On Food And Foodies

I don't usually do a lot of reposts, unless it's done as a compilation of recipes that I feel might be appropriate around a holiday or a special occasion. But, because I've had so much going on in my world over the last couple of weeks, I decided to do one. Not just because I could put it together more quickly than a recipe post, but because I feel as though it's still relevant today. It's not even a post that was originally shared here. It's one that I did some time ago on my other blog, Spilled On The Kitchen Table.

Now, it isn't a recipe post. And yes, I do know that with all of the giveaway commotion around here lately, it's been an awfully long time since I've posted one of those. But, this post is about food. Food as a passion... food from the perspective of more than just the physical nourishment it provides.

That being said, I do have several recipe posts in the works at the moment, so I promise that you'll be seeing some full on color food photos and recipes on these pages again, soon.

(Those of you who follow my other blog might find this redundant and I apologize for that, but I felt like the feelings and thoughts that I expressed back then, still hold true to this day. I will be leaving out the original first paragraph, simply because it was about the weather we were experiencing at the time it was posted and that was at a different time of the year, entirely.)

So here we go... again.

Google Images

Earlier this morning, I was looking at some of the "discussion" posts on a LinkedIn group that I belong to and someone had asked the question: "Do you consider yourself a foodie?" (It's a group for foodies, of course) So, I took a gander at a few of the replies and it got me thinking about my own obsession with food and why so much of my life is centered around it. Let's see....

I love going out for dinner.

And lunch.

And breakfast.

And dessert.

I cook.

A lot.

I host (and cook for) the majority of my family's holiday celebrations and special occasions.

I collect cookbooks.

And I read them like most people read novels.

I have cupboards and drawers and shelves and boxes, filled with pots, pans, utensils, gadgets, table linens, dishes and serving pieces.

I get more excited about grocery shopping, than I do about clothes or shoe or chotchki shopping. (and I really love to shop for clothes and shoes and chotchkies)

I talk (a lot) about food.

My food board on Pinterest has 10 times more pins than any other 10 boards, combined.

I blog about food.

Hmmmm...

This is what my kitchen looks like when I'm working on a new recipe. It might be a bit chaotic at times, but it works for me.

So. How long has food been an obsession a passion for me?

Well... there was a time in my life when I had plans to become a professional chef. I was 16 years old and a junior in high school; and like most teenagers, I was absolutely, positively and unequivocally sure, that I had it all figured out. My parents were behind the idea 100%... for about a minute. Then, (insert sounds of screeching breaks) common sense (aka fear) took over and they decided that life as a "cook" was not at all what they'd envisioned for their little girl. Nope. Not. Absolutely, positively, unequivocally, N.O. (insert visual of a deflating balloon) But....

Google Images

Life went on. Time went by. I finished school, started a career, got married and had babies. (not necessarily all in that particular order) But these were all things that my parents had envisioned for me. And I suppose that I'd always envisioned them for myself.

All in all, it's been a damned good life, so far. Of course, there have been difficult times, too. Roads to cross. Tough decisions to make. Tears have been shed. Many tears. But, that is what life is. For all of us. We all experience the same duality in our lives. Good and not so good. (I don't really care for the "b" word) Positive and negative. Yin and yang.

And... there have been people sharing this journey with me. Good people, who've brought light into my darkest days, comfort when there's been pain, strength to a fearful heart and hope to a grieving soul. Loving people who have fed and in turn, also nourished my spirit. And isn't that the kind of food that matters most of all?

So, yeah... I'm most definitely a foodie.

How about you?

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Happy 100th Birthday, Julia!

Source

Today would have been the 100th birthday of the iconic woman and incredible chef, who inspired my love of cooking and all things "food".  On Saturday or Sunday mornings, I sat in front of our old black and white TV and watched, wide-eyed and eager to soak up all that I could, as she created everything from the most basic dishes to the most spectacular culinary works of art I could have imagined. And she did this with an incredible passion and an almost child-like enthusiasm. She had a way of making us believe we could cook the way she did with her common sense and realism and taught us that one should never apologize for a fallen souffle or a cracked flourless torte.

It's Time To "Pay It Forward" !!

Good Tuesday Morning Everyone!

The time is here for my second week participating in the great new meme, hosted by my good friend Holly at A Life-Size Catholic Blog" called "Pay It Forward".  (just click on the button below to learn all about it and/or join in!)



The blog/blogger/post that I've chosen today is a post titled "The Nesting Instinct, OR Why Writers Do What They Do" at  Acquainted With The Night, a blog written by an exceptional author (and truly lovely lady) by the name of  Piper Maitland.  I've already pre-ordered her current book "Acquainted With the Night" for my Kindle and I'm soooo looking forward to it's hard cover and e-book release in November of this year! With the warmer weather finally arriving, it seems like I don't have five minutes to sit down and read, but by the end of Autumn, I'll be itching to curl up with this thriller! (Did you ever notice that we humans tend to rush around all Spring & Summer getting things done - just like squirrels do in the Fall?)

