A bulimic food critic tells all

Frank Bruni is possibly one of the most hated men in the NYC food scene, or was for the last 5 years. Bruni became the NY Times food critic over five years ago with no experience in food; his only experience was that he had a love/hate relationship with food and he could write. The thing I find odd is that his hate relationship led him to bulimia and countless diets. Restaurant critic is not really the job for someone with a problem with eating; but, according to Bruni, he looked at it as a way to deal with his eating problems. It also makes a great book. Born Round is his new book that's out about his trouble with diets and food and the journey of being a food critic.

I guess in a society where everyone is talking about Oprah "falling off the wagon" and whether starlets are too skinny for their own good a book about a bulimic food critic should not be surprising. I just think it's all a tad bit nauseating. Please don't assume that I am downplaying the seriousness of bulimia here, but I have to wonder why so many people feel the need to make their eating issues and weight such a public issue. Call me old fashioned, but I think some things just are better left unsaid. Maintain a little dignity as you are stepping down from your job as food critic; don't write a book about how fat you were and how you suffered from bulimia.

There is something about food critics that make the kitchen staff cringe. In some ways we need them to keep people coming in, but it's still really hard not to have a little resentment for someone who just eats the food and then gets to pick it apart. When I told people what I wanted to do with my career and how I was thinking that I wanted another degree so I could be a food writer, I can not tell you how many times I was asked,"oh you want to be a food critic." While I could with little problem eat my way through countless menus and write about them I knew my food writing journey would probably be a little broader than that. Plus doesn't anyone know one of the main rules of food critiquing: You can't let people know you're identity.

Speaking of things that nauseate me. Tonight I was standing in Weis, because I was buying my mom some bread. I was in desperate need of some chocolate and just wanted a plain old Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar. I didn't think it was too much to ask, but as I started looking in the aisles for a plain candy bar, possibly the best candy bar. 10 aisles and no milk chocolate bar; I had to buy a milk chocolate bar with almonds. I know you are reading this and saying, Emily I could really care less, but I really was upset about it. If I were Mr. Hershey I would want the best candy bar ever to be in every check-out aisle, so I'm assuming this epic fail was the grocery store's fault. Oh Weis why do you do me dirty on a night when I just needed some chocolate?

I did eat a chocolate bar with almonds and then when I got home my mom had made bread and butter pickles, so my night was looking up. We have had a bumper crop of cucumbers; we can't eat them fast enough, so my mom decided it was pickle time. Today was bread and butter day. These pickles are so easy to make. If you need to go out and buy some cucumbers and some jars and I promise you Vlasic will never be food enough for you again.

Quick Pickles:
4 quarts unpeeled, thinly sliced cucumbers(slice about 1/4 inch thick - or cut into strips like regular pickles)
6 medium onions thinly sliced
2 greed peppers, chopped (or in strips)
1/3 cup of non-iodized salt
Crushed ice
5 cups of granulated sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp. tumeric
1 and 1/2 tsp.celery see
2 tbsp. mustard seed
3 cups cider vinegar

Mix cucumbers, onions, and green peppers; add salt. Cover with ice; mix well. Let stand for 3 hours; drain well. Combine the remaining ingredients, and pour them over cucumber mixture. Heat the mixture till it boils. Pack into sterilized jars and seal.

The pickles taste good right away, but the longer they sit the better they get. As long as you seal them in a jar they can be kept out of the refrigerator till they are open. I hope you are enjoying all of the bountiful harvest the end of summer brings.

Happy eating!!!

Emily