About girlinthefloralapron

Confession:  A love of food has always played an intrinsic role in my life.

At a very young age my mother would have PBS® on in the mornings broadcasting Sesame Street® & Mister Roger’s Neighborhood® during which I am told I would say “fugal…fugal!”  “Fugal” was two year old speak for “frugal” as in The Frugal Gourmet, a cooking show airing immediately after the children’s programming and followed by Yan Can Cook® – “If Yan can cook, so can you!”.  I grew up watching both shows, forecasting my innate love of food.  Another clue: arriving at my aunt’s home as a toddler and responding to her hello with “chips and salsa” – a not so shy request for a favorite snack always on hand in her kitchen.  More evidence: while other little girls played with dollhouses and Barbie® dolls, I played grocery shop and restaurant; the former involved unloading all of the groceries on the kitchen floor while I scanned them on my Fisher-Price® circa 1980’s cash register and re-bagged items before our family’s groceries could be put into the pantry (did I mention my mother has the patience of a saint?).  The latter involved my best friend and I forcing our parents to place lunch orders with us while we wrote on real restaurant pads, with carbon copy receipts and all – by far the coolest thing my mother ever brought home as a surprise…I realize you may not believe authentic restaurant pads are that exciting but as an eight year old playing restaurant it was fabulous.  To this day I plan things around food; day-to-day life, dinner parties, social outings, holidays and vacations.  I ponder what I will have at dinner…while still eating breakfast.  I figure out what everyone is in the mood for, create a menu, send out a shopping list and make meals for girls’ nights in.  Going out?  An excuse to embark on a new culinary experience or introduce friends to tried and true good eats.  For a recent vacation to Washington DC I created a spreadsheet listing good eats from fine dining to food trucks to local favorites suggested by friends and found through researching food blogs and regional restaurant reviewers; I‘m that person.  No, food was not the reason I vacationed in DC but it sure played a major role.  Why go somewhere if you’re not going to experience and enjoy the regional fare?  PS:  If you ever find yourself in DC I have three words for you: Ben’s Chili Bowl…it’s a must.  For more tips please stay tuned for my upcoming blog, Confessions of a Foodieholic; I am creating it as a way to express my love of food and will be contributing thoughts on everything from recipes to try, places to eat, must have kitchen gadgets, foodie books I am reading and recommend, and more…all things food are fair game.  Enjoy!

The Floral Apron