About

Dedication

Dedicated to Chelsea, Jake, Jacob, Peyton and those that may follow. May you enjoy cooking as much as I do and may you never forget, its not about the food….always the family!

It's Not About The Food….But….

I’ve never considered food as just fuel. For me the family meal has always been the family “glue.” Dinner is the engine of conversation, banter, love and laughter. A meal which creates the opportunity to share your “peak and pit” discussions each and every day.

I commend to each of you to also think of food that way, as a passion to create and feed the love of family and friends.

To that end, approach cooking passionately. Remember: a good meal need not be complex or complicated. So when you cook – every time – show you care, show your love, show those that are eating at your table that they are important to you.

So how do you do this in a busy world? How do you show your love through your cooking? It’s not really hard, just be thoughtful and approach your meals from grilled cheese sandwiches to beef bourguignon with the same passion and attention to detail. If your time is limited, I have suggestions herein for 30 minute meals. As a dear friend used to tell me – simple is good, sometimes better. Remember, it’s not really the meal but the process – although good food is a plus!

I like to focus and appeal to all five senses when preparing a meal. Taste of course, smell obviously, but also think about how the meal looks, how is it plated? Do the textures of the different courses create the right feel? And lastly sound – you wouldn’t think of sound when you prepare a meal but you should – the sound of silence only disturbed when a fork hits the plate or a wine glass – the table. That sound always put a smile on the cook’s face.

A note to my daughter –

Chelsea...

So I was reflecting on my love of Peyton. And I share these thoughts from the perspective of a father and grandfather.

As a new dad you’re in shock, awe, bewilderment and in possession of a newly found love. You’re so in love with your bride and now, almost miracle like, there is a new beautiful soul that makes the two of you a family. But it’s a new love, heretofore unexplored, something to learn, something that must grow and it does with first words, first steps and first kisses.

Then that father becomes a grandfather, with the wisdom of time and growth that comes from loving a child, your child. And then before your eyes that child, that child who you grew to love so much, has a child.

Instantly that grandfather is obsessed. Possessed with love. Sure the shock, awe and bewilderment is there but you realize immediately that the love of your grandchild needs no growth for your child, her mother, already taught you that love.

So at Peyton’s first breath my love was complete.

Thank you.... Daddy

A note to my son –

Jake...

Here I am writing this on your birthday…truly one of the best days of my life. See Jake, I always wanted a son, a boy, a buddy. We could fish and hunt, golf and workout, talk about life or nothing at all. Yes your dad really wanted a son. But what did I get? I got more than a son, I got a man, a constant source of pride, an old, kind soul who actually showed me how to be a better man.

Sure you made mistakes…. For some reason you LOVED to drink beer in front of the police and if it wasn’t in front of them you felt compelled to tell them about it! Yet even in those moments of transgression you taught me. You taught me to own it. Own your actions good and bad for both make up the very fibers of being a man. You will meet those that decide to lie, both directly and by omission. Never accept that.

How about our Chelsea? She has always been our fierce lioness. Always out front. Always challenging those who might want to do us harm. You, you are the silent presence right behind her. She is the shield and you are the sword. A man of few words but unwavering loyalty and strength. A quote comes to mind whose author is appropriately unknown:

“When fate whispered to the warrior, ‘you cannot withstand the storm.’ The warrior whispered back, ‘I am the storm.’”

You are our family’s warrior. Always there for us. Family first. Again always showing me what unconditional loyalty means. You are also a man of integrity, grit and self-reliance. You not only accept responsibility, you seek it out. I know few who pick-up their college diploma and are immediately self-reliant. You did that Jake. You did it out of shear will. Yes I wanted a boy, a son….and like many parents I got one. But as life has shown me, like very few, I got a man. Thanks Jake.

Love, Dad