Cheers & Co.

Sometimes it's not what ends up on the plate, the heart that goes into a dish, or the latest fancy pants mail order all-in-one chopper/peeler/laundry sorter. Nope. Sometimes it's all about the beer and the company you keep.

Such was the case this evening, when at some point between marking the first side of the NY strip steak I was grilling, I looked over at my dad and we were both taking a swig of our beers, our heads bobbing in tacit agreement that-man, it just doesn't get better than this.

I look down to see my older son standing at the side of the grill wafting the steam from the mushrooms into his face. He wants to know why the "smoke" smells so good. "They're mushrooms," I say triumphantly.

Here's where the story doesn't get interesting. My three and a half year old is not about to say, "Wow dad, I never knew mushrooms could smell so good, how do you do it?!?" Nor is he going to eat mushrooms due to some secret recipe that will shortly follow suit.

Secret Recipe:

Cook 1 lb 1/4" sliced Crimini or Italian Brown Mushrooms with
1 diced medium Shallot over medium heat
in 2 tsp Olive Oil,
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce,
1 Tbsp Sherry Vinegar or wine if you wish,
a pinch or two of Sugar,
and Fresh cracked Black Pepper.
Finish it off the heat with 1 Tbsp Butter and steak drippings.

He stares me down through the mushroom vapors.

He's sure I'm full of it...

When I finally win the stare off, he calls me 'a silly,' admonishes my dad for standing so close to the grill, and he's off.

My dad shakes his head and tells me how much faster things are with your second child, I listen, turn the asparagus, and really, all I can think about is how much I wish these steaks would take a little bit longer to cook.