Posted 3:59 pm Sunday, October 04, 2009
'Queso Queen' Joins Tyler Newspaper Staff As Food Editor
By BRIAN PEARSON
Business Editor
Business Editor
Virtuoso culinarian Leigh Vickery has brought her reknowned queso to the national stage through grocery stores and recently the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, and now she brings her knowledge and literary skills to the Tyler Morning Telegraph as food editor.
"In that role, Leigh will focus her energies on food and everything that entails," said Managing Editor Dave Berry. "People like to eat. And whether they attempt to cook for themselves, eat on their feet in front of the refrigerator or entrust an expert to whip up their favorite dish, food is important.
"Leigh is energetic and passionate about everything she does - with food and writing at the top of her list," Berry said. "We're excited about the excitement she wants to bring to the page, and we believe our readers will be the beneficiaries."
Ms. Vickery said, "I know some people are going to think I've lost my mind by taking on another job when my plate is full, no pun intended, but as I sought wisdom on whether to pursue this opportunity, someone very wise and close to me asked me a simple question, 'Would you do this job for free? I realized that this position was so close to my heart that I would do it for free, although please don't tell the paper that!
"I think that's a great check on whether you are operating within the gifts God has given to you. Do you love it so much you feel energized when you do it, not worn out? Well, writing about food and enjoying good food are two things that excite me and make me love life."
Ms. Vickery added that food transcends cultural, economic and gender barriers.
"Food can unite us when nothing else can," she said. "Food is meant to be enjoyed, and I just hope we have some fun in the Food Section telling our stories and eating good food. This job is actually allowing me to do more of what I love, and that is to live in the right side of my brain."
The first food edition Ms. Vickery will supervise will appear in Wednesday's Tyler Paper, Berry said.
Born and raised in Columbus, Miss., Ms. Vickery spent much of her childhood with her mother in the kitchen. Her first job was in a restaurant.
She studied English and psychology at Baylor University, earning a degree in 1990. She then took post-graduate classes at Rice University and did some writing and editing on the side.
Ms. Vickery went on to work in Dallas for Ross Perot's EDS, working on speeches, advertising and marketing.
She married her husband, Ron, who was working in Tyler at the time she was in Dallas, in 1993. Ron Vickery is a local attorney and Tyler school district's board president.
Before launching her food business, Ms. Vickery handled public relations for Brookshire's.
The white-cheese queso she invented in the kitchen went on to store shelves in Whole Foods and Central Market.
Her business was born in the kitchen while playing around with white-cheese queso.
Under the Leigh Oliver's brand (Oliver is her middle name), she started with three quesos: mild green chiles, hot with roasted jalapenos and spinach with tomatoes. Today, she has four quesos, four pimento cheeses and two dips, with a goat-cheese spread in the works. They can be found at Sweet Gourmet in Tyler.
She also has three pasta sauces coming, and Cosco wants her shrimp and corn Southwestern chowder.
She recently scored a contract to provide queso for the new Cowboys Stadium.
