In the Beginning...

Welcome to The Hippie Gourmet!

When we got married in 1986, our brains were still trying to catch up to the fact that it wasn’t the ’70s anymore. We were so young, we didn’t even know how young we were. We thought we were all grown up.

Shortly after tying the knot, John and I packed up everything we owned—which included a rocking chair and a ceiling fan from Costco—and hit the road. We drove from Tehachapi, California to Peachtree City, Georgia in a journey that deserves its own mini-series. Let’s just say it was an adventure.

There was one unforgettable moment where John pulled his pickup over in a cloud of Mississippi dust after narrowly crossing a bridge with a swaying trailer in tow. A man on a bicycle barely escaped disaster, and John, lying back in the un-air-conditioned cab, dramatically declared, “I go no further!”

Somehow, I talked him into finishing the drive. And that’s where our Southern chapter—and our food story—really began.

From Aussie Lamb to Avocados and Tacos

We brought with us John’s Australian upbringing, where lamb was a staple, and my California roots, where Mexican food runs deep. But truth be told, neither of us had much real cooking experience.

I had only started cooking a few months before our wedding. Growing up, my mom was the cook—and a fabulous one. I’d help her bake cookies or stir taco meat, but she handled the menu planning, grocery shopping, and getting meals on the table. As a brand-new bride at 18, I had to learn all of that from scratch.

Back then, if I wanted to cook something for John, I’d walk over to the rotary phone (pre-cell phone days, y’all!) and call my mom:

“Hey! I want to make John a pot roast. How do I get the gravy just right?”

She’d talk me through it—or tell me to grab the red-and-white-checked Better Homes & Gardens cookbook she gave me as a wedding gift and flip to a specific page. Then I’d roll up my sleeves and give it a go.

At the time, John was framing houses with his buddy Tom, probably burning through 10,000 calories a day. He’d come home starving. It wasn’t unusual for him to eat three heaping plates of pot roast with mashed potatoes and veggies. And the next morning? I’d pack him five sandwiches, a couple slices of cheesecake, and a few fruit cups just to keep him upright. We won’t talk about the many, many six-packs of beer… but that’s how our culinary adventures really got started.

The Great Avocado Awakening

Before John met me, he’d never eaten an avocado. Can you imagine living in California for 10 years and never having an avocado? I was horrified. I knew I had to fix that right away.

Growing up, we’d stop at roadside fruit stands, grab fresh avocados still warm from the sun, slice them open with a pocketknife, sprinkle on some salt, and dig in. Sometimes we’d scoop them with Fritos—which, to this day, is one of the best flavor combos in the world. If you know, you know. 🥑✨

Why We’re Here

As we continue this wild, wonderful ride called The Hippie Gourmet, we want to invite you into our world. We’re here to share the recipes, stories, music, mishaps, and magic that have woven their way through nearly 40 years of marriage.

We want to help you make your home your favorite restaurant—and when you do go out to eat, we want it to be the experience it should be:

Worth every bite, every penny, and every calorie.

Thank you for giving us the chance to cook, laugh, and connect with you. We’re so excited for what’s ahead.

Vibe on, friends.

Vicki (& John, probably covered in flour)