions my way and I'll get them set up.  For Expert Cooking Advice what about: Bread, Grilling, Herbs & Spices, Fish?  Anything else anyone wants?  For authors I can set up as many as members want - again just throw the names my way.

All those Forums are now added so please start whatever topics you would like within them.  And let me know if there are any others or favorite authors you would like added.