Someone asked me just now if I’ve always loved veggies and gourmet food. Here’s my response that I thought I’d share on here:

No, I wasn’t always a foodie. In fact, I was a lot like you a few years ago. I’d eat Mac and Cheese all the time, hot dogs, and when I went out, I got the same old stuff all the time; hamburgers, pizza, subs, stuff I grew up with and knew well. I was never disappointed doing this, but I was never pleasantly surprised, either. I never explored, never ventured outside my comfort zone, never tried to be adventurous.

But then my sleeping habit went screwy, and I’d stay up all night and sleep most of the day. One night, nothing was on at 3 in the morning, I was switching around, trying to find something to watch while I ate some chicken wings. I stopped on the Food Network because they were grilling stuff, and what they were doing caught my interest. It looked so good, and suddenly I was enjoying my chicken wings more because what was on TV was making me hungrier.

I enjoyed that so much, I did the same thing the next night. Then the next night, and the next, and the next. So on, pretty much everyday, for 2 years. I would watch during the day, too. I started learning, and then I started to appreciate food I never did before. They SOLD me on everything! Their enthusiasm and passion wore off on me, on even the most simplest foods in the world. Corn? Pfftt, no big deal, I said. But no, they’d build it up and put it on a golden pedestal. They’d caress it and whisper sweet nothings into its ears. Told me why it was so wonderful, why it goes so great in certain dishes. They told me the love that went into growing it, cleaning it, cooking and then serving it.

I’d watch shows on Italian pasta creation, Southern grilling, Cajun seafood, anything that didn’t do with baking and sweets, I was into. I hate baking. It’s stupid. Casseroles? BORING. Anyway, I digress.

Basically, I was ignorant, and when I got the knowledge, suddenly a whole new world of happiness and pleasure and nutrition opened up to me, and I’m so, so glad it did. When I go to restaurants, I rarely order something familiar. I always try something I’ve never had, and 9 times out of 10, I’m pleasantly surprised and ecstatic.

My only complaint about this revelation in my life is that I can’t try all the good foods in the world before I die, but I sure as hell am gonna try my best to.