Cooking Up Fathers Day
/Julie likes teasing me.
Perhaps a better way to say it is that she likes to dangle things in front of me and keep me guessing till the end, especially when it comes to gifts. Often she will mention or allude to something as long as month before the day of celebration.
This father day was particularly wrapped in mystery.
The sunday before I received a letter, wonderfully written from my loving wife, referring to my "Gift", and that I should expect more clues throughout the week. It definitely peaked my interest.
On monday we took a trip to the local Target kitchen department where I was allowed to pick out one item for purchase. Of course I am picky when it comes to cooking gear, and Target is not a cooks heaven, more like a stop on the steps of purgatory. Allas, Appleton does not contain any particularly great cooking stores, but I did find a few things of interest, leaving with a couple of new liquid measuring cups from OXO. I had been eyeing my mothers set for years.
Tuseday I headed south to Milwaukee on a trip to see my favorite comedian, Eddie Izzard, with some old friends. The show was great, and while leaving the theater I checked my phone to find someone had gifted me an episode of Good Eats, "Gills Gone Wild".
Those who have read my previous posts know my love of Alton Brown and his emphasis on simple cooking done well. The episode gifted was on the preparation of Salmon. I am starting to figure things out.
Sure enough, when I arrived home that night, technically Wednesday as it had passed midnight, I found two boards with loving messages written on them from my children. The boards were cedar planks.
I have cooked Salmon on cedar planks once before, a few years ago. The Salmon turned out fine, but the boards ended up a charged mess, igniting just after the fish was removed.
The message included instructions for me to pick out 3 ingredients and send the list to my mother by thursday morning. My choices, "Portobello Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and Feta Cheese."
Thursday passed uneventfully, but then Friday evening arrived to a plethora of kids fathers day gifts crafted at school (those poor teachers) and a box wrapped in kid color wrapping paper. Inside was a black apron with the words "Something Burning" written in orange on the front. It was perfect!
I am notorious at making a mess when I cook. The counter. The floor. My shirt. Nothing is safe. At least things will be a little safer now.
Saturday was a busy blur.
Sunday morning arrived, along with a french toast breakfast out on the patio prepared by my loving wife and children. Never has there been a more idilic scene.
I was told to be ready to go to my mothers house at noon. I busied myself mowing the lawn whilst my wife went to get a few provisions, and make a stop at my mothers before the rest of us arrived.
Waiting for me on the counter as I entered the kitchen was my new apron, 2 bars of baking chocolate, a bag of marshmallows, rice, the cedar boards, and a note describing my task.
I needed to make dinner.
To some this would seem a chore, but to me it was a delight. The children were to be whisked away with my mother and wife, to prune our community garden and tour the gardens of my mothers CSA, whilst I conceited a menu from the ingredients I had requested as well as those on hand in my mothers kitchen.
The menu I created was:
- Salmon (Pan Fried and Cedar Grilled)
- Portobello mushrooms stuffed with roasted tomatoes and feta cheese
- Grilled asparagus and green onions
- White rice with herbs
- Chocolate Mousse for Dessert
At the end Julie handed out survey forms to grade the foods taste, kid appeal, and presentation. I got perfect marks!
Well, almost.
Julie docked me for presentation. She couldn't let a perfect score go to my head.
It was a fantastic day, and a fantastic end to the week. Now to prepare for our week long vacation in the north woods. Lots of fun camp food snacks to make and trying not to burn the money bread in the fire pit this time.