Earlier this week, I made beef stroganoff for dinner...just like I've made it many times before.
And just like every other time, cooking this meal always brings many, many memories of my step-dad Pat to the surface...and I smile as I cook, thinking of him. I thought I would share a few memories here...
:: One year for my birthday (my 24th, I believe), when he and I were both living in Colorado but hours apart, he surprised me by showing up on the doorstep with ingredients for beef stroganoff in hands. Growing up, this was always my "birthday meal", my favorite. His beef stroganoff was amazingly yummy...and so he made the trip and cooked my favorite meal and just having him there meant so much to me.
:: Another beef stroganoff memory...before I moved out of the house to become an "adult" after college, I took a crash course in cooking from Pat. Growing up, I never had any interest in learning to cook...and now I can't believe I wasted those teaching years, because Pat was a wonderful cook. He attempted to show me how to make his beef stroganoff, and still to this day I can't get it right. He, of course, didn't use a recipe, so no amounts he gave me were specific. I MUST have a recipe, it's one of my quirks! :) So, my beef stroganoff is decent, but it has never tasted like his. And every time I make it, I always wish he was here still, to give me one more lesson...
:: He loved talking on the phone...he would talk for hours. And it didn't matter if the other person said anything, he was happy to have his monolouge... :) He would get himself worked up, and start dishing out phrases like "The bottom line is..." and "It was almost unbelievable..." He was such a storyteller...and each time he told the story, it got embellished a little more. Everyone learned to expect the "Pat Factor", which meant you had to weed through the embellishment to get to the core of the story!
:: I will always remember the time Pat caught the woods surrounding our house on fire! We lived in the country, on 22 acres, 5 of which were cleared for the house. He was always doing something outside, it seemed. Riding his 4-wheeler or cutting the grass on the big tractor. This particular day, I believe he was burning trash or wood in our backyard. Very far from the house, but obviously too close to the woods! We heard a commotion, and looked out the window to see him hauling ass up the hill in the back, yelling that the woods were on fire! For those of you that don't know, Pat was a large man, very tall and about 300 pounds. I had never seen him run like that! (Luckily, the fire didn't spread too much, and never reached the house!)
:: Pat always talked to animals. And always believed that the animals were talking to him too. He would tell us stories about what this raccoon was thinking, or what that horse was thinking.
:: Pat got me my graphic design internship with a company that had never had interns before. He was hanging wallpaper at a huge PR firm that had an entire floor dedicated to graphic design, and he sang my praises and they took me in. This summer internship led to a second summer internship there, and ultimately my first job out of college.
:: Pat almost always wore shorts...it could be the middle of a harsh St. Louis winter, and he'd be wearing his shorts and a fleece vest.
:: One year for Christmas, Pat's gift to me and my mom was a trip to Kansas City for a shopping weekend. Hotel reservations were made, there was shopping money, the whole trip was taken care of. That was one of the most thoughtful gifts he ever gave to us...
:: Whenever we went on vacation, it didn't matter where, the only thing he was concerned with was the pool. He didn't care for sightseeing, but would spend most of the trip in the pool. He and my mom even went to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, and those things didn't even draw his attention! He could've gone right down the street from his house, to a hotel with a pool, and that was all the vacation he needed!
:: He had two smells...one, he always smelled like garlic was oozing from his pores...the Italian in him just came bursting out! And two, he usually wore CK One cologne...
:: And the final memory I will share tonight...when he and my mom first started dating, my mom had to work at some point and asked if he would "entertain" me for awhile. So, he took me bowling...and we had fun...and that was probably the only time in the whole time I knew him, that he ever went bowling!
I miss this big ole guy...funny, isn't it, how something as simple as beef stroganoff can bring so many memories flooding back? I need to cook it more often...
5 comments:
Isn't it funny how something so small can bring back such memories? Smells always do it for me. I will often catch a whiff of something and spend sometimes hours what it reminded me of- a time in my life. It is great that is your special memory of him, you will always remember him as long as you keep cooking it! How nice when he came to visit on your birthday and cooked for you- you must have been something really special to him. That was such a lovely read!
What great, great memories Kelley. I sure wish I had had the chance to meet Pat. He seems like a one of a kind man. It is strange sometimes what things, such as the beef stroganoff, will bring back memories. Thanks for sharing so many of these wonderful memories!
The first I ever had beef stroganoff was at your house and Pat made it and it was great. We were in 5th grade. Everytime I eat it or hear about it, I think of Pat too. Funny how the mind works like that. I am just happy that the two of you grew so close and became such great friends. I know he was much more than a stepfather to you.
Girl, I almost cried! I never met Pat but felt like I knew him. I think food can be one of the most powerful memory triggers-up there with music and scent! I never see, smell or think of apple pie without thinking of my Grandma James. She always made me apple pie every time I visited.
And your cooking is yummy, even if you do have that "recipe problem!"
Wow Kel ~ how great to be reminded of those stories. Having sampled many of his meals I don't think anyone could do him justice by saying they were great ~ I think he fixed the best brisket I have ever had. But more importantly was the conversation and fun with the meal. You could always count on great laughs and to be reminded of the "woods are on fire" story brings back a big old smile! Thanks for the memories!
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