It's Official: I am a snob

New York made me a snob. A snob in all categories. A theater snob. An art snob. A wine snob. A beer snob. And finally, officially, a food snob.I don't regard this as a bad thing. I didn't realize how extreme it was until I left the city. But being a snob is a positive thing. I've learned to look for quality and when I don't see it, I have no interest in it. It started to affect my life slowly bur surely throughout my twenties and I know now that becoming a snob is basically the ground floor of becoming an adult.One of my guilty pleasures used to be eating at a large chain restaurant every once in a blue moon. It was a strange comfort to eat that same frozen lasagna from Olive Garden and those cheddar biscuits from Red Lobster once in a while just for nostalgia. That's all over for me now.My husband and I love eating out. Mostly local spots or places recommended to us.  Even when traveling, we attempt to find the lesser known establishment that are local favorites in the region instead of opting for the Hard Rock Cafe of that given city.We've been spoiled by good food. We've eaten at some absolutely incredible restaurants that serve art and let us eat it. Decadent, delicious, creative, marvelous meals that I still dream about. It must be said that these meals are any where from one of the most expensive we had on our honeymoon at Disney World's Victoria & Albert's to a small local spot we go to for brunch often because it's so damn good. Money doesn't always matter if the food is fantastic. I've found some of the best food in the world is located in that hole in the wall you missed because it hasn't been rated on Yelp.However, as I aforementioned, we also have a deep love for chain restaurants. Now that we live in a more suburban areas, they are plentiful. In NYC, the same chains are hell on earth and charge $18 for a bottle of Sam Adams. Every time we've laughed and said "Let's go Applebees", we immediately regret it when we are greeted by wilted lettuce and tasteless chicken. Our theory was that in the city, these restaurants are traffic heavy, not allowing for time to prepare a burger that doesn't resemble a hockey puck.We've had a few instances that have led me to say that large chain restaurants are dead to me. This is not by any means an attack on them. I think a good Pizza Hut can be a comfort to a family in Paris who can't speak the language and are starving and fighting with each other. There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating at these chain restaurants, either. I just found it hilarious how it came to pass I can no longer eat at them and I think, maybe, I've turned into a food snob.It was hot this summer for Vermont. We had a streak of very humid, sticky days and no where was air conditioned enough. I'm used to the city going balls to the wall to make every store ice cold. We thought that the Chili's near us would have to be the Arctic Circle and why the hell not go to Chili's since we hadn't been to one in like ten years.It was not cold. The drinks have legit no alcohol in them (something I think I knew but had forgotten) and the food was not how I remembered it. It was flat, limp, and had no flavor. What happened to my chicken sandwich with wonderful honey mustard dressing dripping off the sharp cheddar cheese? That was my favorite entree to get! Why did it not taste as amazing as I remembered?Another night, we were jonesing for Pizza Hut. Well, here in Vermont, we have the mythical being known as a sit down Pizza Hut restaurant, alive and well in my hometown fifteen minutes away from where we currently reside. I know what you're thinking: They still exist? I thought they all were Pizza Hut Taco Bell combos?? Fear not, the Pizza Hut restaurant still stands. Thriving...it is not. While the pizza still tastes exactly the same, it wasn't satisfying. It tasted like childhood, sure, but even washing it down with my warm beer didn't get me excited. However, I could still sit in that red booth watching the "It's Always Time For Pizza" clock spin menacingly.I remember all these places tasting so great. It was a treat to go to Pizza Hut or the Red Lobster when it existed here. It was so exciting when the Chili's opened up. However, the world has changed in terms of food. The culture of food has grown immensely and restaurants are popping up everywhere that are not cut from the same cloth. They are privately owned, they are locally source, they create mouth watering dishes you talk about for the rest of the week. Once you try that pork belly sandwich with a fried egg, fresh greens, and melty real cheddar cheese from a farm 30 minutes away, you can't go back to Chili's. This has only sealed my now obvious food snobdom.When I was on tour years ago, we luckily did some shows in California wine country. I wasn't a big wine fan at the time. I mostly was fluent in the Franzia and Arbor Mist varietals. We went to a few vineyards to taste some local reds. My mind was blown. Wine could taste THIS GOOD? It had so many flavors on my tongue. Cherry, raspberries, oak, some had a scent of plum and a hint of chocolate. My mouth started to recognize the complexity in a drink I never thought I could like. I was a hater of red wine because I had never had GOOD red wine. I now am convinced I can't live without it. I swirl the glass, I do the sniffing, I sip properly and aerate it between my lips, I discuss the flavors, acidity, legs, etc. I am that person you hate drinking wine with.  