Sky Dive
At 7,000 feet, the jump master opened the door and offered me a thumbs up. The air whooshed through the cabin, animating the nylon of my jumpsuit. As the green patchwork gently retreated past the spinning props and whistling wingtips, I stood up, gripped the hand rail, and hesitated. “John, I have a job I […]
My Underwear was Showing
Rob’s face held no secrets. His last six days had been sleepless, full of pain and suffering, tears and anguish and it showed. His brother, just 34 years old, lay in a linen-draped casket just an arm’s reach away. What must have been going through Rob’s mind? Perhaps visions of the two of them […]
Blondie in The Water
I love salt water. I love being tossed about by the wave and I love feeling the tug and push of the tides. I find it mesmerizing. I can’t think of a better example to describe our planet’s forces of nature. Get into the salt water on an East coast beach and you won’t need […]
Would You Like to See my Cleaver Collection?
We’re a peculiar lot. Professional cooks often have quirks and idiosyncrasies that most rational people would find perhaps, circumspect. Yet we earn those quirks sincerely. It comes with our territory. Long hours in a brutal environment, late night trips to the emergency room and looking at all those tattoos and piercings can make anyone a […]
Dear God,
It’s been six months and you know how your people love milestones and I guess I’m no different. So I’m writing to say thank you. I know I promised I was going to do some things better but I don’t feel like I’ve followed through. I promise I’m trying. I apologize for not coming to […]
Solo, Page 49
I can’t remember being shy even though my Mom swore up and down that I was. I usually sat in the front of the class, didn’t mind speaking up, raised my hand often and volunteered when needed. As an English Lit major, it was not uncommon for me to recite Byron, Shakespeare or a give […]
Goodbye Melet
I’ve done plenty of tough things in my life and being a Dad is definitely the hardest; the job description changes almost daily. As both parents and children grow and evolve so do the challenges of parenting. Yet I’ve known folks that have made it look easy and Melet Antonakos was one of those […]
“You’re gonna love my stove!”
Our friend was leaning into our car window, grinning from ear to ear. Just a week earlier he was the winning bidder for a dinner that my wife and I donated as a fundraiser for our church. His mind was racing with the expectation of a memorable meal and Amy and I were excited […]
Bovinova!
Anyone can cook a whole hog, it’s not as daunting a task as it may seem. In the South, that kind of cooking happens every weekend. Whole hog BBQ is usually done in support of a big event such as a birthday party, church gathering or a fundraiser for a local charity. But if one […]
“Mr. Ready’s Coming!”
For a cook, there’s something very endearing about a cookbook that contains a recipe that begins with, “For 1,000 pounds of pork…” For a modern chef that would translate into 12 eighty-pound cases of pork butts. And that my friends, is a lot of pork. From Rivets and Rails, Recipes of a Railroad Boarding […]