The Foodie-file: Did You Catch Me on TV Today?
Did anyone catch me on City TV’s “Breakfast Television” or CH TV’s “At Home” this morning? I did a segment on my kitchen gift picks for the holidays (click on the link to see a an online video version of the show). It’s always fun doing TV but Breakfast Television is an early call and I am still buzzing from numerous cups of coffee that kept me going from 5:00 am.
Ok enough self-aggrandizing, I know this is supposed to be about food. Here are my thoughts on food today:
I just had a Christmas team lunch with the CL web group and I was sitting beside Jen (homemakers.com web editor) who was explaining to me what a picky eater she is and how she would like to expand her palate because it is a hindrance when she is eating out. Well we have something in common because I too, believe it or not, was a picky eater. How then does one go from a picky eater to a fanatical foodie? Jenn wanted my secret so she could break free of her picky palate prison. I told her jokingly that I had such a refined palate as a child I had to train as a chef so I could only eat my own fabulous food! (Well kind of jokingly, I actually do think my food is fabulous).
A chef, it is a necessity that you eat and try everything that is made in the kitchen – a complex palate is essential and even if you have an inclination towards it, it really only comes with experience. Also there is little respect in the chef world for someone who turns their nose up at food – and the more exotic the food you can palate the more respect you will garner. Being someone who values respect over elitism, I broke out of my own picky prison and garnered the respect of my peers and rewards of foodie-ism in the process. I do think this went a long way in breaking me of my food snobbery, although chefs are food snobs of a completely different ilk!
So I challenged Jenn to force herself to try new foods on a regular basis. Although dabbling may not suffice; by our conversation I suspect, like me, she may require the total immersion program.
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