Much debate has been had over the “cooking for cock” title.  My younger sister, a self-professed prude, said she was “shocked”” by the blog name and refused to read it. Determined to win her back, I recently added the image of a rooster to the cfc banner in the hopes of giving readers another way to read the nasty “cock” word.

 

Good news!  My sister was totally won over and now reads the blog regularly.

 

cock

Cock = rooster = universal symbol for men

 

Of course my fabulous gay friends and hip urban girlfriends laugh out loud at the “cookingforcock”  handle, and some days I think it’s my job to make the writing actually live up to juicy promise of the title. Yet when I study the blog readership, I find many hits come from people google-seaching for things like “cock in a hot dog bun” or “hot cock studs.” And though the FC is cute, he’s not prepared to pose naked for the blog just yet. More importantly, porn surfers aren’t really my target audience, though I do like the idea that a few might actually be inspired to cook.  (“Gee, I was going to masturbate right now, but suddenly I’m starving! Hmm. That crumble recipe looks pretty good…”)

 

Searches for "hot cock stud" lead to this picture of the FC, which gets quite a few hits a week. Does he have a career as a porn star? He is always looking for ways to become self-employed.

Future porn star? Searches for "hot cock stud" lead to this picture of the FC, which gets quite a few hits a week.

 

The point is, I want my blog to be for all kinds of people interested in the topic of food and love. I’d even like my mother to read it. (Right now, she doesn’t even know it exists.)  So here’s the question:  Is my cock just too much for people to handle?

 

I’ve been debating alternate titles, like “therecipeforlove” but is that too cheesy?  I also like “confessions of a culinary control freak”  and even “cookingforcoq” which ties into my blog cartoon. (See, Cooking For Cock: The Cartoon!)

 

Thoughts? Opinions?  Alternate titles?  Would love some feedback.  Thanks!!!

 


20 Responses to “Is the c-word too much? Reader feedback wanted.”

  1. Cesar Says:

    Yes for sure i’m not ready to pose naked, so i’m thinking also that another tiltle for the blog could be appropriate.

  2. Cesar Says:

    Blog name ideas were are currently contemplating:

    cookingyourlife.com
    eatmyheart.com
    ICookLove.com
    TheRelationshipCook.com
    FoodRomancer.com

  3. Shannon Says:

    Yes, the title makes me blush a bit…but I LOVE the concept. I love the sense of humor. I hope you keep it.

  4. laura Says:

    You’re not the only one who blushes, believe me…. That’s part of the trouble. (I even had a granny on Group Recipes say “not a nice name.”)

    But I’m so glad you dig the general concept.

    I guess the next question is: can the fun concept live under another name? http://www.cookingforcoq perhaps? or any of the other alternate titles? therecipeforlove?

    We’ll keep mullin. In the meantime, cookingforcock stands!

    Thanks for the feedback Shannon.

    Laura

  5. Nicolas Says:

    I just came back to the connected world and came here to see what you are up to. Well, I like the title, and the way you hold it (proudly, isn’t it?). The rooster on the banner is a good idea, it introduces the reader directly to your kind of humor. I think people like you to shock them a little, and you should appreciate disapproval ‘à sa juste valeur’, on its own merit. The metaphor may not last forever but the title is fine, it’s a major attract for the site and you shouldn’t change it (but I doubt you will). Hugs to you 2! Talk to you soon!

  6. Nicolas Says:

    Oh, I just omitted to mention the beautiful ‘queue’ (tail) you’re holding and watching your reflect into. A woman’s thing I guess.

    Une queue – par analogie avec l’animal, la queue de la poêle, et par glissement, la poêle elle même. Par extension : un maître-queue, ou par plaisanterie (je suppose), ‘une grande queue’, un bon cuistot!

  7. Christin Says:

    Love the title. Really. It’s funny and irreverent. Don’t change it.

    I think the rooster is cute and will help those not accustomed to using the word cock in a sentence. More guest posts from guys under the banner “Cooking for Chick” will help make the whole thing more approachable.

    However, as a tv series title. I love “Eat My Heart”. Love it.

  8. Marla Says:

    I am one of those who found the title distasteful despite its provocative nature. However, I do understand its popularity. I do think that changing it to “Cooking for Coq” would allow the site to reach both the prudish and the not-so-prudish. It is also playful given the “double-entendre” allowed by the French meaning and the English meaning. My prudish nature would be satisfied by this slight name shift. Otherwise, once I got past the name, I really enjoyed the site!!

  9. laura Says:

    The above comment comes from my sister, who, I’d like to add, also has a nose pierce and rides a motorcycle. Prudes come in unlikely packages, huh?
    But since “cock” also means rooster in English (doesn’t it?) maybe the original title, and spelling, can stand…???