While I always enjoy Piper's posts, the one that I'm focusing on this week made me stop and really think about how I view myself as a "writer".  Trust me, I have never written a novel or even a short story (that was published, that is) but I can relate to Piper's sense of needing to nurture and tend to her words as if they were fragile eggs huddled in a nest.  I guess when push comes to shove, all bloggers are "writers" at some level. We write stories about how our day has been, or about childhood memories or a job or our families. Even a recipe post can be like a short story. (or a rather long meandering one if you're me. LOL) Call it obsession. Call it passion. No matter why it is that we we write, whether it's fiction or something biographical, I believe we all want the words we choose to genuinely reflect who we are.

Piper Maitland

Trust me, I have no delusions that my posts are great literary works.... But they are, in the end, a reflection of me. "Me" the person. "Me" the writer. Even when it's only a paragraph or sometimes just a sentence or two, I think we all want to give the best impression we can when we speak or when we write. Piper's thoughts on being a writer, reminded me that words can be powerful and precious and it's up to those of us who publish our words to nurture and protect them. We may all go about it in our own unique way, but I think we all "sit on our nests" whether they're in a book or in a blog.

Excerpt from the post:

"If you don’t take your work seriously, how will anyone else respect it? Some people are blessed—bolstered by their nearest and dearest. For some, the words might hatch in abundance. No struggle. No defensive clucking. The rest of us are in the hen house, guarding our wee egg, flapping our wings at intruders."

Please pop over to "Acquainted With The Night" and say hello to Piper. I doubt very much that you'll leave there without learning and understanding more about yourself as a writer. And as a bonus, you'll be meeting a truly talented author and very gracious lady. (While you're there, don't forget to check out her tab about the book!)

Living Your Passion

When we went out to dinner on Mother's Day, we had a fantastic server at the restaurant that we went to. I started thinking that he must really love his job to be that cheerful and upbeat. The more I thought about it, the more it made me think about my own past and the path that my life almost took. It really got me wondering whether I'm truly living my passion. I guess I should start by providing a little backstory.

When I was in my junior year of high school, I had the opportunity to graduate early (I had all of my credits) and begin classes at the CIA that coming Fall.  No... not the CIA, as in Central Intelligence Agency.  I'm talking about the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park NY.  It's one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world and has produced more award winnings chefs and culinary professionals than I could possibly have time to list here.  For information about the school and what they offer click here.

There was just one problem...  My parents, who had initially been on board with the idea, did a little research and gave it some further thought and decided that the life of a chef was no life for their little girl.  Now, keep in mind that it was the late 70's and the term "celebrity chef" didn't even exist. The industry was also dominated by men (which is changing now) and most female chefs were lucky to obtain positions as line cooks and pastry chefs. Don't get me wrong.... It's not that there's anything at all wrong with either of those titles, but it's grueling work and to my folks at that time, it spelled out a pretty bleak future for their darling daughter. So, why didn't I just take the bull by the horns and go anyway? Well...

1) The tuition at the time was quite high, even by today's standards.
2) There were few (if any) scholarships or grants for culinary schools back then.
3) The waiting list was very long and getting longer each year.
4) I was not a "trust fund baby".

Suffice it to say, these facts meant that I had little choice but to continue on with my senior year and start thinking about a different career path for myself.



Anthony (Tony) Bourdain - CIA graduate



Cat Cora - CIA graduate



Sara Moulton - CIA graduate


Do I have any regrets?  No. You see, if I had accomplished what I'd set out to do back then, my life would have been completely different. I wouldn't be who and where I am today and in spite of all of  the ups and downs that life throws at us, I love my little family and my life as it is today, and I wouldn't trade either one for all the noteriety or money in the world.  Besides, I still get to cook all the time. It's just that my "customers" happen to be my close friends and family. I'll take that instead, any day, gladly and gratefully. 

I'm still intrigued by the food industry though, and follow the careers of several chefs, both famous and not as well known. My wonderful hubby shares my love of cooking and food and we've worked side by side feeding the people we love for many happy years. How could I ever regret that?  I may have taken a very different path in my life, but I believe wholeheartedly that the truth is, I am living my passion.

So, now that I've shared a little bit more about who I am and how I got to this point in my life, I thought I'd share something I felt was inspirational, no matter what your particular passion might be. As I was surfing around some of my favorite food and restaurant sites, I ran across the (here) following video.  It truly shows what the industry means to the people who work in it, thrive from it and love it passionately. It also shows that it's a sector of the American business community that is flourishing, in spite of the state of the economy. Better still, it's about inspirational people who are truly living their passions...




Have you ever worked in the restaurant industry?  Or... Are you currently a part of it?  Is there something else in life that you're doing that you're truly passionate about? I'd love to hear your stories.

Live Well, Eat Well!

~Mrs B