Greatest Creations of Man

Pale in comparison to His creations. The heavens and the earth, mankind, all of life. Everything from the sand on the shore to the feeling we call love. But we create through His inspiration. I have created. I have destroyed. I rejoice in those creations.


Breakfast. My dad always told me it was the most important meal of the day. I didn't start making breakfast until just a few years ago, and I've found that I truly, truly love it. Not just in the eating, I've always enjoyed that. But in the making. Cooking is a delicate art. Breakfast tends to be fairly forgiving, and even when you mess up you still have scrambled eggs. My favorite breakfast that I ever made was french toast. My mom was never a fan, as a child her mother made her eat some undercooked french toast. On this day, however, she encouraged me to make some. In my entire life, I had only known her to eat it once. She told me to go to Save Mart and buy some of their artisan bread. That morning, I made some of the lightest, most crisp, fluffy, and savory french toast I've ever had. My sister and nephew Sebastian ate some as well. Served with powdered sugar and sliced strawberries, it was a delight. I still remember the texture, and don't ever want to forget it.

Lunch. Nothing beats a lunchmeat sandwich. Ham and turkey on honey wheat bread, some chipotle mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, and provolone cheese. I am always game for a sandwich with a side of chips, an apple, and something tasty to drink... I'm thinking of iced tea. However, there may as well be a second category for lunch, when you're doing it with friends. A hot dog at a baseball game. Toppings of your choice, but there, then, and that is always perfect. I would love to be sharing a baseball game with friends right now - a Dodgers/Giants game at that. Such a thing would be a beautiful.

Dinner. When I got married last year, it turned out that I had more "free" time than Theresa. And becuase I often got home before she did, I took it upon myself to prepare dinner regularly. My favorite dinner to make was discovered early on. Searching through a cookbook for something that sounded delectable, I discovered a pesto baked chicken, with sliced tomato and mozerella cheese melted atop it. Served with some long-grain wild rice and steamed vegetables, it makes for something truly special - perhaps some day I'll prepare it for you! Above and beyond everything else I make, this is my favorite dish to serve anyone, regardless of the things its memory is still tied to; the dish is too good to not share. I hope we can enjoy it soon.

But drinks. The drink is where your meal truly comes together. Even back in the day, when you were in elementary school. You always loved it when they served choccolate milk with lunch, or when your mom packed your favorite Capri-Sun. The rest of it was the same, even if it was E.L. Fudge cookies. But the drink washes it down, tops it off, and brings it all together. There's a different drink for every occasion. My favorite drink that I've ever made has to be a mojito. Raspberry, at that. The mojito is a difficult drink to master, and it takes lots of experience to know just how fine to crush the mint, how much of that lime to juice, the shaking, the mixing, the pour. It has to be perfect. And never neglect the details. Life is lived in the details. Such a thing can't be handled with broad strokes. The first time I made the raspberry mojito, Chris and Amelia Pitts were over visitng. It was a great evening, and my mojitos were unbeatable. I'd take one right now. Its a perfect drink for a warm day, something Visalia has no shortage of.

Dessert. I'll take two. But a good cheesecake is king here. Take your pick of how you want it, I still love it. Which happens to make me quite the sucker for the Cheesecake Factory. Paired with a Riesling, I could find hours of comfortable conversation with anyone who passed my way. Take me to the south of France, let me sit at a cafe, and enjoy the world as it spins.

Today is a very good day. Enjoy this day that the Lord has made, and hopefully soon we can share some of the food that I've had the pleasure of making. Until then, peace be with you!