What makes you a foodie? [General]
2007 Jun 3
I am a working mom who cooks for the whole family for 20 years already. I like to try all kinds of recipes and I believe I have a good taste bud. I inherit my dad's character - if food doesn't taste good, he doesn't eat any at all. Although my dad was a cook in a cruise ship, I still think my mom cooked better than him. That is why I always believe that home-made food is always better!
So, I am a foodie because I am very picky about food taste.
Gee. Why am I here? I am supposed to prepare my slides for tomorrow's meeting. Should have disabled my IE. I have to go and discipline myself again. Bye.
So, I am a foodie because I am very picky about food taste.
Gee. Why am I here? I am supposed to prepare my slides for tomorrow's meeting. Should have disabled my IE. I have to go and discipline myself again. Bye.
2007 Jun 3
I love good food and good wine. I love to cook and bake and experiment with new flavours. I love trying new restaurants.
Basically the only reason I'm not as big as a house is because I have a physical job and enjoy physical activities like cycling and yoga, haha!
(actually I also really love healthy food, which probably helps keep me fit)
Basically the only reason I'm not as big as a house is because I have a physical job and enjoy physical activities like cycling and yoga, haha!
(actually I also really love healthy food, which probably helps keep me fit)
2007 Jun 4
I'm not sure I qualify as a 'foodie'... rather I am just an 'ie'. I search for quality in everything I see and do (don't ask about my everlasting home renovations...) and that trait just gets inherited into my eating/dining practices. I guess I might qualify because I like cooking... but I'd more consider myself a foodie pup, aspiring to one day be a foodie dog.
On a slight side note, it sometimes astounds me that so many people do not care about their food, or how it's served. I know my father, for example, would NOT enjoy any of the restaraunts I really like in this city (Juniper, Bistro 115, Mezanotte) as he would think the food too weird, and overpriced. He doesn't care any more about the service than it's courteous, and on-time. I of course don't fault him for any of these things, and in fact it makes his dining experiences much easier to enjoy than mine... but for me.. I find myself wanting...well.. more. I guess I can best describe it as "I can 'eat' at home, I go out for an experience."
On a slight side note, it sometimes astounds me that so many people do not care about their food, or how it's served. I know my father, for example, would NOT enjoy any of the restaraunts I really like in this city (Juniper, Bistro 115, Mezanotte) as he would think the food too weird, and overpriced. He doesn't care any more about the service than it's courteous, and on-time. I of course don't fault him for any of these things, and in fact it makes his dining experiences much easier to enjoy than mine... but for me.. I find myself wanting...well.. more. I guess I can best describe it as "I can 'eat' at home, I go out for an experience."
2007 Jun 4
I'm in the same boat as you, Pete. I would love to take my parents to Domus or Beckta, but they just wouldn't 'get it'. :( They would definitely think it was weird and overpriced.
I took them to Biagio's and my mom asked for her wine in a "real wine glass" (they give you those little italian wine cups there).
I took them to Biagio's and my mom asked for her wine in a "real wine glass" (they give you those little italian wine cups there).
2007 Jun 4
Better question: how could somebody not be a foodie?
I'm inclined to agree a bit with Pete-In-Ottawa about the general quality thing, though. Nice day-to-day stuff = nice life.
I'm inclined to NOT agree one bit with Pete-In-Ottawa about Swiss Chalet, though. Last time I was dragged in:
"Can you make the chicken quesadilla without chicken?"
"Sure!"
(bleah-looking quesadilla with chicken spilling out of it shows up)
"Uh..."
"Oh, sorry!"
(...)
"We can't, it turns out. They're pre-made."
Pre-made quesadillas? Ew. Even Taco Bell doesn't sink that low!
I'm inclined to agree a bit with Pete-In-Ottawa about the general quality thing, though. Nice day-to-day stuff = nice life.
I'm inclined to NOT agree one bit with Pete-In-Ottawa about Swiss Chalet, though. Last time I was dragged in:
"Can you make the chicken quesadilla without chicken?"
"Sure!"
(bleah-looking quesadilla with chicken spilling out of it shows up)
"Uh..."
"Oh, sorry!"
(...)
"We can't, it turns out. They're pre-made."
Pre-made quesadillas? Ew. Even Taco Bell doesn't sink that low!
2007 Jun 4
Regarding family members not 'getting' the food at quality, higher-end restaurants: We had a bit of fun with our wedding photos with this one. We had a dinner reception at the Courtyard Restaurant rather than doing a quick dinner and dance, because my husband and I are both foodies and wanted to share that with our guests.
