My dad passed away when I was 22 and he was 65. He had many different health issues his last few years but he ultimately passed because of Cancer. Although I mostly learned how to cook from my mom, my dad loved to make his favourite breakfasts on the weekends. My mother wasn't a big breakfast person. She would be happy with a piece of cheese slapped on a piece of bread. My dad on the other hand was a big bacon and eggs lover.
This morning I made some fried eggs and had some leftover bacon. I wasn't even thinking about Father's Day but I guess it was appropriate.
I thought it might be interesting to show some of my dad's favourite dishes in honour of father's day today. He also loved to make scrambled eggs with cheddar and pressed cottage cheese.
My Dad was born in Greece but left when he was 10 years old but his one sister that also lived here would sometimes make certain foods from their childhood.One of my dad's favourites was Spanakopita. My aunt would make her own dough which I never learned how to make so my version was a bit different because I used puff pasty which was easier and I like to mix a bunch of different cheeses like feta, parmesan and mozzarella for melty creamy flavour. My dad didn't make this but he loved it when I made it for him and me.
My dad also loved Corned Beef. But he used to by the Shopsy's sealed in plastic packs corned beef that you would stick into boiling water. Not like this Caplansky's Ultimate Classic Corned Beef Sandwich. He would have liked this. He didn't live long enough to see Food Trucks.
And of course the reason I am a chocoholic is because of my Dad who used to buy chocolate and then hide it. Not too well I might add. He only had a few hiding places that we knew. We had a huge buffet and he would hide it under things in the drawers. Maybe he thought out of sight out of mind and we wouldn't eat it. That didn't work because my brother was a bloodhound for chocolate and could find it anywhere. I don't have to hide chocolate now but I have to admit that if it's in front of me I am more inclined to eat it. I wasn't one of those kids that would sneak cigarettes or alcohol. I just wanted chocolate and still do. Some things never change I guess. I still like all of these foods but I know most aren't so good for me. My dad didn't know back then how unhealthy they were, he just knew that he liked them. I know but I can't resist them either. Must be in my DNA. Food has certainly changed in Toronto since my dad was alive. I wonder what he would think about the whole Food Truck phenomenon. I bet he would like most of the foods on the new food trucks. My dad only had the opportunity to get hotdogs and when I was a kid he also loved to pick up hot chestnuts in the winter. Something you don't see anymore that i wish someone would bring back.
Food Trends come and go but there are always classic foods that never go out of style. My dad liked most of these classic foods but I bet he would have loved to try some of the new ones too. He loved to explore new things in the grocery store and I do the same thing too.
These are my memories of my dad's favourite foods. What are your dad's favourites?
Do you think of your dad every time you have them?
My Dad was also born in Greece and loved to cook eggs any time of the day (that was about all he cooked). He cooked them in melted butter, sunny-side up and would spoon the hot melted butter over the top to cook the yolk rather than flip the egg. He only liked them that way and I learned as a little girl to do that for him when he asked me. I also learned to prepare Greek coffee the way he liked it and felt very proud when he praised me that I got it just right.
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