Fusion Wake

Twenty First Century Dads are Smokin’- in More Ways Than One!

 

I grew up in one of those families where labor was clearly defined along gender lines. My Pop, the sensitive (but macho) laborer-type, worked outside the house while mother did all the inside work and raised the kids.

Pop knew how to enjoy the fruits of Mom's labor, and we knew if that if he found his way to the kitchen chances are he would end up hungry most of the time. As I grew older I remember being surprised and amused to see him washing the dishes, surely times had changed. But Pop still couldn’t cook or tend to anything quite so “domestic.” The only real in-door kitchen memory I have of my father was when I would regularly wake him at 3am to bake in my “Suzie Homemaker” oven; for those memories I will be forever grateful. Then, as our family expanded pop became more aware of the macho-image grilling gave to men of his skill. He really took to the fact that he was an “American Dad’ – yes, the stereotyped cooking guy. His skills however, were confined to the back yard barbecues: only grilling red meats and hotdogs just a few days a year, one of which was Fathers Day at his house.

Because many of us are either raging baby-boomers or retro-junkies, this Fathers day why don’t we help out Dad in the yard? Get your loved one a really hip new cookbook that spins on the foods of the fifties but contains pinch of fusion by incorporating a dash of the nineties -wow! Talk about a time machine. You all know how much I enjoy fusion; until now I only thought of it as two or more cultures colliding in culinary concepts and techniques, just simple harmonious poetry on our plates and in our palettes, right? But this book proved me wrong; it opened my eyes to a whole new level of fusion: generation combinations!

I would have never thought to combine decades to fire up my grilling powers, WOW! This little hand book, “Patio Daddy-O” is devoted entirely to patio cuisine: where "foods from the fifties meet the foods of the nineties!” The recipes in this book make for some good eaten; for example, The Eat-Now Potato Salad doesn’t have one drop of mayonnaise, instead it is fully clad with a true Caesar dressing, complete with real anchovies and French Dijon mustard. Can you hear me sigh? Even the plain old Turkey Salad Sandwich is revolutionary, it is bejeweled with sage mayonnaise and honey-marinated apples (of course I’d sneak in a smothering of cranberry pear compote, but that’s just me). With lots of Wahoo from Buzzomatic Coffee Coolers to Cracklin' Sugar-Charred Cowboy Steak, Backshack Blueberry Cornbread, and Gooey Mounds Sundaes, Patio Daddy-O brings back all the fun, spirit, and nostalgia of outdoor cooking with new twists on classic fare. The book is greatly illustrated with full color photographs of vintage tablecloths, aprons, and other period essentials, and complete with valuable tips on barbecuing like a pro. Patio Daddy-O really offers a lively look back for '90s fans, and makes a neat-o kinda gift for the Dad in your life.

Times have changed, and because of that many Fathers today understand the importance of role modeling a strong bond with the indoor kitchen as well as many other domesticated duties. It’s not only cute, but also really impressive when the man that works hard outside the house also works hard with the family when he comes home. Fathers of the twenty first century have the secret: they have fused two generations and managed a well rounded harmonious blend. Thanks for stepping up to the plate, the dinner plate that is! And for them: Happy Fathers Day!

Chef Gigi

PS: for those of you that don’t domesticate, Kids Culinary Adventures is starting new “Big People” culinary classes at the end of the summer. Check the web for more details!

Chef Gigi is the former Dean of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, and Co-founder (with her two teenage daughters) of Kids Culinary Adventures - A professional cooking school for kids and teens. Information on classes can be found by visiting www.kidsculinaryadventures.com

About the Author

Chef Gigi began her adventure in the kitchen as a child; then went on to mesh her passion for the culinary arts with her innate business savvy and entrepreneurial drive.

Utilizing both her acclaimed skills as a chef and her business expertise, Chef Gigi has assisted in the openings of restaurants, food divisions, as well as worked at several top hotels throughout the greater Bay Area, including launching her own full- scale event planning and catering business for a high profile client list. As a proprietor, she was profiled as one of the Top 25 Bay Area Chefs by 18 Media.

Chef Gigi later returned to her alma mater, the California Culinary Academy, where she graduated with honors, soon after she received a certificate from pastry instruction in Europe.

Returning to the United States Chef Gigi worked to hone her skills. After many years in the industry, Chef Gigi then went full circle returning to the California Culinary Academy as Dean of students; while launching the famed Le Cordon Bleu's Hospitality Management program. In addition to acting as an instructor for the academy, she also trained staff for corporate hotel chains nationwide.