Anyhow, our menu started with apps during the cocktail hour, then 4 courses over several hours. Rather than go with typical wedding food we went with dishes that were a bit more creative. There were little menus printed for all the guests and we have at least a dozen shots of some family member or friend making a weird face at the menu, or pointing to it while having a confused look on their face. Of course we did have friends and family who did 'get it' and made sure to tell us how much they enjoyed the food! And from what I could tell, it appeared most of the guests who don't normally eat that sort of thing enjoyed their own dishes as well. :)
Anyhow, our menu started with apps during the cocktail hour, then 4 courses over several hours. Rather than go with typical wedding food we went with dishes that were a bit more creative. There were little menus printed for all the guests and we have at least a dozen shots of some family member or friend making a weird face at the menu, or pointing to it while having a confused look on their face. Of course we did have friends and family who did 'get it' and made sure to tell us how much they enjoyed the food! And from what I could tell, it appeared most of the guests who don't normally eat that sort of thing enjoyed their own dishes as well. :)
2007 Jun 4
I'm with most of you here... I just love food! I really appreciate every nuance and quality of excellent food. I get great enjoyment from the most carefully prepared tidbits but can also enjoy fast food slop, each in the spirit with which they are meant to be received. I'm not picky -- I'm appreciative. I like to find the good in food rather than the bad. This makes for better digestion. :-)
I love nothing more than seeking out the best source for a given food item. That should come as no surprise since it's what inspired me to build this site!
Since Candice mentioned her foodie wedding, I had to slap up a photo from ours. We were married in Portugal and they do things a little differently there. Dinner was a multi-course affair (crab appetizer, soup, fish course, steak course, dessert). Then *after dinner* the restaurant filled six tables with a giant cold buffet and dessert. The picture here is the largest of those six tables. The idea is that all that dancing makes you hungry, so you're ready for a second dinner 3 hours after the first. Portuguese people are crazy though -- theirs is the only culture I know of that eats a big hot meal for both lunch and supper. ;-)
(sorry about the picture quality -- it's a bad scan from a photo that's almost a decade old.)
I love nothing more than seeking out the best source for a given food item. That should come as no surprise since it's what inspired me to build this site!
Since Candice mentioned her foodie wedding, I had to slap up a photo from ours. We were married in Portugal and they do things a little differently there. Dinner was a multi-course affair (crab appetizer, soup, fish course, steak course, dessert). Then *after dinner* the restaurant filled six tables with a giant cold buffet and dessert. The picture here is the largest of those six tables. The idea is that all that dancing makes you hungry, so you're ready for a second dinner 3 hours after the first. Portuguese people are crazy though -- theirs is the only culture I know of that eats a big hot meal for both lunch and supper. ;-)
(sorry about the picture quality -- it's a bad scan from a photo that's almost a decade old.)
2007 Jun 9
I spend vast portions of my day thinking about food, getting excited over it, devising new recipes, etc. Also, I'm willing to spend a good hour or more on a bus to haul my butt out to the nether-regions of the city to find obscure ingredients or amazing restaurants, so with those two combined, I've come to the conclusion that I'm completely insane, a foodie, or both (most likely).
Indeed, as some others mentioned, I'm amazed at how little some people care about what they eat. I cringe when I hear about people going out to a flavourless, bland chain restaurant when armed with a recipe and a visit to the grocery store, they could make food ten times superior at home for half the cost. (How do these restaurants even exist??? What are people thinking when they start them??? "I have no idea how to cook, so I shall force my lack of knowledge on the general populace! *evil, evil, laughter spewing forth across tastebuds who have never known real joy*") Even better, for the same price, or just slightly higher, they could visit a quality restaurant. My old Ottawa roomie would happily say that her favourite place to eat was the Zellers "restaurant". *gak!* I haven't been, so maybe it *is* good, but my brain can't wrap around that possibility.
Isn't food one of the biggest and most natural joys in life? We all have to eat, and while I'm occasionally satisfied with a piece of toast and some boring fruit if I'm on the run, we should take the time to really enjoy this great pleasure regularly! I'm always shocked at how much thought most people put into sex and how little they put into food... honestly, I like them both, but a great meal wins out every time for me, and if I'm cooking, allows me to express my creativity. What's more satisfying? Two hours of loafing in front of reruns on the TV, or preparing a delicious meal for friends and family?
Okay. I'm done ranting now :-).
Indeed, as some others mentioned, I'm amazed at how little some people care about what they eat. I cringe when I hear about people going out to a flavourless, bland chain restaurant when armed with a recipe and a visit to the grocery store, they could make food ten times superior at home for half the cost. (How do these restaurants even exist??? What are people thinking when they start them??? "I have no idea how to cook, so I shall force my lack of knowledge on the general populace! *evil, evil, laughter spewing forth across tastebuds who have never known real joy*") Even better, for the same price, or just slightly higher, they could visit a quality restaurant. My old Ottawa roomie would happily say that her favourite place to eat was the Zellers "restaurant". *gak!* I haven't been, so maybe it *is* good, but my brain can't wrap around that possibility.
