Dad’s Day to Cook BY JIM MATHIS
W
hen I was growing up, Mom ruled the kitchen, but when it was time to cook outside, Dad took over. Whether he was grilling burgers at home or cooking breakfast over a campfire, Dad showed me how to roll up my sleeves and get to work over an open flame. While I learned a lot of my cooking skills from Mom, Dad was the person who taught me how to grill. Perhaps there is a genetic connection beyond my father, too. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a barbeque guy. I remember going to his house in the Highland Park neighborhood in Des Moines for a Sunday afternoon dinner of barbequed ribs. And this wasn’t just a summer delicacy; he had a wood-fired barbeque in the basement of their old house. I was young enough at the time that I didn’t question the safety issues of an indoor barbeque, but looking back, it’s a small miracle that we didn’t all die of carbon monoxide poisoning. Despite the safety issues, the smoked pork he would produce was legendary. Only a grandfather would put
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MAN IN THE KITCHEN
the health and safety of his family in jeopardy to produce those succulent ribs. But it was my own father who showed me how to light a charcoal grill and start a campfire. He spent the last several years of his life in a condo where he could only use gas or electric grills, but he still loved to cook a steak in the great outdoors. And he passed that passion on to me. On Mother’s Day, it is traditional to pamper your mom; serve her breakfast in bed and treat her to a dinner out. But for Father’s Day, I think most dads want a big, juicy steak. And he wants to cook it himself. Mom and the kids can be in charge of salads, side dishes and desserts. Dad will cook the meat. Your dad (or husband) may be different than me, so feel free to adjust the menu as needed, but here’s what I would want for Father’s Day. Let’s start with the beef. This is not the day to worry about dad’s health; give him a steak that is a little bigger than he
