Up until this point, my Dad didn’t ACTUALLY write these blog posts. I went back through old emails, conversations and fun events and pulled together a few interesting posts that sum up my dad — he loves to CREATE — whether that’s through cooking, woodworking, or spreading HAPPINESS.

Look back through the previous posts to get a sense for who my dad, Manfred, is. You’ll see photos of his crazy experiences while working abroad in Mexico, some images of his trip to Galapagos with my mom (his wife), Sheri, as well as links to interesting websites, product recommendations, and time tested recipes.

I HOPE he keeps posting in the future, but if not, I may do it for him. If nothing else, this blog will be a place that I can aggregate my dad’s much beloved advice on all things a mile wide and a mile deep.

Happy Birthday, Daddy

This is one of the earliest pictures I have of myself. People always say that my grandson really looks like me. You be the judge…

My wife and I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to take a 10 day trip with Lindblad Expeditions to the Galapagos Islands. Lindblad Expeditions partners with National Geographic to offer tours of the most remote and untouched locations throughout the Earth.

Small ship expedition cruises to the Galapagos Islands are your opportunity to discover one-of-a-kind wildlife in a spectacular setting with a top-tier Expedition Team.

On board, guests interact with world-renowned scientists, naturalists and researchers and uncover stunning natural environments alongside skilled specialists utilizing state-of-the-art exploration tools.

Click here for information about the tour we took »

Photos from the trip

Charred Corn Salad

I came across this recipe at Williams-Sonoma while trying to find something to make with canned chipotle chilies in adobo. The first time around I used the recommended amount of chilies, which gave the dish very noticeable heat. Adjust the amount of chilies you use based on personal preferences.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. fresh orange juice
1 tsp. diced chipotle chili in adobo, plus 1 Tbs. adobo sauce
2 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. honey
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil
6 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro, plus cilantro leaves for garnish
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup diced jicama
1/4 cup diced red onion

Directions:
In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, orange juice, chipotle chili and adobo sauce, 1 tsp. of the salt, the garlic, honey and the 1/4 cup olive oil until smooth. Set the vinaigrette aside.

Prepare a hot fire in a grill or preheat a grill pan over high heat.

Rub the ears of corn with the 2 Tbs. olive oil and the remaining 1 tsp. salt. Grill the corn, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

When the corn is cool enough to handle, remove the kernels from the cobs and place the kernels in a large bowl. Add the black beans, chopped cilantro, tomatoes, jicama, onion and vinaigrette and stir until well combined. Garnish with the cilantro leaves. Serve the salad at room temperature. Serves 6 to 8.

Finally! The speakers are finished. All the little errors that creep in when you design and construct suddenly seem irrelevant when you listen to the system. This single driver design does some things better than any other speaker system.

To hear Eva Cassidy “Live at Blues Alley” on this system is to hear her for the first time. It will be hard to part with the speakers.

1. Peel and cut 2 to 3 lbs. potatoes to the size you want when you eat the salad, 3/8″ or up to 1/2″ cubes are good.
2. Boil the cut potatoes in salted water until just done, check frequently toward the end because you don’t want them mushy and overcooked.
3. Drain potatoes and then, while still warm, add some Apple Cider Vinegar ( 2 T. is about right) and stir gently so as not to mash the potatoes. Let cool.

Meanwhile…

1. Fry some bacon (2 slices) and break or crumble.
2. Hardboil 2 or 3 eggs.
3. Finely dice a rib of celery (a good addition but not required).

When potatoes are cool enough, gently add mayo, a little at a time. Probably 1/4 to 3/8 cup. Add slowly and fold so that you can see how it is coming together. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the sliced or slivered eggs, crumbled bacon and celery.

Refrigerate until well chilled.

Other optional ingredients: Finely chopped raw onion (add with the vinegar), celery seeds, and paprika.