Wine snobdom confirmed.Beer isn't what it used to be. The craft beer scene has exploded as we all know and Vermont is a main hub for it. I was that person who drank Mike's Hard Lemonade and Smirnoff Ice well into college. Bud Light was usually the other option. My growth in taste started with dark beers, stouts, porters. Beers that were thick and malty with hints of chocolate and went down smooth with no bitterness. I found a love for Magic Hat's many beers and stepped out into pale ales. Long Trail came to my attention and again, I fell for several varieties quickly.Now, I can't drink cheap beer. Ever. I have a sip of a Coors Light and I immediately get a headache. I vehemently refuse to do so. At my bachelorette which was on a lake, PBR was the obvious option for many people day drinking but luckily, my dear friends knew I wouldn't drink it and got Dale's Pale Ale in addition which is way more expensive however more delicious and less likely to cause hangover city. I will be the person who would rather not drink than have a Heineken. I am the person that always brings my own six pack if I know I am going somewhere that will be heavily fueled by Bud Light. Beer snob to the max. Vermont has only fueled the snob fire. It is filled with incredible food, beer, gin, whisky, vodka, you name it. Most restaurants here buy locally and take risks with their dishes. They change them up constantly so when you go in, there's always something new and inventive to try as well as old favorites. New York does the same thing. They research, they experiment, they taste test. They find the best of the best and put it on their menus. Vermont is just many dollar signs cheaper when it comes to fine dining or even just basic dining. So I have only grown as a food snob now that I can afford marvelous meals for a fraction of the cost. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the upscale dining is still pricey but compared to the New York price points, I feel like I'm stealing when I eat out at them. If someone hasn't lived in a big city, they probably don't know how non-excessive pricing is a gift from heaven.It's not a coincidence that when I fall in love with a meal it usually is local, organic, natural, and fresh. However I will not be one of those food snobs that asks constantly if it is any of those things because that is an upper level snob I hope never to reach.I do get it, however. Becoming this snob, I've realized I am an adult. I care where my food comes from. I care about drinking well crafted beverages. I've learned that they make me feel better, they make eating and drinking more interesting. I'm a better cook with better ingredients. I'm a more cultured human being by trying new and creative ventures in the food world. I am in a place where I can seek out and purchase these nourishing, delicious things. I've reached that point where a bag of Doritos and Diet Coke no longer satisfies me and in fact, disgusts me to think about consuming it. I mean, I'll still do it from time to time because like I said, I'm not the strictest snob but I don't feel good about it after. I'm too old for cheap beer and food chocked full of preservatives.It's hard to leave New York without becoming a snob about most things because a place like New York has the best of everything. Luckily, Vermont is just as good as most things and I haven't had to pull out my snob card yet and stick my nose up at something. Except for chain restaurants. Which is why they are dead to me now. **I want to add that I wish that good food and the like was available to everyone. I may be a snob but I think high quality meals and drinks should be available to every human being. I know I am privileged to be able to purchases quality products and go out to eat. I do work hard and budget my money but I know I am very lucky to afford to eat and drink well. In a dream world, Whole Foods would be affordable and every household could stock their kitchens with healthy food and know what it's like to eat well. Maybe in the future when robots take over and we have to resort back to farming we can all eat on the same level again**