Tag - 7 Strange Things About Me

Jenna at Food With Kid Appeal (@KidAppeal) has tagged me! The general idea behind "Tag" is to help great people discover blogs worth reading and I have several folks to introduce you to, how exciting. But first, I'm to tell you several "strange" things about myself.

To be honest, I find it awkward to invite people to learn more about me. But I really, really want to change the meat industry -- I want people to be able to find and support ranchers and truckers and slaughterhouse workers and butchers and others who do the right thing. Please consider joining my cause, and definitely look up the folks I'm tagging below - they are worth your follow.

1. Having encountered a few of them, I believe in ghosts. Have never (knowingly) seen one but have definitely felt their presence. Each time, there was at least one other person who shared the experience. Life is interesting that way.

2. Just out of college, I literally put words in the mouth of The Vice President of the United States (George Bush, Sr.). Was asked by the head of the Economic Policy Council to boil down a 30-page document into three bullet points & put on index card. The VP was to announce that the US was filing an unfair trade case against Japan for their business practices in semiconductors. He read the card verbatim on live TV. I learned a quick lesson in diplomacy – the word “retaliate” was a no-no. Ooops!

3. A New York Times journalist misquoted my boss in a prominent article on US-Japan trade relations. I was not only there during the interview but I had it on tape. The newspaper would not correct the record. Became a skeptic then and there.

4. Arrived at a staff meeting and the big boss says, before we start, I would like to know which one of you was written up in The Washington Post Federal page. All 20 people look at me. Much to my surprise, my recent promotion had been announced right next to a story about then-Senators Robert Byrd and Kit Bond. Big boss was upset – said I got more coverage than he – this was THE place to be in that paper. Called the reporter to ask what happened. He asked what I thought. I said “Slooooowwww news day in Washington.” I think I heard him fall off his chair, that it was! Lesson in the power (serendipity?) of timing.

5. Moved to Toronto from San Francisco, sight unseen, in November. I must have been in love. Still am, fortunately.

6. First car I ever drove was a scaled down Model T that had a lawnmower-type engine. I was around 4 years old. Second car was a 1928 Buick Roadster, I sat on my father’s lap and steered while he worked the double clutch. Might have been about 10? I love to drive.

7. I was a pom-pom girl in high school. Tried to make up a dance to the Grateful Dead. Settled for the Rolling Stones.

And so now I tag the following:

ChezUS and not just because Denise has the same Coach purse but because she is a lovely person and a genuine food maven, self taught since she was a wee little gal. Check out her post on Montana beef to see what she's all about. And encourage her to have her favorite food critic, Laudalino, bring his voice to the blog.

Cooking By The Seat Of My Pants a delightful food blog by a guy named Jerry who is a passionate, caring work-from-home dad who juggles multiple blogs (including a beautiful one about his autistic son Lil 'B) and an online t-shirt shop. His wife is in the military so they're currently living in Texas, though he's from the SF area. He keeps asking me if I've had Longhorn beef which, sadly, I have not. At least not knowingly.

Coconut & Lime is the work of Rachel Rappaport who delights us with her own completely original recipes. I'm wondering when she's going to bundle them into a cookbook - wouldn't that be great? Check out her recipe for homemade dog treats, they look delicious. For your dog, of course.

Wild Idea Buffalo is new to me, discovered via Twitter and @CurlyBill. Raising pastured buffalo to regenerate the prairie grasses. Great example of how livestock can actually nurture the land and environment. Some day, I'd like to try their meat - never found buffalo (or beefalo) raised on grass-alone.

Food Woolf from Brooke Burton, a screenwriter and one very cool cat who I had the great pleasure to meet in Los Angeles last week at one of my artisan steak tastings. She and fellow blogger Leah (see below) blew me away with their knowledge of food, food politics, and wine. I would love to spend a week following Brooke around, maybe some of the magic will rub off on me. I'm just a simple Grillmeister, lots to learn.

Spicy Salty Sweet is as full of energy as the creative genious behind it, Leah Greenstein. This funny lady is a wine buyer (she favors barnyard to fruit bombs) and farmer's market addict. She has her finger on the pulse of the food community and rumor has it that she and Brooke are about to share their secrets in a whole new and exciting way. Follow them!

The White on Rice Couple Todd & Diane have to be two of the nicest, most interesting people I've met in a very long time and they have one gorgeous blog. As someone who has long wanted to learn "Asian" cooking, it was a thrill for me to have the two of them show me how to make hand made Vietnamese spring rolls. And Todd grew up on a cattle ranch and has a dad that whispers to horses, so I also get to learn more about how to raise great beef.