Food Network Awards & Super Kitty

Whenever people would say "I like food", "I enjoy eating" or something like that, I would always think, hmmmmm, well, I eat & I guess I enjoy what I eat since I don't usually eat things I don't like, but I would never say "I like food" or "I enjoy eating". It's just something you do because you have to & sometimes you get to eat a yummy dessert or something. (yes, I've always been a chocolate "snob")

While serving my mission in New York, I gained an appreciation & love for comida latina. I like spicy food, so Mexican is kind of my 1st love, but I was able to eat homemade food from Peru, Guatemala, Chile, Columbia, Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Brazil, Argentina and even Cuba (probably others, but I'm not remembering them off the top of my head).
Learning how important food is in the many Latin cultures was probably the first step. Another step was wanting to try local cuisine wherever I traveled. I think traveling to Thailand was the nail in the 'love & appreciation of food' coffin. I thoroughly enjoyed & soaked up the culture, of which, food is an essential part (similar to most cultures outside of the US....food is a bonding way to show your love for others).

Anyway, I'm not foodie, but I do enjoy good food. I love trying hole in the wall restaurants and authentic international food. Sometimes I just want to order what I know is good, like enchiladas de mole @ Mi Ranchito, but I'm more apt to try something new than ever before. Infact I've never wished I liked seafood until I started going to places like San Francisco, Thailand, Costa Rica etc where seafood is The Thing To Eat. Sadly, I try a bite now & then & seriously, it just makes me want to puke. Luckily there are plenty of other things to eat.

I enjoy cooking & have always been one to experiment & make the recipe mine. When I was younger my mom used to tell me 'make it exactly as the recipe says the first time & then experiment'. I never had the patience. Although I do understand that it would help me know what to change if I knew what I was working with to begin with.

I watched the food network awards show tonight & now I want to go to places like Burgerville, Garrison Confections and Citizens Bank Park in Philladelphia. And of course I fell for their ploy to get people to want to see the upcoming movie No Reservations ...sue me, I like cheesy romantic comedies :-)

Unless I missed him (fast forwarding through the tivo'd show), I did not see Mario Batali. I love that guy....his red hair & orange crocs. I should read the book Heat. but anyway, I hear the Food Network & Mario have had a bit of a falling out. Molto Mario is only on in re-runs & I hear they're looking for a new Iron Chef ...possibly to replace Mario. Too bad. I like him.

Happy Eating.

As for my Super Kitty...I think he's found a way to jump up on the top of my armoire because I noticed this morning that my bowl from Belize was pushed over by my knitting basket. I can't think of any other way the bowl could have moved :-}