Where have I been?

I haven't been hiding or cooking, much, it seems. We came back from the Caribbean and got sick and into our soup mode. Lots of activity going on with a transfer of duties with the Orchid Society and looking for real estate for Entree Vous. We headed up to Maryland in an attempt to help out my sister-in-law, who is recovering from major surgery when my father-in-law passed away suddenly and we changed course and moved in another direction. We spent most of the week in Norfolk. Yes, I did cook some but we primarily subsisted on the generosity of friends, to whom we are most thankful.

A quick tribute to Jesse, my father-in-law. He was 90 when he died and lively until the end. He was married to my mother-in-law, Hazel, his wife of 61 years. Born in North Carolina he lived most of his life in Norfolk. He was into cars and antique car restoration, painting and art collecting as well as building stuff, like tables and arbors. He recently sold a beautiful 1961 corvette that my husband learned to drive in. He still drove an Excalibur and loved the attention that it brought. He was very generous and funny. He loved to laugh as much as anyone I have ever known and I loved to call and tell him jokes.

A gourmet he wasn't. My husband commented that he never saw him eat anything green. I actually think he ate green beans and maybe butter beans, but that's about it. His favorite restaurant of all was Dumars originally a drive in where the girls would deliver your orders on roller skates. They still do a regular Friday or Saturday night thing where only antique cars are allowed into the parking lot.

He was a real meat and potatoes guy. He loved fast food (no smarty comments, please: he lived to be 90 and was still driving.) He loved McD's and Hardees: hamburgers, french fries, cinnamon rolls, and Carolina Barbeque and coke. The few times we ate at sit down restaurants, I think he always ordered steak and a baked potato.

He is already really missed.

If you're in Tidewater, go to Dumars and have a hamburger or Barbeque and a coke for Jesse.

I'm trying to think of a recipe he liked. Mashed potatoes. Cook potatoes until done. Drain. Add butter and buttermilk and mash until you get the desired texture. We like them thick and chunky. Add salt and pepper to taste. He liked pizza too. I'll publish that some other time.

Check out our recipes at Swank Recipes

Cheers!