In my parents’ house, it’s forever Father’s Day. Translation: my mother still worships my father, and
it’s mutual. In an era where divorce announcements seem more common than wedding invitations, my parents
will be celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary next year. And they’re still in love. As Walter Cronkite always said at the end of the CBS Evening News: “And that’s the way it is.”
Because of this upbeat situation, my father’s birthday is always celebrated in all its glory.
The challenge: the perfect birthday gift for a witty, wise, and wonderful dad who, at age 85, really doesn’t need YAT
(Yet Another Tie). He likes melodic music (especially ones with lyrics that he can sing instead of heavy metal that makes him wince), old movies (both he and my mother say they don’t make movies like they used to, and when you compare Cary Grant and Fred Astaire to Leonardo DiCaprio and Jim Carrey, you can see why), and good wine. Oh yes, and crossword
puzzles.
Candy is Dandy But…
A friend suggested “a lovely liqueur,” which brought me to the wine sections of a few local stores. At Vons, I discovered a new product, Starbucks(tm) Coffee Liqueur. The lovely bottle encased a seductively delicious treat. I tried it drizzled over a dish of coffee frozen yogurt. Mmmmm, good. I tasted it poured over a glass of ice cubes. Ahhhh, lovely.
If you’re doing a traditional birthday dinner barbecue, you may even want to experiment with this barbecue sauce, courtesy of the Starbucks Coffee Liqueur folks:
Starbucks Coffee Liqueur Barbeque Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 cup banana ketchup (if not available, use regular
tomato ketchup)
1 tbsp. grated horseradish
1 cup orange blossom honey
1 cup aged balsamic vinegar
¼. instant coffee
½ cup Starbucks Coffee Liqueur
PREPARATION
Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and cook until translucent (about 1-2 minutes). Add banana ketchup, horseradish, honey, balsamic vinegar, instant coffee, and Starbucks(tm) Coffee Liqueur. Bring to a boil and simmer over low flame for 15-20 minutes.Blend sauce in a blender to a smooth consistency.
Yields: one pint of barbecue sauce. Barbecue sauce may be served warm or cold. Serve with chicken, shrimp, beef ribs or pork ribs.
Cooking Up Some Love
Most fathers are famed for making something special at the barbeque pits or in the kitchen. My dad, for example, was skilled at dishes ranging from banana pancakes to vegetarian burgers. Whatever he was cooking, though, I remember his fondness for a masterfully brewed cup of coffee, which he still enjoys. Thinking about our shared love of caffeine, I
considered the possibility of a coffee grinder. Which brought me to the riches of Cooking.com. If you’re
searching for gifts for a dad who knows his way around the kitchen, you’ll love this Web site. From reasonably priced coffee grinders (I recommend the Krups Coffee Grinder) to nifty gadgets (like the Kuhn Rikon Gripper Jar Opener for tackling those stubborn bottle tops), Cooking.com is a great resource for this time of year. (Tip: Brides and grads will love you for gifts from here!)
Games People Play
I confess: I’m a sucker for a good family game. Cards…board games…you name it, I’ll play it. As long as I can figure out the rules. Which is where this very nifty game called No Stress Chess comes in. What you get: a two-sided board, with gorgeous cards that teach you just how and where to move each chess piece. Even someone like me (who tends to be impatient when it comes to long learning curves) can learn the basics of this complex game in a surprisingly short
amount of time. Once you’ve learned the moves, flip the board over and try it without the tutoring tips. Buy it from the
winningly named Winning Moves Games (http://www.winning-moves.com).
Let’s Go For a Walk
One of my earliest memories of my father revolves around accompanying him on a morning stroll. “Let’s go for a walk,” he would whisper to me, because the two of us were (and are) the only up-and-at’em-early-birds in the family. And off we’d go, his long legs slowing their pace to match my stride. Pedometers are tres chic these days, and I checked out a few as possible gifts. My favorite contender for a father’s day gift comes from Oregon Scientific. Their digital pedometer includes a jumbo digital LCD monitor and the ability to count up to 99,999 steps. That’ll take you a couple of rounds around the block
and to the doughnut shop. All that, and they toss in the battery too (which I appreciate it, since nothing is more embarrassing than giving a gift and then discovering, after the recipient has opened it, that it’s minus the battery!). You’ll find ordering information (and other gift possibilities) at a variety of online sites, such as Amazon.com.
What To Remember….
Whatever you choose to give for your father’s birthday gift this year, remember: it’s the thought that counts. So remember to say what you hope he already knows: “Hey, Dad, I love you a lot.”
