We had the good fortune of connecting with Cathy Hoogeboom and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cathy, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?

I have always been someone who loves to create. When I was younger, I loved to write. As I got older, I shifted more info visual arts, but still loved getting creative with words. In both the linguistic and art worlds, people frequently share a sentiment akin to “there is nothing new under the sun”. I have always loved to cook, but the older I have gotten and the more serious about food I have become, the more I realized that while creativity definitely has its place and recipe development always holds a special place in my heart, there is some thing to be said for researching and perfecting things that have been done many times.

That is what I have enjoyed the most about my business- I get to be fun and creative and come up with new things – the dill pickle salsa, or the balsamic creamed honey, for example- but I also try really hard to perfect what some people might call “standard” recipes.

Food as a creative outlet is different than a lot of creative forms because it is literally life-sustaining. I’m not saying it’s better, I’m just saying it’s a whole different beast. And a pretty cool one at that.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

This business has been both really slow and really fast to build. I’m kind of hyper fast talking person, so the hurry-up-and-wait of this has been hard for me. You know, like I get a recipe perfected after some time, then I have to wait for people to try it, people to order it, then re-order it. When I finally have something down, I want it flying off shelves like… right then! But that’s not the process.

Our two years in business, we won People’s Choice of Best Dip in Fort Worth Magazine, so that was really cool. We have just now been in business 2 years and half of that has been in 2020, which we all know has been a trying time.

Patience and persistence are something I get reminded to practice on an almost daily basis. Plus, I mean, I work with my husband and 4 kids some of the time, so that also does the trick!

But, truly, it’s been wild. Some days I wake up ready to go, and some days I wake up unsure of myself. I just get out to my kitchen and get after it, regardless. By the time I’m cooking and the smells hit the air, I think “oh, yeah, THIS is why I do this. I’m good at this and I like it.”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

I tend to vacation like it’s a 24 hr marathon, so I may be terrible friend to visit because it probably will not be relaxing. I’ll sleep when I’m back at home and I tend to run out-of-towners around the same way, so I’ll give you a weekend I would do.

Friday:
Breakfast at Brewed.

Museums all day.

Split nachos at Spiral Diner.

Walk the Trinity River

Martin House at night, tacos if needed from Mariachi’s across the street.

Saturday-
Breakfast- skip it because there will be too much food later in the day. But stop at Clearfork Farmers Market for some Icon Bread for later.

Lunch- Happy Bowl bc it is the best Thai food in the country.
Then strolling the stockyards – bc you have to see a rhinestone saddle disco ball and measure your handprints to Billy Joe Shaver and Willie Nelson’s if you’re in Fort Worth- and eventually Sundance.

Dinner at Grace, then find a place for live music.

This quite likely could be Fred’s or Tulips. Unless there is some cool art thing happening at Black House or something like that.

End the night at Hopfusion if time is on our side.
Sunday-
Brunch at Blue Mesa before/after church at Westside Presbyterian.

Grab coffee-to go at Black Coffee or Arcadia.
Predetermine a ghost town to visit with a packed lunch with fun things from Roy Pope and Town Talk in case there’s nothing cool that pops up. Thurber is a good standby for visitors if nothing else is on my current running list. Urban explore. Drive home.

Visit Central Market for easy stuff to eat for a late dinner while my guests wonder why they came to visit.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

My husband Mike has really helped make this business possible. He built the commercial kitchen we work in here on our property and owning our own space really helps us keep our products affordable. He also deals with all the boring stuff, like numbers, UPCS, stuff like that. Our kids really deserve some credit too, for a myriad of reasons. Building this business has sucked up a lot of my time and they have been really very patient with that, whether it’s sitting nicely at events, or waiting while I bottle salsa for help with their math homework, they have been great. They also help sticker containers, brainstorm ideas, that kind of thing. It really is a *family* business.

As far as local businesses I think deserve more credit, that haven’t already been mentioned, my family loves Love Local- a cool coffee and art shop, Stone’s Throw- an awesome MOBILE farmers market, and The Table Market- they have some of the very best local vendors and products. But really, Fort Worth has too many great people, products, and businesses to name them all.

Website: BlendedFamilyFoods.org

Instagram: Blended_Family_Foods

Facebook: Blended Family Foods, LLC

Yelp: Blended Family Foods

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.