I think I enjoy the cooking more than eating, there is nothing better than to watch the smile grow after someone’s first bite.

Note from Steve: I am a flow of thought writer and apologize upfront if I lose you. My family is used to it.

Another note from Steve: this has turned out to be our cookbook full of mine and other recipe we like and make often. We used to have hundreds of books but have since donated them to library, senior center and other places.

Gourmet Dad, Don’t let the title fool you.

My pseudo adopted daughter (wife’s niece) once called me Gourmet Dad or at least I think it was her, it was around the time that I had thoughts of writing a cook book “Gourmet Dad, Don’t Let The Title Fool You” but never got around to it, maybe someday.  Someone already grabbed the blog name. I love all kinds of food leaning towards red meat but am not exclusive. Only in recent years have I ventured away from Swordfish and Haddock my safe fish to try other types of fish. It’s the bones I tell you, they give me the shivers, just the thought of discovering one of them in my mouth makes me shudder.

Anyway I miss the days of cooking with Missi, she and I are both a little pushy in the kitchen I mean physically pushy fighting for counter space. My wife was probably chuckling in the background while watching the two of us. Missi has come a long way from the days of burning pans to a fantastic cook even though she uses a lot of witches brew, but that another story for another time.

I consider myself a good cook not great but good and pretty consistent. I cook from the gut I will open the fridge or pantry and say to myself what can we make here. I will try most any recipe my wife shows me, with her smile how could one refuse. I am the type that will take a recipe try it but even while cooking I am thinking that this would be great if it just had…constantly tweaking even when they become established in my mind. I have learned that even though the cooking channel says add what seems to be a handful of salt you don’t need that much in fact we have cut salt way down and do not miss the flavor. In recent years we have switched to mostly organic foods and have started to use more grass fed beef but are wondering if there should be different cooking methods or not.  Ideas welcomed.

I think anyone who knows me sees my face light up when I talk about the latest meal I cooked up or a new recipe. Some things become a weekly like “Lambie Pie” not a pie at all or put on my back burner to make another time. I don’t think that there have been many dishes I have disliked, I know what my palette will not tolerate and stay away. Caviar, did that once for Mom on News Year’s Eve the year after Dad passed, she was happy as a lark we were washing our mouths out.

Although I do not cook a lot of the simple stand by things anymore I will try and pull from my dwindling memory some of the old favorites. I am inspired by a lot of cooking magazines, books, blogs and friends between my wife and I we have many books shelves full of cook books, I hope that I can inspire you.

“I hope you enjoyed reading about my love of cooking. I know I enjoyed writing it. I’m always looking for new recipes to try, so if you have any favorites, please share them with me. And if you’re ever in the mood for a home-cooked meal, be sure to give me a call. I’d love to cook for you.”

Steve