From the time my kids were in pre-school, I was their sole legal parent. I was determined to set and be a good example for their growth, and not just rely on telling them what’s right and wrong. I was most resolute about ‘truth’ being the strongest attribute in character building, just as I would not accept ‘lying’ for its scorn.

I believe it was early December, and we had been a single-parent household for about three years. I heard the bus drop-off my daughter out front, but when she walked in, she was in tears.

On the bus ride home, she and some friends got into an exciting discussion about the upcoming holidays. A short time into it, the discussion made its way to Santa Claus, specifically that Santa is a fake, and that there is no real Santa Claus.

My daughter went on to tell me that she took-on all her friends alone, and told them they were wrong … Santa Claus is real. She said they just laughed and made fun of her.

I took more time to explain it than this, but in essence, I said:

“Sweetie, wait, wait!   I’m sorry that had to happen, but your friends are correct … there really is no Santa Claus.”

It was as if someone pushed her pause button.

She looked straight up into my eyes, and said,

“So you’ve been lying to me?”

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When I think of a simple occasion, yet one that can often become a most memorable one, good friends sharing an excellent meal is at the top of the list.  Many years ago, visiting the West coast on business, my long-time friend, Dave, invited me over to dinner to meet his wife, Melissa.

After working a full day in an executive position, Melissa served up a meal that was a culinary piece of art — both in appearance and flavor. I was quietly in awe. After that evening, I don’t believe I ever mentioned it to them again, but it was as casual as it was uniquely special, becoming a simply unforgettable (as well as an unforgettably simple) occasion that still elicits a warm smile.

Success in the culinary arts requires passion, just as any art form does.

The Culinary School Guide

Recently, I discovered that the online Culinary School Guide published their list of the Top 100 Useful Search Engines for Chefs, Cooks and Food Lovers.  When you read down the list and begin to visit their selected sites, I suggest you begin at a comfortable time after eating a meal … don’t do it when you’re hungry.  It is eye-opening.  The sites they chose offer an incredible variety of sources to find virtually anything one could drool over — well, almost anything.
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