Non-Food Foodie?

Wikipedia defines foodie as "an informal term for a particular class of aficionado of food and drink." It continues by saying "Foodies differ from gourmets in that gourmets are epicures of refined taste who may or may not be professionals in the food industry, whereas foodies are amateurs who simply love food for consumption, study, preparation, and news."


I think of Foodie as someone who sits around a table with skinny friends talking about escargot and the 1998 (insert high end - aka expensive - wine) with wine glass in hand and pinkie in the air. Don't get me wrong, I envy those people their knowledge and pinkie-ness (and skinny-ness), but it's not how I see me.


So, what is a Non-Foodie Foodie? It's some one who fits the published definition of a food obsessed amateur who's a size 16, New York wine drinking, lavender cookie and rosemary bread making, Weight Watchers failure, thirty-something event planner who can be seen at the 21 Club one night and Pizza Hut the next (OK, 21 is expensive and Pizza Hut is cheap - you do the math).


I consider myself a step or two higher in the kitchen than the average home cook, but still compete at the amateur level. I think those that have eaten my food would agree plus I have a few blue ribbons under my belt and a few food articles in the portfolio.


So, why am I here? As any good student, I want to continue to grow and learn. Plus, why not? As I continue my culinary journey through life, I can talk about my favorite chefs, great recipes, and share my thoughts on food and restaurants. It also allows me to hear what others have to say and learn from what they know. Going back to the definition from Wikipedia, I want to learn everything about food!