Unfortunately article deadlines and a virus I caught from the preschoolers I teach in my non-writing life got in the way.
I did read Pim’s book. I almost didn’t. In the first
chapter, How to Eat Like a Foodie, she comes across as a food snob by slamming
fast food, and then making it sound like three-star restaurants are the only
ones worth trying. (She gives tips on how to not be intimidated when you go into one.)
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m a food snob about a lot of
things, too. I think every foodie is in one way or another. We love exceptional food! I will only eat
real maple syrup that actually came out of a sugar maple tree, and I will only
drink coffee from bags, not cans—fair trade and organic, if possible. I believe
that local food is better than stuff shipped from across the country, and
organic produce and dairy are better than conventional.
But, on the flip side, I do enjoy fast food. I prefer buying
it from a local restaurant, but I will eat a McDonald’s quarter pounder or a
Wendy’s spicy chicken sandwich when the craving strikes. Perhaps it’s because I’m
old enough to remember when going to a fast food restaurant was a treat and
adventure instead of an everyday event. A trip to McDonald’s was a special
occasion, which made my little cheeseburger and bag of fries taste gourmet. And
this was in the days before the Happy Meal hit the market. And while I enjoy three-star restauants, I think local diners and cafes are just as wonderful.
However, I’m glad I kept reading Pim’s book, because there
is a lot in it with which I agree. Especially in her section where she lists 50
things every foodie should do or try once in their lifetime: Find your
signature dish. Learn to make perfect pie crust (stay tuned for a future blog
on that topic.) Eat a perfect peach. Try stinky cheese. Go native (food, that
is!) Spend a week in New Orleans (a
dream of mine.) Learn how to cook your mom’s or dad’s best dish. And on and on.
The list was both inspiring and brought back some lovely memories.
So I changed my mind about Pim and her Foodie Handbook, and
I’m looking forward to giving her recipes a try sometime. Read her book and
decided for yourself. In the meantime, here is a list of my fellow food
bloggers so you can check out their experiences with Pim’s
recipes.
Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Nancy - PicadilloJoanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Before I got sick, I did post a cookbook review and a terrific pumpkin muffin recipe on my food-travel blog, Midwest Life and Cuisine. You can check it out here.
Have you ever considering travelng as a food writer combined with the services of couchsurfing.com? Buy a folding bike, travel by bus...not an easy luxurious life, but it sounds amazing to me. I'm not in a relationship like you are, though, and my venture would be costly, time-wise.
ReplyDeleteTee, I would love to travel and write about food full time, which I try to do with my blogs. I've never heard of couchsurfing.com--I'll have to check it out. I love how adventurous you are with your bike!
ReplyDeleteI visited your other blog---pumpkin muffins are one of my favorite things on earth, and yours look delicious.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sue. I just finished my last article assignment for a while, so I'm hoping to post more on both blogs now that I have time to cook! :)
ReplyDeleteVery nice post...I'm a huge snob when it comes to the tea I drink!
ReplyDelete