My dad is a true craftsman in the kitchen, which is apparent in everything from his apple pancakes to his peach wine. In our family, special occasions are marked by what he bakes: cream cheese-filled cupcakes for birthdays, Old World apple pies for Christmas, loaves of sourdough bread for cross-country adventures.
Earlier this year I visited my little brother Glen and his wife Lameace, who recently moved to the West Coast. While I was there, they received a shipment from my dad. The package included several loaves of his bread and one request:
“Take a picture of you all eating bread together in the wilderness,” he wrote.
A couple of days later, during our hike in Washington’s Cascade Mountains, we happily obliged. Later I emailed the image to my dad, and he responded with just six words:
“Your picture makes me truly happy.”
Indeed, nourishment is so much more than the ingredients found in one’s kitchen.
Happy Father’s Day!