What do feta, cucumbers and cottage cheese have in common?

Reference: The Economist

Initially, there was a rush for eggs, followed by feta cheese, caviar, cottage cheese, and cucumbers. In some regions, these items even ran out; for instance, Iceland faced a cucumber shortage, and feta briefly disappeared from store shelves. The cause of this frenzy? Enthusiasts of online cooking were keen to replicate viral videos featuring these ingredients. Cooking is a highly appealing topic for internet users, especially during the holiday season.

中文翻譯：

起初，人們搶購雞蛋，接著是羊奶酪、魚子醬、茅屋起司和小黃瓜。在某些地區，這些商品甚至被搶購一空；例如，冰島曾出現小黃瓜短缺，而羊奶酪也曾短暫從商店貨架上消失。造成這股熱潮的原因？熱衷於網路烹飪的愛好者們渴望模仿那些使用這些食材的病毒影片。烹飪是網路用戶非常感興趣的話題，尤其是在假日期間。

The wealth of online food content not only leads to occasional ingredient shortages when a video goes viral but also fosters a more social cooking experience. The surge in interest in food, akin to the rise of home-baked bread, is unsurprising. Everyone needs to eat, and cooking is a widespread hobby. Video serves as an effective instructional medium, often more precise than written instructions.

翻譯：

網路上豐富的食物內容不僅在影片走紅時導致偶爾的食材短缺，還促進了更具社交性的烹飪體驗。對食物的興趣激增，類似於自家烘焙麵包的興起，並不令人驚訝。每個人都需要吃東西，而烹飪是一項普遍的愛好。影片作為一種有效的教學媒介，往往比書面指示更為精確。

What constitutes a successful recipe? Established media companies have also joined the trend, producing online videos that transport viewers globally. While some adventurous TikTok users experiment with intricate dishes like coulibiac, simpler recipes tend to gain more traction; for example, the viral success of baked-feta pasta and cucumber salad can be attributed to their straightforward preparation. Visual appeal is also crucial, as viral videos often highlight the food's texture and crunch. Creators can be taken aback by which videos resonate with audiences.

中文翻譯：什麼構成了一個成功的食譜？知名媒體公司也加入了這股潮流，製作線上影片，帶領觀眾環遊世界。儘管一些勇於嘗試的 TikTok 用戶會挑戰像 coulibiac 這樣複雜的料理，但較簡單的食譜往往更受歡迎；例如，烤羊乳酪義大利麵和黃瓜沙拉的爆紅成功可歸因於它們簡單易做的特性。視覺吸引力同樣重要，因為爆紅影片經常會強調食物的質地和酥脆感。創作者有時也會對哪些影片能引起觀眾共鳴感到意外。