Oh and then I am busy....(and father stuff)

I have been making lots of salsa. Those that have received some have asked for more. Well, begged for more. : ) So tomorrow morning, I am going to fire up the grill for more salsa! What I love about this endeavor is that we always have some ready to eat. I cook a lot of foods that are well complemented by a nice dollop of the deep red, fiery, intensely hot salsa.

Also...going into jars tomorrow morning will be another favorite....bread and butter pickles.

Which brings me to....

My father was (despite a myriad of troublesome ways) an incredible cook. He also kept a pristine garden and harvested wild berries (and oyster mushrooms and fiddleheads, and even wild hazelnuts). He hunted (and guided others) deer, moose, bear, rabbit, and partridge, all of which he prepared to feed our family. He spent a good amount of time (and took great pride in)cooking, canning and preserving his goods. He made bread and butters, sumptuous jams, pies, etc. I always knew that nature was his special place, but, looking back, he did what so many are striving to do today - eat what our natural environment provides for us. Though I can guarantee that I will not follow in his footsteps in so many ways, I do wish to carry on his skills with food and his desire to live off of what nature provides.

I hope to model for my children the tradition and heritage of food preparation, done with loving hands, with the goal of not only providing nutrition and sustenance, but connecting to our environment. I pray that as we preserve our foods, we also preserve the heritage that brought these recipes and techniques to us.

For years, I harbored much hurt and unforgiveness towards my dad. As time passes and heals old wounds, I miss him, and (especially when I am in the kitchen, doing the aforementioned kitchenly things) I feel his presence and his approval. It is a very special way that I can connect with him.

(OK - so it's a little bit late - maybe really late - and I intended this post to be about my morning tomorrow. I see how the entry went all over the place, but I am keeping it...because it's on my mind, and I would like to share more of that with you.)