    (Sis– please get Adam to share that asiago cheese & artichoke dip recipe we all love. He’s “cooking for chick” and I want to hear from him!)

  10. celia Says:

    please don’t change the name!! it’s witty and totally tongue and cheek! my first reaction was, “am i reading this correctly?”, and my second reaction was instant hysterics. i see where you’re coming from as far as wanting the blog to be for “all kinds of people”, but at the same time, that’s the beauty of blogs. they’re an honest reflection of the people who write them. and just like in “real life”, there are people who will get you… and people who won’t.

  11. Nicolas Says:

    Marla is actually the worst kind of prudish, the cut-it one.

  12. laura Says:

    What do you mean by the “cut-it one?”

  13. Natalie Says:

    Don’t you DARE change the name..like you..it attracts all the right kind people.

  14. Nicolas Says:

    How ironic! What prudish american liberal blog is this?! Did my comment actually deserved to be ‘slightly shift’? But to put it in correct english, without offense, Marla is a militant prude, that is what makes her dangerous.

    Maybe it was just my metaphorical mood, I was just thinking this whole conversation had to be read in that ‘double entendre’ she talks about.

    Or… maybe I am just too tired to be witty tonight. (saying ‘wistiti’ all day as a school photographer doesn’t help).

  15. laura Says:

    Actually, I thought your post with the word cock boldly printed was v. funny. But you spelled Marla wrong so it was a bit confusing … Redo it and I”ll post it.
    I love your feedback Nicolas. Smart, edgy, wild… keep it coming.

  16. Nicolas Says:

    oh, right… I hadn’t even noticed that message was gone… I was saying Marla sounded like ‘mords-la’, bite it in french and was interpretating the message. don’t know if it is still funny today, but here it is again,

    I am one of those who found the COCK distasteful despite its provocative nature. However, I do understand its popularity. I do think that changing it to “COQ” would allow the COCK to reach both the prudish and the not-so-prudish. It is also playful given the “double-entendre” allowed by the French meaning and the English meaning. My prudish nature would be satisfied by this slight COCK shift. Otherwise, once I got past the COCK, I really enjoyed the site!!

    I am working hard at the moment photographing children and have little time for cooking and writting but I keep checking the blog…

  17. Catherine Says:

    the thing is, you defend the use of the word ‘cock’ beautifully, wittily, and it makes perfect sense with the tone you have given to the blog and (i think) will appeal to the audience you are mainly addressing the blog to. however, i am just thinking about how people use the medium of internet-googling-blogs, and as you said in the post, it seems that the people who would be interested in your blog might unfortunately not be led to it by a simple word search, or even if it appears in their results, might skip over it thinking its more about sucking than measuring and chopping 🙂
    perhaps as a book (cookbook ?! wouldn’tit be great to have a cookbook come out of this blog ?!) or the television show you have in mind even would give you a better chance at positioning the word ‘cock’ like you interpret and use it, but i don’t know if via internet it is as easily doable ?
    i don’t know if this is helpful at all…. and i guess it depends on how much exposure you want the blog to have ? or perhaps there are other ways of getting the blog out there that could bypass the reluctance certain navigators might have with the word….
    i think my fav is ‘the recipe for love’ 🙂
    bisoux!

  18. laura Says:

    You are the second person I’ve talked to today who digs therecipeforlove (the first was a development executive I work with who has very strong and solid mainstream sensibilities.) However, recipeforlove is taken by other website, so I fear it might be confusing. I’m still inclined to like eatmyheart, because it opens the discourse a bit, to include love, food, the idea of me putting my thoughts, dreams, recipes and love life out there for consumption. It’s elastic, poetic. Sure, therecipeforlove is less weird and cannibalistic, I guess., but a splash more nosey maybe??? Argh, this is tough!!!!

    And what about my stalwart cock fans?

    But the truth is, cock really isn’t that “me.” I had to really work to own it. With time, I got over it’s dirtiness and sort of reinvented it (now it’s practically in the same category as flowers and kitten) but others might be slower to get there, especially if they don’t have the whole history of the blog’s language to warm them up to it.

  19. Carolyn - the development exec :) Says:

    I think therecipeforlove is a great title because if this idea is geared at women – what women isn’t interested in “THE” recipe for love?

  20. Elizabeth Says:

    I was just reading over your blog and the discussion about the word “cock”. It’s a tough call. On the one hand, it is a bit shocking and might turn away the more conservative, but it definitely gets people’s attention and is a very strong brand. Maybe you could keep with the sex angle, (rather than sweetening it up with words like heart or love), but without using the word cock. Like “Cooking for Nookie” or something. I really like the fact that Cooking for Cock turns the adage “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” into “the way into a man’s pants is through his stomach.” It makes your blog feel playful and cheeky. That’s my two cents, anyway!

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