Among the many things I enjoy, cooking has a special place in my life. I love it, I’m good at it—and honestly, I’ve yet to meet a woman who could cook better than me. For me, it’s more than just preparing food; it’s a creative process, a way to unwind, and often the space where ideas quietly come together and solutions replace problems. Whenever I hit a mental block or get tired, I head to the kitchen - and more often than not, the solution finds me while something’s simmering. Feeding Alan, though, has been a whole other adventure. I’ve tried it all - flavors, colors, shapes, patterns. Some ideas I thought were sure hits ended in disaster, while the biggest wins came completely out of the blue. That’s when I started writing things down - what worked, what didn’t. Now that my newsletter is starting to take shape, I’ve decided to share a little bit of both: a recipe and a story, every Wednesday.
“The Bear“ is a masterpiece of movie making for the many reasons. For me, it’s the story of a man carrying a load too heavy - but carrying it anyway, because someone has to. It’s about the craft of doing something well, even when no one’s looking - because doing it well means something. It’s about family: the messy, shouting, hugging kind, the kind that makes you want to run and hold on tighter at the same time.It’s about trying to fix what you didn’t break.And maybe - if you’re stubborn enough - making something beautiful out of the whole shitshow.
The Bear and its crew are probably with me for good - and somehow, the omelette episode just got really practical too.
According to Alan, a regular omelet is pretty "meh" at best - but throw some crumbled chips on top, and it becomes a whole different story: a burst of flavor, or as we say here in Holland, heel veel lekker (very, very tasty). No recipe today. You’ll have to see it with your own eyes. We call it the Sydney’s eggs. The little guy didn’t see the movie yet, but the time will come.
Meanwhile, Carmy endures - because he must, because there is no other way.
And so do we, dads.
Enjoy your breakfast.
*sound of mic dropping, the screen fades to black*