The Fearless Foodie

                                               

Scott Heiner

Mrs. Fearless Foodie

You might think I know about weird food all by myself, but I owe a great deal of my experience to my wife, Sharon.

We met as students at USU.  At the time, I was living alone in a tiny studio apartment, with the bedroom, living room, study and kitchen all combined into the size of a small bedroom.  Fortunately, the apartment did have a separate bathroom, as big as a phone booth.

I really don’t cook; I feel like Charlie Brown who said, “I can't cook a Thanksgiving dinner. All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast.”  At the time, I had a little toaster-oven which was my main cooking appliance.  I subsisted on Pop-Tarts, baked potatoes and peanut butter sandwiches.  I could also manage scrambled eggs at times.  Sharon came along and made a delicious lasagna for me--it was love at first sight bite …er, sight.

Sharon was smart, kind, funny, spiritual, could dance and sing—and cook!  They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and I found that to be true.  It turned out that Sharon was the best cook I had ever met, and a deep romance ensued. Before long we were married.

This gal had grown up in a small Midwest town which was largely founded by German immigrants.  Her town celebrated Octoberfest every fall and Sharon spoke some German herself.  She ate German foods like bratwurst, schnitzel, pickled pigs’ feet and cow brains scrambled with eggs.  Sharon’s family were simple country folk where she naturally picked up good old-fashioned cooking skills.  For example, her mother had never used a cake mix; she had always made everything from scratch.

Sharon makes delicious casseroles, soups, stews, breads, pastries.  Not only does she make amazing German food and deserts like German pancakes, eclairs, boccone dolce and the best pies anywhere, but she has also mastered many oriental recipes like Japanese gyoza and Thai coconut lemon grass soup.  Best of all, she is as much a fearless foodie as I am, willing to try anything weird, right along with me.  Now, wherever we travel, near or far, we always seek out the most unique food in the area, and we’re hardly ever disappointed.  Our life is truly a big gastronomic wonderland.

Yes, I enjoy an enviable culinary relationship with my wife, but imagine my joy to see that all my children have also grown to be fearless foodies with similar adventurous tastes.  One daughter in particular has astounding cooking skills in her own right.  I am continually astonished by the new dishes she comes up with.  Her husband makes his own cheese and incredible artisan bread, and their kids are growing up the same way!  I couldn’t be more proud of my foodie posterity.