A Love Story About My Husband And Food

My bearded beau and his crab

On this day seven years ago, I married the man who introduced me to really good food. Before this red bearded fellow came into my life, I found joy in cheeseburgers for 39 cents paired with a bucket of fries at McDonald's. Sure, you could only go up, but I have to give him credit for the heights that I have soared. For starters, he's kind of a food snob. And I mean this in the nicest way possible. He rarely eats at chain restaurants or fast food joints, but he will eat at food trucks or hole in the wall Mexican spots. He appreciates freshly cut meats and cheeses, hand made tortillas, house smoked meats, and the like. On our third date, he made me dinner. It was penne with a creamy red sauce and chicken. Up until then, my idea of good eye-talian was fettuccine alfredo from Olive Garden. At first, I wasn't sure what to think. Why were the noodles kind of hard and what was ricotta? Dude, I told you, I didn't know about food. It was a strange new journey that I was about to embark on...full of flavors I never imagined!

I'm Mexican. Growing up our meals consisted of the usual suspects: beans, rice, chicken mole, chilaquiles, gelatina de leche, and weenies prepared in my Aunt's strange marinade. I know it sounds weird, but trust me, they are freaking delicious. I'm not sure why weenies are a household item in most Mexican family homes. They just are. When we went out to eat, we mostly went to Mexican restaurants. We rarely experimented with other types of cuisine. We did however frequent American chains like Denny's. As of late, my parents are obsessed with Applebee's. Yeah, I don't get it either. They are old school so they don't know about Yelp and food blogs. Their world was/is limited to what is around them or what a friend might recommend. So as you can see, their limited food world meant I had a limited food world.

My husband really had a hand in introducing me to different types of foods. His appreciation for fresh ingredients and careful preparation of dishes inadvertently impacted my weight loss. I was seventy plus pounds heavier when I met my husband. Remember the 39 cents cheeseburgers? I didn't really think or care about food freshness or how it was made. After we got engaged and moved in together we started cooking together. He actually taught me how to cook. I knew how to scramble an egg, but anything more complex was a no-go. Boiling pasta might not be a big deal to you, but it sure was for this fluffy fashionista. I was much too busy exploring the world of gaucho pants and eating fast food. We'd make meal plans for the week, which inspired me to try out new recipes and ingredients. After I made the choice to drop the weight once and for all, he was supportive by helping me pick out meals that would aid in my goals of lowering my high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. I was also determined to make gaucho pants actually look good on my 5' frame. That last one was a losing battle though. We'd make things like stuffed chicken with quinoa for dinner. He wasn't exactly keen on the quinoa, but he managed. Soon, I was 20 pounds down, then 30, and so on. All the while, he was introducing me to new restaurants that weren't chains.  I was learning to appreciate food at a deeper level. I started caring about what they served and what was in the food they were preparing. I was learning how to eat for the very first time in my life. All these things were coming together at the perfect time too.

After a few years of marriage, we left California behind and headed east to Florida. It was here that we started to really get into the food scene. I know it's odd that it happened in Florida and not California. I have a theory about this. I think it has to do with the overpopulation of restaurants in LA. Restaurants are a dime a dozen there, so it's really hard to find a really good one. Even with reviews and such, it's overwhelming and underwhelming all at the same time. Plus, you have to drive hours to get anywhere and then find parking, which is no easy feat. Despite what Cher from Clueless says, they don't have valet everywhere in LA. Perhaps it was the smaller number of options in Tampa that made it possible to find the real gems like Bern's Steakhouse, Byblos Cafe, Datz, and Pinky's. Bern's is a must if you're ever in the area. This baroquely decorated establishment oozes drama and grandeur with their dim lighting, red carpet, and fancy artwork housed in gold frames. They have amazing steak, make your mashed potatoes at your table, and have a whole dining room dedicated to just dessert. It's freaking amazing. These are the kinds of places my husband likes, so it's no surprise that our food game has quadrupled since moving to Austin.

As soon as we got the chance to escape Florida's heat, humidity, and face-eating-men-who-are-high-on-bath-salts, we headed west to Texas. Like I said, this is where things really took off as far as food appreciation goes. We have our favorites in town like Fonda San Miguel for Mexican, Eastside Cafe for American, and Pieous for pizza. We are also super obsessed with trying out new places. We both follow the Austin food blogs closely, so our convos often revolve around food posts and reviews. We've tried so many places since moving here that we had to create a spreadsheet to keep track of which ones we want to try and which ones we want to revisit. The list is a living, breathing document, and it's growing all the time. My husband has gotten deep into craft beer here, so we also frequent breweries. I prefer wine and whiskey, so we hit up hill country for places like Lewis Wines and Garrison Brothers distillery to balance out all the trips to Jester King. And trust me, the trips are plenty. Hey Jester King! How about you guys dwindle down the releases, aye?!

Fluffy me

Food has affected my life in ways I could never have imagined. In my early years it was a solace and shameful pleasure at the same time. Now it's a hobby that I can enjoy without guilt. I've managed to establish a real love affair with food while still managing weight loss. I owe this to being in a happy healthy marriage. In the beginning, I wondered why he loved me. I knew I had a kickass personality, but I didn't love my outer self. He says he fell in love with my animated-full-of-life-passionate-fiery disposition. He also says I was just as beautiful at almost 200 pounds as I am at 114.  I have gotten nothing but love and support from this man. That's part of why I fell in love him. It was also his incredible thoughtfulness, his fervor for his interests and points of view, as well as his way of not judging others that really sealed the deal for me. It's the way he thinks about how the homeless guy on the corner got where he is. "Think about all the things that had to happen for that guy to end up where he is. He probably lost multiple jobs, family, friends, etc. Those things don't just happen. He's probably not on the streets because it's easier." It's this wonderful bigger picture perspective that I really love. It's not to say we don't have our disagreements. When you put two very passionate people together, that passion is destined to collide here and again. And while we may bicker and get annoyed with each other's quirks, we still have lots of love, respect, and acceptance for one another. This is how I got to really love myself and my relationship with food.

Much less fluffy me and my other half

My love story with my husband and food is ongoing. We keep this story interesting by doing the things we enjoy as much as possible. Part of that is trying out new restaurants. We get excited picking the place. We scan the menu online first to get an idea of what we will try. Once there, we make our final decisions to maximize flavor sampling. Once the food comes out, we ooo and aww at our plates and then of course food photos. How else will everyone understand the amazingness of what I'm eating? We then each take our first bites. Then come our reviews on the spot. Will this place make it on our spreadsheet? I guess you'll have to check the next From LBs to LBDs social media post.