These are My People

As evidenced by the very fact that I've started a food blog, I like to talk about food. I like to talk about what I do with food, what other people do with food, and how we can all do better/different/new things with food. I know other people who enjoy food, and even like to cook, but I personally don't know very many people who could spend the better part of an evening discussing why bone marrow isn't gross, or why one Pho joint is superior to another, or whether molecular gastronomy is just a fun, edible science experiment or a valid set of culinary methods.

In fact, those are conversations I would LOVE to have with someone, but as of yet, I haven't really found many who are willing to. Not for hours. I love my friends, but I think I know most of them well enough to realize that when they stop making eye contact, and they start inserting Non sequiturs like, "I think I'm using the wrong shampoo," or "Do you think it's weird that Donald Duck doesn't wear pants?" into the conversation, I've pretty much hit the limit of their ability to be enthusiastic about food.

Today was a little different. Today, I spent the entire day surrounded by strangers, yet, not. You see, these people were geeking out about food like I do, and perhaps I'm making a little too much of it, but I feel like that kinda makes us family. I spent nearly 20 minutes this morning discussing lettuce with a guy at the farmer's market. I sat next to a guy at the Top Chef demo this afternoon who, when an audience member brought up his friend's vegan/no gluten/no sugar/no fat lifestyles, said "That sounds HORRIBLE!" at the exact same time I did. His name was Jordan, too, btw. Coincidence? I think not.

Today in Denver seemed to be made for my fellow food obsessives enthusiasts and me. Many of the area's farmers markets opened for the season. The Food Network brought its "Food Truck Wars" to town, and as mentioned, Bravo's Top Chef Tour was also here. No matter where I was today, people were talking about food, about chefs, about ingredients, about flavour profiles, about their favourite newfound ingredient/restaurant/food blog. I don't know when such a convergence of culinary has ever happened in my little world, but I'm incredibly grateful for it.

Thank you to my adopted hometown of Denver, for giving me that little nudge today; for showing me that if I just put myself out there a little, much of the inspiration I crave is right here in my own backyard.