My father died this morning…..

July 27th, 2007 by Fresh

I’m a 31 year old man and I last saw my father when I was 18. Prior to that one evening, I hadn’t seen him since I was about 12. Needless to say, the man wasn’t a big part of my life for the majority of it to date, but the specter of him was always there. I never really knew what to say when people asked about him, or inquired about my family. I would always reply that I didn’t have a father cause it was easier that way.

A few months ago my mother received a call from an old family friend, who wanted to let us know that my father was in a hospital, gravely ill and about to lose some toes. This came as a huge shock… for one thing, hearing that he was alive after 12 years was a surprise, but also that he was living in a city that I frequented often and possibly could have run into was bizarre.

My sister and I were given the opportunity to connect with him, something that we both turned down. After not hearing from or seeing the man in 12 years, neither one of us felt any sort of connection or desire to meet. At this point, he was the donor, not our father. I was a little confused, not knowing whether I should attempt to establish a relationship, call him to tell him off, or just let the past lie. In the end, I made my choice and I don’t regret it, but today’s news was strange.

I’m his next of kin. I imagine my sister and I will be the ones who make the decisions on what happens to him. I’m not sure what occurs in situations like this; do his siblings get priority? My sister and I? I’m not sure. I don’t know if I have to fly out there and claim him. Do I have to pay for a funeral? Does he deserve one? Does he have friends, loved ones that I do not know? Am I going to hear stories of a man that I don’t know? So far it’s been surreal. Right now I kinda wish I had at least made an attempt to reconnect, but then I remember 12 years and 5 years prior to that, were I had no clue and that is a painful thought.

His name was John Alexander Schmitt. I do not remember his birthday or how old he is supposed to be. I’m sure I will learn this soon enough.

Here’s to you Dad. May you rest in peace and thanks for closing an unfinished chapter in my life.

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Summer Squash Pizza

July 24th, 2007 by Fresh

In the local farmer’s market, baskets of summer squash have appeared… zucchini, yellow squash, patty pans, etc. I typically add squash to scrambles and fajitas, but thought I’d try creating a pizza with them.

Summer Squash Pizza

1 ball of pizza dough (I use pre-made ones from Trader Joe’s)
2-3 medium summer squash, sliced into thin strips
Half a small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Olive oil
Salt and fresh pepper to taste

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan
Add onions, and saute until translucent, approx. 5 min.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, approx. 2 min
Add squash and cook until tender, approx. 7-8 min
Remove from heat

Follow the instructions for oven temperature and preparation of the pizza dough
After rolling out dough, top with cooled squash mixture and drizzle some olive oil on top
Cook according to pizza instructions
Remove and serve immediately

Pizza

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Zucchini fritters….. so damn tasty

July 8th, 2007 by Fresh

Sundays are good days to cook; I can find something I’ve never made before, take a trip to one of the best grocery stores in the world and spend the afternoon working in the kitchen. Today I felt like something crispy and after skimming through one of my cookbooks, I found this wonderful recipe for fritters. I’ve adapted it for vegans. I hope you enjoy!

Zucchini and Tofu Fritters with Lemon
adapted from The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook

servers 4 to 6

1/2 cup extra firm tofu, processed until smooth
3 tsp. egg replacer
4 tbsp. warm water
2 tbsp. minced parsley, fresh
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
3 medium zucchini, scrubbed and ends trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 3/4 cups bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for pan-frying
Lemon wedges

Combine egg replacer and hot water in large bowl, whisk till blended.
Add tofu mixture, parsley, garlic and lemon zest.
Shred the zucchini, through a large holes of a grater. Wrap shredded zucchini in paper towels and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. Add zucchini to the tofu mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Add 1 cup of the bread crumbs, so that the mixture is no longer sticky, and combine.
Spread the remaining bread crumbs on a large plate. Heat 1/2 inch of oil a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Take 1/3 cup of the zucchini mixture and form into a 3 inch patty. Coat each side with bread crumbs and set aside. There should be enough mixture for 15 patties.
When oil is ready for frying, add patties, leaving enough room to flip easily. Fry on each side for 4 minutes, until the patty is a rich, golden brown.
When finished with all patties, divide among plates and serve with lemon wedges.

zucchini

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