Sweet taste of success follows cooking show

If burning, red eyes with dark circles under them are indicators of success, I'm OK with that -- today.

That's how most of my friends at the Times-Gazette, including myself, look and feel this morning, which happens to be the day after our sold-out relish® Cooking School and Expo.

After spending the day with the evening's star Jon Ashton, who happens to be as much a comedian as a chef, I arrived at the Calsonic Arena around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday. One highlight of the day was our trip to 4 The Glory Farm, where Jon rode a horse for the very first time.

When I arrived at the arena, I thought I would be early, but was mistaken when I saw the upper concourse filled with locals shopping the many vendor booths.

I believe people loved the show and were impressed with the format. Just sitting at my desk this morning, my co-workers and I have received many calls complimenting the show.

"In the 15 years I have been in Shelbyville this is the best thing I have seen take place," one man told us.

Of course, a few muttered suggestions of small "something or anothers" that could have been done differently, as we have been doing ourselves all morning, too.

I planned to write my column about my ever-growing love for food these days. I haven't had any particularly strange cravings through my pregnancy -- though I think I could move into a bakery and be happy.

It's kind of ironic that because of my particular role at the cooking show I, the person most obsessed with food in the office, didn't get a chance to sample one single dish put out by Ashton and his crew, as several of my co-workers did, last night. And trust me, I am not complaining.

Though I am sure it all tasted great (it certainly smelled wonderful) I had a rude awakening when I went to my 25-week doctor's appointment last week. I have already gained 20-plus pounds since I became pregnant. "Oh Sausages!" as Ashton would say.

Many people have told me to enjoy being pregnant and eating for two. "It's a license to eat," I have heard more than once. These comments seem to have sunk in while others, such as "eat more, but eat healthier and avoid sugar and fats," haven't. I ought to start wearing a hearing device when I visit my doc ... but the other comments are just so much more fun to hear and accept!

Everyone had their particular role to make the cooking show possible. I guess it's a good thing that my role had me as far away from the food-filled VIP room and the vendors (with several free food samples) as possible. I contributed as the emcee.

With so many people in attendance, I wondered if I'd be nervous doing this. My college background is one that consists more of broadcasting than newspaper writing, I've had to speak in public in the past, plus, since I am the lifestyles editor, it sort of made sense for me to be the emcee, and I enjoyed doing it. But who really, I mean really, gets excited about speaking in front of hundreds or thousands of people, besides Jon Ashton and Bill Clinton?

I was excited about my role at the show, though, naturally, slightly nervous, since I had never officially emceed anything before.

But hey, a gentle giant of a walking horse had Jon Ashton shaking in his shoes before stepping into the stirrups. Though nervous, he was still excited.

I think when we challenge ourselves every now and then and do things with which we're not entirely comfortable or seasoned it's good for the soul. That's how we all grow as productive citizens.

Overall, to sell out of tickets our first time hosting this event, to hear the roaring laughter from the audience all night long and to see the look of satisfaction of local business folks who had vendors there, I'd say we did a pretty great job. An event of this size certainly isn't possible without the combined efforts of many, and I applaud the many, many folks who made our first cooking show a night to remember.

-- Sadie Fowler may be reached at sfowler@t-g.com.