It is coming up on almost two years since Joe's dad passed away. I know that Joe misses him terribly. We often sit and talk about him and memories that Joe has of him while growing up. In my eyes he was a spiritual giant and a genius. Joe was recently interviewed by the Deseret News on an article that they were doing about fathers in the kitchen. They interviewed several local chefs. Here is what Joe had to say:
"Going on my first backpacking trip as a Boy Scout, my dad was our Scoutmaster and wanted to instill a sense of independence. We were responsible for planning our own menus, obtaining the food and cooking it with the equipment we provided for ourselves. As a patrol, we decided we would do pigs in a blanket over an open fire, because we didn't want to carry a backpacking stove.
"After about an hour we finally got the fire to where we wanted it (way too big). Impaling a hot dog on a stick, we wrapped the dough around it and held it over the flames. It ignited immediately, charring the outside and leaving the wiener cold. We ate it anyway. The second attempts were about as successful.
"Then we noticed my dad and the other leader eating a feast: homemade beef stew, French bread baked in a cast-iron frying pan and peach cobbler. I don't know if it was then or after we had eaten their leftovers and were washing their dishes for payment that I decided I was going to learn how to cook and cook well.
"The next trip was a well-thought out and executed meal. Within a year my troop was feeding our leftovers to other boys and getting our dishes done as payment.
"My dad's voice is still in my head: 'Don't sleep where the worms sleep and never, never eat what the worms eat.' His passion for good food and a perfect French omelet definitely headed me in to a culinary career. Cooking for him was one of my greatest joys." — Joseph Davis, executive chef, Baxter's American Restaurant
"After about an hour we finally got the fire to where we wanted it (way too big). Impaling a hot dog on a stick, we wrapped the dough around it and held it over the flames. It ignited immediately, charring the outside and leaving the wiener cold. We ate it anyway. The second attempts were about as successful.
"Then we noticed my dad and the other leader eating a feast: homemade beef stew, French bread baked in a cast-iron frying pan and peach cobbler. I don't know if it was then or after we had eaten their leftovers and were washing their dishes for payment that I decided I was going to learn how to cook and cook well.
"The next trip was a well-thought out and executed meal. Within a year my troop was feeding our leftovers to other boys and getting our dishes done as payment.
"My dad's voice is still in my head: 'Don't sleep where the worms sleep and never, never eat what the worms eat.' His passion for good food and a perfect French omelet definitely headed me in to a culinary career. Cooking for him was one of my greatest joys." — Joseph Davis, executive chef, Baxter's American Restaurant
2 comments:
That is a great tribute, and definately echos what I remember about Bro. Davis. He led our fourth year girls camp hike one year. I remember going over to ask him one question about if I could take a lunchable for one of my meals. I didn't leave his house for 2 hours while he taught me about the finer points of backpacking food. Needless to say, I didn't take any lunchables!!
That was a sweet tribute. I love my dad to death but couldnt bare to put anything up about him for fathers day or his b-day! Perhaps Ill force my self next month at his one year mark. Tell joe i feel his pain!
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