Chefs Dads

Is it a gender deficiency or a cultural imposition that has kept so many fathers from learning an important culinary lesson? You don't earn anywhere near the kidcurrency for bringing home the bacon as you do for frying it up.

This lesson of the exceptional man should have carried over from dating. It is, after all, the common wisdom that all single men have one kitchen performance they can unveil when "closing" the deal.

Unfortunately for fathers, kitchen performance doesn't mean barbecuing. There is no good reason why kids aren't impressed when their dads perform magic over an outside grill, but they aren't. Live with it. Learn it. Move on.

Maybe it's the smoke without a mirror? Not for years have Things One or Two stood around to chat or marvel as meats or vegetables were grilled. When they sit at the table it was just another meal prepared out of sight. But even at their seen-everything-and-done-that ages a few moments spent shaping a pancake in their initials can reliably be counted on to return the investment with a kiss. And if you work hard enough to get them to cook with you it can even mean a hug and a lifetime's memory and devotion.

** Kids have a shorter distance between stomach, heart and brain. Use the knowledge or lose the opportunity**