The Grateful Foodie

While reading a self help book recently I found that I liked one of the exercises-one that says to Be Grateful. This is not new advice, but it is sometimes hard to be thankful when life never seems to go exactly the way that I would like. Still, there are a lot of foodie things to be grateful for.

As a sort of foodie I am grateful for all kinds of food, from apples to zucchini. Well, maybe not so much the zucchini, but it can be good. I am grateful for home cooked meals and store bought wonders-I am grateful for frozen dinners and frozen ice creams.

I am grateful for all of the modern things that make eating a pleasure and not a life threatening activity. I'm grateful for Organic Farmers and Livestock Raisers. I'm grateful for Whole Foods and Central Market and Krogers and Tom Thumb.

I'm grateful for Julia Child, Graham Kerr, Anthony Bourdain, Rocco DiSpirito, and Rich Davis. I am grateful for all the Pit Bosses in all the Barbecue joints I have had great meals. I'm grateful for all the line cooks, short order cooks, waiter and waitresses who have feed me when I have been to lazy to feed myself.

I am grateful for slice bread, sliced cheese, and sliced lunch meat. I am grateful for all the many pickles, sauces, and creams that can be added to a sandwich to make it something more than the sum of its parts.

I am grateful to live in the age of the Soda Pop, the Microwave, and the Fast Food Restaurant. I'm grateful for Dr Pepper made with Real Sugar, Marie Calender Chicken Pot Pies, and In-N-Out Burgers.

I'm grateful that The Wife is a better cook than my mother was. I'm grateful my father was so fond of milk and pastries. I'm grateful my father made the best tamales I've ever eaten. I'm grateful my Mother made a wonderful candy out of dried dates she called Dateloaf-so rich and creamy and amazing. I'm grateful to my little brother for still making it.

There are too many things to be thankful for in the world of a sort of foodie. But this is a good start.