Hi! My name is Sharon, and I’m an epicuriholic — a woman who loves food too much. I’d rather eat at a Zagat-rated food trailer in a roasting parking lot than in a mediocre climate-controlled faux-French bistro. Every other week, I drive 32 miles to buy raw milk. Once, on vacation, I skipped the Grand Canyon so I wouldn’t miss a dinner reservation.
What I am not, however, is a great cook. My connoisseur-itis appeared too late in life to benefit from my mother’s kitchen skills. Instead, I became one of those late blooming foodies, formed by slow but steady exposure to the culinary triumphs of a prolific and well-travelled significant other. The child who survived almost entirely on eggnog and bacon grew into a woman who craves wasabi, seaweed salad and salted tamarind ice cream.
Although my husband has moved on to more verdant pastures, all is not lost. I live only a short stroll from my new significant other, a very seductive and bargain-deficient gourmet food emporium. At least once a week I stroll through its doors with a short list of essential staples; 45 minutes later, I stroll out with my wallet whimpering and bags bulging with foodie fashion statements: a tall bottle of pomegranate-infused rice vinegar, a $15 canister of imported raw pastured Kashmir goat cheese puffs, and a hand-constructed box of artisan graham crackers made with salt from the Dead Sea. Should a British demi-royal pop in for tea, I’d be totally prepared. However, if there was some sort of emergency, and there was a run on my local grocery stores, I’d be screwed.
That’s why I’m learning how to cook and prepare for the “stay-in-your-homes” disaster scenario (as opposed to the “get the hell out” disaster scenario), and writing this blog. I want to eat well, save money and be prepared for everything from unexpected guests to Hurricane Zeke.
Oh, and FYI:
- I live in Austin, Texas.
- I mix my plaids, collect questionable art from eBay and enjoy building dry-stacked rock walls.
- My favorite movies include Blade Runner, Napoleon Dynamite and A Room with a View.
- Houseplants don’t like me.
- I don’t accept advertising or other enticements from manufacturers that might color my opinions.
Won’t you join me on my journey toward total food mastery and self-sufficiency? Please use the comment section to contribute your knowledge and experience! Or, you can contact me directly using the form below.
