My Daddy the Chef!

Photo complements of
a CHOPHOUSE in
Murphy, NC

( COOKING WITH DADDY AFTER MY SCHOOL DAYS )

My daddy was the chef and connoisseur in our family. He LOVED Italian restaurants and was known to take Sunday afternoon drives two states away to find the "bestest" ones! Mom was a world famous computer programmer, and a pioneer in her field too.  SO daddy was our chef extraordinaire.

Daddy would make steamed clams with me every day after high school. It was my job to watch them and let him know as soon as they slowly opened... then we enjoyed them with real butter, YUM!

He had a PASSION for spaghetti and sausage; he made some mean baked beans and the BEST home-made soups and stews! Everything was done the old fashioned way, no cookbook, a pinch of this, hand full of that, etc.

He had some awesome pots and pans with copper bottoms.

These days I use cast iron pots when I can, or the ones he liked to use with the copper bottoms. I find these in thrift stores. I have built a bit of mean arm muscle with the heavy iron ones too; lifting them is tough!

He didn't use crock pots or a microwave because they had not been invented yet! I use my crock pot quite often, but my microwave seldomly.

Last night I made some popcorn the old fashioned way, no microwave. You have to shake it the whole time you cook and fry it in a bit of oil, or it will stick and burn!

Soups and Stews: 

Daddy would fry the onions to a golden brown (uncovered) before adding them to these. This way we'd be sure the "onion gasses" would not overpower the more gentle flavors of other veggies.

Baked Goods:

He didn't do cakes or cookies, so I did those. I liked the simple ones you drop by the spoon on cookie sheets and bake. I do them that way even today. He liked to get things from the local bakeries best though. And eclairs topped his list (mine too)!!!

We had a huge dining room table that seated maybe 12. Daddy and mommy both enjoyed dinner parties and entertained often. We were not rich; daddy was a plumber. We were just comfortable and that is the kind of life I try to live these days in their honor, God rest their souls.


Photo complements of
a CHOPHOUSE in
Murphy, NC