In the world of creativity, there is no room for the absolute. Being a creative process, cooking is no different. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that I must cook dish X this way, and only this way, otherwise you don’t know what you are doing. If everyone followed along like this, then there would be very few ways to cook say, chicken for example.

Having a drink with my Aunt over vacation, she wanted me to have a try at this single malt scotch she received from a friend. I said OK, let me get a glass and some ice. Now she told me up and down that I must have it straight, no water as that is the only way to drink good scotch. Well, I basically said that I do not believe in such truisms. Enjoy things as you enjoy them, not as others. Could you imagine if we could only each ground beef as steak tartar? There would go the hamburger right there. In the end, I talked my Aunt into having it with ice, and I therefore enjoyed every minute of it.

I think the worst offenders are barbecue and chili cooks. They swear up and down that you can’t add say, tomatoes to chili for it to be “real chili” or you can’t add ketchup to a barbecue sauce for it – (More…)

My family and I just returned from our vacation in Boonville New York, deep in the heart of the Adirondacks. This is Black River Valley country and the home of my birth. Most of my family (on both sides) reside in the region and whenever I get a chance, I take the three hour trek upstate.

Last year about this time, my wife (fiance at the time) and I were up there getting ready to be married. The ceremony took place at my aunt Marjorie’s summer home that we like to call the riverhouse. It is a small camp style home resting right on top of the black river. In fact, you could sit on the back deck and cast a fishing line into the water if you wanted to. It is a perfect location and for those looking for rest and relaxation, the riverhouse is where you can find it.

We decided to spend another week there this year as my aunt invited us to stay there. After such a crazy year, it was a godsend. Nice warm days where the kids could play in the river, roam the shaded woods, or just look for childhood trouble were abundant. The nights were cool, but not cold, and usually we enjoyed a campfire outside and/or a fire on the hearth inside.

We entertained a few times while at the riverhouse. We had my aunt – (More…)