Father's Day

We never really celebrated Father’s Day, perhaps, because, as the saying goes, every day was something akin to Father’s Day.  My Dad was both a simple and extraordinary man who enjoyed a good meal, a great ball game, and being with his family.  He was happiest when we were all home in our small upper west side apartment, doing whatever together.

There wasn’t a Sunday morning that passed when I didn’t wake up to the warm fresh smells of H&H bagels and fresh Zabar’s stacked up on the kitchen table. Although it was barely 9 am, my dad had already been to the City Athletic Club for a workout, a steam, and then back uptown to purchase the raw materials for breakfast.

My father got me laid – twice. I’ll get to the food part in a minute.

The first was a cute, spunky doctor who worked with him in his Radiology department in a VA Hospital on Long Island. She told me she was in Los Angeles and my father had told her to call me. She added, laughing, ”Like for a good time.”

"Come on up", I said, "I’m in Benedict Canyon.  I’ll make you dinner." We bonded on my living room couch. Later, in the early hours of the morning I thought, “Gee, thanks, Dad.  A nice present.  And, it was my first doctor.”

The food. Growing up in a tiny town in upstate New York there weren’t any restaurants, just a luncheonette where if you asked for an egg salad sandwich the owner began by boiling an egg. The River Tavern Bar and Grill had a bar and no grill but in the summer you could get a pizza pie and in the winter they would defrost one for you.

What better way to celebrate summer and your Dad than by making him something delicious on his special day. It may be hard to keep him away from the grill, but mix up his favorite, refreshing cocktail, sit him in front of the game and get to work. He'll be impressed. We just know it!

STARTERS:
Warm and Creamy Bacon Dip
Baked Crab and Almond Dip
Garlicky Roasted Red Pepper and Almond Dip
Crispy Corn Fritters
Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
Taleggio-Stuffed Mushrooms

MAINS:
Charlie's Blackened Catfish
Lobster Tacos and Mango Salsa
Maple-Glazed Wild Salmon
Pomegranate Barbecue Ribs
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
The Best Grilled Chicken
Spicy Garlic Chicken Kabobs
Marinated Citrus Grilled Beef
Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Surf and Turf Sizzle

SIDES:
Grilled Asparagus
Grilled Corn and Okra Salad
Baby Bell Peppers with Feta and Mint
Grilled Radicchio with Canellini Beans
Mini Loaded Red Potatoes
Roasted Radish & Potato Salad
Beer Bread
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

COCKTAILS:
The Bootleg | Greyhound | Long Island Iced Tea | Mojito | Old Fashioned | Watermelon Falls

EASY DESSERTS: (You'll be too busy to bake.)
Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake "Cake" | Icebox Cake | No-Bake Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake
Dark Chocolate Espresso Pudding | Strawberry Charlotte Russe | Pomegranate Granita

If lonely J. Alfred Prufrock measured out his life in coffee spoons, for me, the measure has been in roasting, sautéing, and grilling, making meals for my family. As a parent, what your kids really think about you, is pretty much a mystery.

On my most recent birthday my sons, Frank (23) and Michael (17), decided I didn't need another pot or a kitchen gadget, because I pretty much have every kitchen tool imaginable. They decided instead to write me a memory about my cooking.

From Michael:
Every Thursday night when I was younger, doing homework, I would wait in my room for my dad to come home. He would bring home a whole chicken that he would marinate with rosemary and olive oil. My brother and I could tell when he put the chicken into the oven, because it made the whole house smell amazing.