Appetizing Muse

The last week has been a whirlwind. My parents came for a visit, and we welcomed a new puppy into our home as a companion for Foofer. The new canine is named Rainee; she is half-Black Lab and half-Collie. She's a sweetheart, but as with human babies pups take a lot of attention and have to be watched almost every minute their mischievous little eyes are peeled. For more about Rainee, visit her special web site.

On the food front, we barbequed a few times and had pizza one night during my parents stay. I always wish they could stay longer or lived closer, but while together we try to make the most of it.

My father is a master griller, especially when it comes to steak. He prepares a simple marinade which includes Cointreau, garlic salt and meat tenderizer spice. The meat soaks for only thirty minutes, and then it's onto the grill. When I marinate meat, I usually let the food soak overnight but Dad's half-hour bit seems to do the trick just as well. Tuesday night we had rib-eye steaks along with sweet corn and potatoes cooked in foil.

The grilled potato recipe comes from my mother's cousin Jackie, who lives in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada. Jackie and my Mum grew up together in Timmins, Ontario and are more like sisters than first cousins. The wonderful dish includes peeling and slicing several potatoes, and then arranging them lengthwise on a large piece of foil. The spuds are alternately layered with sliced onions, butter, salt and black pepper. The foil is then wrapped up tightly, creased to hold in the steam, and then cooked on the grill for about thirty minutes. The side dish is simple, yet grand.

Thursday morning Wilbert made Quaker-mix flour tortillas to go with breakfast, and both Mum and Dad seemed to like them. Hot out of the frying pan (cooked without grease, mind you), fresh tortillas with a bit of butter are mouth-watering tidbits. My husband can eat five or six with any given meal – not good for his diabetes, but I couldn't pry them out of his hands even if I tried. He says the Quaker mix is the closest to what his mother makes from scratch.

Thursday night was more barbeque – this time Wilbert cooked chicken, and we had sliced tomato and French rolls to go with the main dish. Mum had also brought one of Jackie's homemade apple pies, which Wilbert claims is the best he's ever tasted. Jackie does something secretive with her crust, because I've yet to see such flaky perfection in any other pie (whether from scratch on my own or purchased at a bakery).

On that note, my father still loves anchovies on his pizza – a preference which I have thankfully not inherited. I love nothing better than sprinkling Parmesan or Romano cheese on pizza, but have yet to convert Wilbert to the practice. In addition, I think pizza is one of the few foods in which my Mum does not add liberal doses of ketchup.