Isn't food one of the biggest and most natural joys in life? We all have to eat, and while I'm occasionally satisfied with a piece of toast and some boring fruit if I'm on the run, we should take the time to really enjoy this great pleasure regularly! I'm always shocked at how much thought most people put into sex and how little they put into food... honestly, I like them both, but a great meal wins out every time for me, and if I'm cooking, allows me to express my creativity. What's more satisfying? Two hours of loafing in front of reruns on the TV, or preparing a delicious meal for friends and family?
Okay. I'm done ranting now :-).
2007 Jun 10
When I was 12, I asked Santa for a wok for Christmas...and he delivered. By mid-January I had perfected egg drop soup. The day it happened, I was home alone for lunch. Wanting to share my sublime concoction, I thought for a moment then put my boots on and, with oven mitts, hauled my steaming wok down the street to Frank the scientist on the corner. A bit surprised when he opened the door, he then flipped over the deliciousness. I knew I was different. (I imagine Frank did too)
2007 Jun 13
"...stealing furtive glances at the "lost-in-time" styling of the whole thing..."
Hmm. Has the cafeteria in the Bayshore Mall Bay been updated? Is it still there? If so, I highly recommend.
I've had breakfast (greasy-good) at "The Superior" in Almonte a couple of times now just because I'm drawn in by the lost-in-time element.
Pix: www.carleton-mississippimills.ca
www.almonte.com
There's loads of that to be found out here in the Ottawa Valley; I'm enjoying it no end. Something called "PJ'S Restaurant" in Arnprior (trying to recall the sign here; it mentions "FLAVOR-CRISP CHICKEN" in a charmingly dated font) was a beauty, but it now looks to be under heavy renovation. Tragically.
The Centennial Restaurant in Pakenham (picture of exterior here home.netscape.ca ) does not seem to've changed since the centennial, and -- that reminds me; I'd been meaning to ask if anybody can shed some light on the "CHINESE -- ITALIAN -- CANADIAN" rural Canadian restaurant idea? How old is it?
A bad idea, to be sure. The pizza (there's your "Italian"...) is always a bit like something somebody's Mom made: it looks like pizza, the ingredients seem right, but...Cooked at too low a temp? Sauce too bland? Something's off. The "Chinese" is never vegetarian or at all promising.
The "Canadian" varies wildly. All of it thoroughly bland and inoffensive, like...like...Canadians, yes. It's extremely rare to get bad fries in these places, I notice.
Hmm. Has the cafeteria in the Bayshore Mall Bay been updated? Is it still there? If so, I highly recommend.
I've had breakfast (greasy-good) at "The Superior" in Almonte a couple of times now just because I'm drawn in by the lost-in-time element.
Pix: www.carleton-mississippimills.ca
www.almonte.com
There's loads of that to be found out here in the Ottawa Valley; I'm enjoying it no end. Something called "PJ'S Restaurant" in Arnprior (trying to recall the sign here; it mentions "FLAVOR-CRISP CHICKEN" in a charmingly dated font) was a beauty, but it now looks to be under heavy renovation. Tragically.
The Centennial Restaurant in Pakenham (picture of exterior here home.netscape.ca ) does not seem to've changed since the centennial, and -- that reminds me; I'd been meaning to ask if anybody can shed some light on the "CHINESE -- ITALIAN -- CANADIAN" rural Canadian restaurant idea? How old is it?
A bad idea, to be sure. The pizza (there's your "Italian"...) is always a bit like something somebody's Mom made: it looks like pizza, the ingredients seem right, but...Cooked at too low a temp? Sauce too bland? Something's off. The "Chinese" is never vegetarian or at all promising.
The "Canadian" varies wildly. All of it thoroughly bland and inoffensive, like...like...Canadians, yes. It's extremely rare to get bad fries in these places, I notice.
2007 Jun 16
I am a foodie for a very simple reason, not reasonS, but reason: I love food :) I love all food, of all different tastes, flavors and types. I cančt say no to good food that is out in front of me (I mean, I have to taste it right? Why wouldn't I? I'm a growing boy! I need all the calories I can get!) yay metabolism! Anyways, yeah, I guess my love of all foods makes me a foodie :)
ps: Mark, I now need a new keyboard, because it's covered in drool. Man, that spread looks AWESOME! Especially that salmon in the front. Yummy :)
ps: Mark, I now need a new keyboard, because it's covered in drool. Man, that spread looks AWESOME! Especially that salmon in the front. Yummy :)
p4est
Personally, i am a cook at a boutique hotel downtown. Went to culinary school last year and before that i studied at Carleton. I have always loved to cook and am thrilled to do it for a living. i am a foodie because i live and breath all things food.
What about you?