My Dear Old Dad!

I've often talked about how I got my love of cooking - the desire to feed/nurture people - from my Mom. I used to love cooking with her, helping in the kitchen (except doing the dishes - ha!), and, as I got older, taking turns cooking dinner (with Mary and Mom).

But, my sense of humor and joy in life has all come from Dad.

In honor of Father's Day, I thought I'd tell you a bit about my father. Dad has always been someone who smiles easily and laughs readily. Even though he was the father of six children (the "Daddy of them all", he always said, with a chuckle), he never let responsibilities get him down. Oh, he was responsible - rarely missing work, always early for church and his job, providing for all of us. But, he never forgot to appreciate the humor in life, to take each day as a gift. To this day, I'll call and, invariably, every conversation with Dad ends with a laugh.

Oh, how we enjoy his PopPop-isms, as my nieces and nephews call them (Put an egg in your shoe and beat it..........I see said the blind man, as he picked up his hammer and saw.........a honeymoon sandwich - lettuce alone)! Kind of corny, but so symbolic of the fun-loving, never-mean Dad who raised me.

My first memories were going to "pay bills" with Dad. In those days, we didn't wear seatbelts. So, I'd stand on the "hump" on the backseat floor, with my arms on the front seatcushions, and together, Dad and I would drive around, belting out "By the Sea" and "It's a Grand Old Flag". Such fun times! Dad worked for Schmidt's Brewery in Norristown. It was a big treat to stop in to pick up his paycheck - and we'd get some fresh brewed birch beer. Yum! I can still taste the bubbles!

Later, Dad was a bit protective - deciding I should buy a Chevy Nova (pale yellow with black vinyl roof - yuck!) for a my first car, because it was "dependable", following me to college (I was commuting to LaSalle) my first day, to be sure I got there okay, and taking Mary and me to our first concert at The Spectrum - John Denver! He made sure to shore up the living/dining room floor with 2x4s when we had parties during college - in case the weight of all our friends was too much for the floor to bear.  :-)

All six of us kids have our fond memories of Dad. Since I am in the food business - teaching kids to cook - I will share with you one of my favorites. It sums up what a gem I have for a father.

When I was about 9 years old, I told Mom I wanted to bake cupcakes for dessert for dinner that night. (Oh yes, we had dessert every night - Dad and I also share a sweet tooth gene.) No way would it be a box cake - I was making it from scratch. She took out the recipe, all of the ingredients, and asked if I needed help. Nope! I could do it myself. I worked away, the cupcakes came out of the oven and looked and smelled good. I cooled, then frosted them. After dinner, Mom made a big fuss about the dessert I baked. She served one cupcake to each of us - have I told you I'm the 5th of six kids? As Mom turned to the refrigerator to pour milk for all of the kids, "the big boys" (my three oldest brothers), started clutching their throats, screaming "water, water". Of course, Mom scolded them, thinking they were just being big brothers. They said, "They're too salty!" She looked down to the other end of the kitchen table at Dad and asked, "Jack, are they?" He was trying to swallow, took a chug of his hot tea, and replied, "A little..." With that, Mom took a bite and asked me, "How much salt did you put in the recipe?" Proudly, I explained that I put in one cup of salt, and one teaspoon of sugar, just like the recipe told me. Uh-oh!  I never forgot that culinary lesson - but I didn't give up on baking. But, that's a fun story to tell the kids who attend my culinary programs. If I can have a baking business, ANYone can learn to cook and bake! The most distinct and dearest memory I have from that episode, though, was how Dad would've eaten that whole salt cupcake, just so he wouldn't hurt my feelings!

So, to my Dad - John F. Wolper, Sr., Jack, John, Dad, Daddio, The Daddy of Them All, PopPop, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! This is my Dad's 61st Father's Day, and he is 85. I'm so glad we'll all be celebrating together tomorrow! Love ya, Dad!  Now, I think I'll put an egg in my shoe and beat it!  ;-)