One of the great things I've discovered since I started this blog is how many men are cooking, on a regular basis, often for their families, with a lot of passion about food, many of them passing that on to their kids. Keep up the great work, guys! I hope your families know how lucky they are. And don't stop cooking even if they don't appreciate your efforts.
I also know that for some of you, Father's Day is a tough reminder of loss, or anticipation that this may be your last Father's Day together. Hold on to what you've got, be they memories or time well spent in the present.
I'm lucky to still have both my parents - hale, hearty, and travel-worthy. Dad just returned from his most recent trip, to Poland and Finland, and I can't wait to see his photos. An architect/academic/artist/photographer, now retired from the workaday world, but not retired from his many interests, Dad was kind enough to be a guest speaker at my book club about a book on Frank Lloyd Wright, hence the cake photo at the top of this post..
Dad inspired, encouraged, and educated me from a young age to use a camera, a hobby I'm glad to have gotten back to.
And he seems to like my food. One of my earliest ambitious cooking attempts was a multi-course "international" dinner I somehow put together for my dad's birthday when I was only in high school. Fearless, and clueless, in my youth, I actually attempted to make eggroll wrappers from scratch. After numerous fails, I realized the store-bought kind might be a better bet.
Another special-occasion dinner I prepared ages ago was for my parents' 25th wedding anniversary (they've now passed their 50th!). My siblings and I managed to pull off the surprise party, with a few of my parents' closest friends. My most memorable faux pas for that event - aside from putting guests through mid-August Cincy heat and humidity with only a box fan - was using hard-shell peas I didn't know should have been removed from the pod in lieu of snow pea pods.
My dad and I haven't always seen eye-to-eye. He thought I was nuts when I moved to NYC after college, and was no doubt relieved when I moved back to the midwest. I think I gained his respect when I applied my editing skills (first developed during that NYC stint) to his own academic tome (talk about some manuscript-wrangling, Moi!).
I also have to thank my dad for supporting my writing, even though this whole blog thing is way new to him. He's a self-proclaimed low-tech guy, but I've learned he actually reads my blog - at least when Mom tells him to:) - and I was bowled over when he suggested I should be doing more with my writing. Great to receive such encouragement.
Speaking of encouragement, thanks to everyone for your kind comments here and on host/judge La Diva's blog re: Team Eggplant's Picnic Smackdown entry. We're thrilled with the win, and I'll be announcing the July theme next week.
eggy
4 comments:
Your dad sounds like a keeper! I wish more people had, or saw their dad in the same way you do!
That was a nice post, Eggy, you are lucky to have a dad you can get along with! I love the Frank Lloyd Wright cake, talented bakery dept.
Word ver: Dinfin!!!
What a lovely tribute to your dad, and how cool that you, too, are a manuscript-wranger :o). BTW, I'm waiting for a delivery of fresh figs from my parents-in-law's fig tree before making your bread. Fresh figs! That's been ringing in my ears for days . . .
B.D., thanks, and I'm glad your boys did you proud and made you laugh this Father's Day!
Diva, those photo/web image cakes always amaze me. For my Dad's 70th birthday surprise party, I had them reproduce an old black & white photo of him when he was about 10. Remarkable how it turned out.
Moi, ooh, those fresh figs definitely sound worth waiting for! Do let me know how yours turns out!
eggy
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