Chef Gigi graduated Cum Laude from the American Intercontinental University with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and continues to hone professional culinary skills with continuing education classes. She is the mother of two young school age daughters; who assisted in the concept and launch of KCA and continue to be active to this day.

The Wake $12.49 The Wake

Wake $12.99 Wake

In the Wake $20.99 In the Wake

Fusion $10 Fusion

This Is Not Fusion $11.49 This Is Not Fusion

Before I Wake $9.99 After an unthinkable tragedy happens, an unbelievable miracle begins. . . Three-year-old Sherry is the adored only child of Simon and Karen Barrett. When Sherry is critically injured in a hit-and-run accident, the fault lines in the Barretts's marriage begin to show. As her parents' marriage falls apart, it is discovered that Sherry--in her coma-like state--has miraculous healing powers.     Meanwhile, the guilt-stricken driver of the truck attempts suicide--but is unable to die. Henry Denton instead finds himself in a place of darkness, somewhere between this world and the next, invisible to all but a group of mysterious and downtrodden men. Haunted by his shame, Henry struggles to understand this mysterious limbo, and what he must do to free himself.     As word of Sherry's powers spread, her parents must decide how best to shelter their daughter and help the many sick and dying who are drawn to her side. At the same time, a larger battle is brewing--one that has been raging for close to two-thousand years, and one that might yet claim the lives of Sherry and her family.   Robert J. Wiersema's brilliant debut novel sheds light on the inner lives of characters struggling against tragedy, who find each other and themselves in the darkness. Before I Wake reveals the power of forgiveness, and the true nature, and cost, of miracles.   "A stunning debut . . .original, thought-provoking, and downright wonderful." -Michael Connelly, New York Times #1 bestselling author of The Closers and Echo Park   "I wept over this book as I read it, and I'm still haunted by it . . . disturbingly powerful." -Gail Anderson-Dargatz, author of A Recipe for Bees   "A literary supernatural thriller that grips the reader in a chokehold and doesn't let go until the very last line. . . . It never shies away or backs down from its questioning of faith, theology, morality and mystery. . . a unique, spellbinding, and ultimately uplifting gem ." -- The Globe and Mail   "Through a tale that is both intimate and profound, Robert J. Wiersema reminds us there is magic in truth, and truth in the fantastic. An edge-of-your-seat debut that is  never faint of heart." -Ami McKay, author of The Birth House   "A wonder to behold. A deft fusion of intimate family story, suspense and religious exploration. One of those books you just don't put down until you've read to the last page. . . Magnificent." -- The Edmonton Journal   "Deceptively easy to read because it is so well written and so emotionally engaging. It will haunt you long after you've lent it to a friend. And lend it you will, because it is just too good not to share." -- National Post   " Before I Wake provocatively dances along the lines between faith and science, life and death." --Andrew Pyper, author of Lost Girls   "Engrossing and carefully plotted . . . Wiersema's

Wake - $12.99 Can a girl find romance with a guy who has just buried the love of his life? Carys Reitman (Bijou Phillips) is a young woman who has a hard time connecting with other people, despite her friendly and accepting nature. Carys' problem might have something to do with one of her hobbies -- she likes to attend funerals for people she's never met, something she's done often enough that one of her best friends is a funeral director, Shane (Danny Masterson). One day, Carys is once again paying her respects when she meets Tyler (Ian Somerhalder), a handsome and charming man who was engaged to marry the deceased. Carys finds herself attracted to Tyler and thinks she may have finally found the man who can help her get over her anxieties about others, even though Shane and Lila (Marguerite Moreau), Carys' roommate, are certain pursuing him is a bad idea. As Carys dares to open her heart to Tyler, she also tries to mend her broken relationship with her mother (Jane Seymour). Wake was the opening night feature at the 2009 Cinequest Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Wake Up! $6 Wake Up!

Finnegan's Wake $3.49 Finnegan's Wake

The Great Wake $8.99 The Great Wake

Wake The Sleeper $6.49 Wake The Sleeper

Wake Up $10.49 Wake Up

The Living Wake $10.99 The Living Wake

Wake Of Meggellan $8.49 Wake Of Meggellan

In The Wake Of Collisions $7.49 In The Wake Of Collisions

Wake The Witch $6.99 Wake The Witch

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