Cheri Sicard

Hi, I'm Cheri Sicard and I am the editor and co-creator of this website. Like most meaningful experiences in my life, this one came about in a most roundabout manner. My background is eclectic, to put it mildly, but continually throughout this strange trip that has been my life to this point, I've always had an interest in food and cooking.

I was nurtured at the hands of parents and grandparents who believed that in order for food to be good, it had to be made from scratch. There was no such thing as canned soup or even cake mixes at our house. My family was so into cooking, they didn't really allow me to participate much, as a child. It didn't matter, I still managed to soak up a lot of recipes and techniques, as if by osmosis. And while it would have been nice if memories of learning to cook were more warm and fuzzy, there's also value in having to find one's own culinary road.

By the time I was in my early teens, my culinary horizons expanded far beyond the ethnic background of my Polish grandparents, when I spent my first summer away from home traveling with family members in the circus (yes, you read that right, the circus). I was hooked, and from that point on lived for the summers when I would travel to such exotic locations as Debuque, Iowa, Kingman, Arizona (don't forget Winona!) or Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, reluctantly returning home to Massachusetts and the drudgery of school in the fall.

I fell in love with the circus as a child, and pursued a career in entertainment as an adult. Over the years, I've worked as an aerialist, clown, knife thrower and throwee, whip cracker, magician and mentalist.

For someone who already had a heightened interest in food and cooking, my unusual career choices taught me a lot. The circus is a traveling community, and a melting pot at that. While spending years on the road, criss-crossing the country, I cooked under the tutelage of some culinary masters, namely the matriarchs of some of the world's oldest and most respected circus families. Where else could a young girl learn how to make authentic tortillas and chicken mole, English trifle and Scotch Eggs, Paella, Bouillaibase and some of the best barbecued ribs ever? It all happened in the span of a couple of circus seasons, and these feasts were all produced out the kitchen of a 26' Airstream travel trailer!

I've had the good fortune to visit every US state except Alaska (and I can't wait to get there) and every Canadian Province except the Northwest Territories. Even when I stopped performing full time, I still couldn't resist the overseas gigs which allowed me to spend extensive time in Japan, The Philippines and The United Kingdom. Having the chance to immerse myself in the cultures, and likewise, the cuisines of these places, allowed me experience authentic food beyond what tourists are usually able to find. The experiences also gave me a deep understanding of how the world is united through food and the sharing of food. Underneath it all, we all eat.

Which brings us around to this website. My business partner's interest in the internet and mine in travel, food and cooking seemed a natural match when we started Fabulous Foods in 1997. You, our readers, have made it grow beyond a hobby into the thriving online cooking community it is today. Thank you for visiting the site.

I hope you come back often. I'll keep trying to bring you interesting recipes and things to read. In the meantime, feel free to drop me an email or even better, post a message or a recipe to our message boards to share with all our readers. The news is always filled with negative stories about the "Evil Internet" but there's so much more to it. What more positive way to use the net than to share something that is so essential to us in so many ways -- the food that nourishes our bodies, hearts, minds and souls. In this way we can preserve our culinary heritages, while uniting through them. This is your site, get involved, interact and above all, EAT!

All the best,

Cheri

P.S.
Check out my books:

• The Low Carb Restaurant Guide -- Eat Well At America's Favorite Restaurants and Stay on Your Diet
• The Great American Handbook: What You Can Do For Your Country, Today and Every Day
• US Citizenship for Dummies (with Steven Heller, Esq.)

   

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