I don’t care if you’re 11 and want to become a chef, or if you’re about to be a new bride who can’t boil water for tea.
Sit at a dinner table with your parents. Listen to their day, politics and how to ease the tension as it goes to dinner and kids. The family dinner was a given in my immediate family. Now, yesterday, my 12 year-old dog stole food from my plate while I was eating. That’s a big NO!
When my family went on vacation somewhere we usually met other family who brought food for “room picnics.” Dad hated this but I thought it an unusual endeavor that I’d be able to do as a grown-up.
Then we started talking about food at every meal. That really irked Dad. What are we going to eat next?
I went to two cooking schools, one in NYC and one in Italy. Dad always made us pancakes after Mass. He now cooks Italian food. My brother and I taught him how to learn to cook. It is probably the best gift I’ve given both.
It is a pleasure to put Dad on record for learning to paint and cook after age 80. I love him dearly. Dee
Cooking with Dee 