According to thefreedictionary.com a "foodie" is a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food; a gourmet.
Now, I don't know about refined or gourmet, but I am 
definitely a "foodie" at heart. I love all things connected in some way with food ~ big glossy cookbooks, culinary magazines, kitchenware catalogs, cooking shows, kitchen design, and yes, even grocery shopping! And then, of course, there's food ...
There are also a few wonderful food-related blogs I enjoy visiting ~ Stef's Stefoodie.net, Rebecca's The Heart of the Kitchen and now, Elizabeth's Kitchen Comforts. Beautiful to look at and lovely to read, each of these ladies makes me want to pull up a chair in their kitchen, share a cup of tea, and just talk and talk about food ...
I don't always have the time - or energy! - for scratch cooking, but I have always loved talking about food. Many years ago I enjoyed a very brief stint as a food writer. I was fresh out of college when I landed my first job at a local newspaper. After a short time as a reporter made it painfully clear I was not cut out for hard-nose news, I was moved to the features department.
Oh how I loved my time there! In features I was allowed to stretch a hobby into a career, and at long last try my hand at writing ~ a dream I had held deep in my heart since a child.
I was blessed with a patient and flexible editor (who became one of my best friends). I was such a green writer, yet I was assigned articles on everything from maple syrup to summer barbecue. With notepad in hand, I found myself attending vintner dinners, cookbook signings, restaurant openings and chocolate tastings. Let me tell you, I was in way over my head, but boy did I have fun!
Years later, I still love all things food-related, and I especially love to cook for my family; sometimes I have help from little hands (as in the picture above) and sometimes it's just me. Whatever the case, the kitchen is my favorite spot to gather with family and friends to share ~ a cup of tea, the tales of our day, and of course, something yummy to eat!
Stef, Rebecca and Elizabeth ~ thank you for reminding me how delicious it is to think and talk and reminisce about food. I look forward to stopping by your kitchens often!
