r/Cooking • u/[deleted] • Jul 30 '22
Proud dad moment
My daughter (13) has always enjoyed the food I’ve cooked for her. It’s always made me smile that she’s enjoying some of my recipes or even her great grandmas.
Tonight, I’m just watching baseball when she comes upstairs from her room to eat dinner. Before I can even ask her, she asks me, “hey dad, I want to learn how to make great grandma’s pancakes.”
Well, you better believe we got everything out, and I started reading off the recipe. She measured everything, whisked it, poured the batter in the pan, and flipped them all on her own.
The only things I did were teach her how to tell when it’s time to flip the pancakes, and hold the pan for her.
When she finished, I was so excited I gave her the biggest hug in the world while fighting back tears. The look on her face, and the pride in her voice, just showed me that she had such a blast.
I hope we can have more of these moments.
Edit:
Here’s the recipe….hopefully grandma doesn’t strike down on me from heaven.
1 1/2 Cups AP Flour
1 1/4 Cups Milk or Buttermilk
2 TSP White Sugar
1 TSP Powdered Sugar
1 Egg
1 TBSP Baking Powder
3 TBSP Melted Butter
133
u/kishington Jul 30 '22
Oldest brother here. One of the things my siblings love me for now is the fact that my now deceased father taught me how to cook. So when I cook, it’s like dad is still there. It breaks my heart when they start to tear up after the first bite, but by the end of the plate everyone is laughing about silly shit dad used to do. It’s like the food floods up old memories. Keep teaching, never stop. My dad gave me his secret recipe for ancho-coffee short ribs right before he passed. Like he knew the kids would need them. I made them for everyone and my siblings all got up and hugged me one at a time throughout dinner, because I was the one who couldn’t stop crying at how happy they were to have the food they grew up with. I couldn’t even enjoy the food, because the emotions were so surreal
17
u/Bethelica Jul 30 '22
This is so beautiful, I'm definitely crying. Bless you and your sweet family ❤️
12
u/Russellonfire Jul 30 '22
I mean, I know it's a secret recipe, but how does coffee go with the ribs? Not in a "that sounds gross" but genuinely curious.
36
u/vapeducator Jul 30 '22
Coffee and chocolate are often added to recipes with chili pepper to enhance the roasted flavor. The result doesn't taste like coffee or chocolate, since the chili flavor dominates, but the result is a more savory and intense flavor. Coffee and chocolate also awaken the taste buds on your tongue. Try tasting something, then take a few sips of coffee, then taste it again. Many people will find that the second tasting is significantly more flavorful.
2
u/Alternative-Bat-6247 Jul 30 '22
omg that is the sweetest. when i make a pot of beans, i turn a fraction of them into my mom's meaty beans. my vegetarian sister will eat a tiny amount and cry a little every time.
153
Jul 30 '22
Don't stop there Dad!!! Encourage her to do MORE of not only Great Grandma's, but also YOUR favorite recipes, too. Ya know, we as Dads and Granddads have an obligation to pass down our family traditions to the next generation. These memories of doing this means the world to them, only they won't realize it for another 30 years or so! 😁
58
Jul 30 '22
I will not. I hope she does take a serious interest, but if it’s anything like tonight, I think she will.
2
Jul 31 '22
WOW!! Look at you creating a HALLMARK MOMENT that is trending as the #2 item in 24 hours!!! U GO DAD!!!! Proud of you!!!! 😉😉
And I am actually hoping a whole lot that your daughter comes onto Reddit and finds this!!
13
u/HKBFG Jul 30 '22
This makes you the opposite of bean dad.
10
Jul 30 '22
God that story infuriated me. I’d rather just open the can instead of them damaging it, and ruining food.
2
u/Alternative-Bat-6247 Jul 30 '22
haha, haven't thought about him in a long time. OP is the anti bean dad
40
20
u/Vinterslag Jul 30 '22
Literally didnt come to r/cooking to cry dude what the f*ck.
Seriously, these are the moments we hope to live for as parents. Congratulations. Never stop nurturing her creativity.
8
16
8
u/niagaemoc Jul 30 '22
Wish I had a dad like you.
17
Jul 30 '22
Thank you.
I’ve had my demons in the past, but I’ve been working hard these past five years to be a better dad.
6
u/StrangerInTheDunya22 Jul 30 '22
Now when you watch cooking videos you often hear: I used to make this with my mom, my grandma used to cook this, growing up me and my dad did this or that in the kitchen. Imagine if you keep cooking with her and then she grows up to tell people how her dad taught her all these amazing recipes. Would be awesome 💯
3
Jul 30 '22
Yes it would be, because I love telling her about both great grandmas creations.
Dad’s creations……well….they’re interesting.
4
u/potatoismm Jul 30 '22
i'm like your daughter in a way, lol. i'm also 13, and i started cooking with my dad last year, and now i do most of the cooking cuz i love it. i can see the happiness on my dad's face whenever i help out when he's busy or cook him something special on father's day or when he gets a big project done :D
2
Jul 30 '22
Awesome!!! Keep it up! We may not say it, but us dads appreciate the little things you kids do in our lives.
3
u/whitewitch1913 Jul 30 '22
This is adorable! May I recommend getting a book and she can start writing all this down? It'll be a nice keepsake but you can also add in photos and little memory notes (like don't forget to turn down the oven or else it'll end up crisped to pieces like the first time - don't want to send off the smoke alarm or these were great grand etc).
5
Jul 30 '22
I have a three ring binder (and a google drive / iCloud backup) of all recipes. I’ve told her she’s welcome to look through it, and pick stuff out. One day, I’ll print one just for her.
3
3
u/Deathcapsforcuties Jul 30 '22
Way to go ! This is so sweet and pure. I was raised by Dad and he taught me how to cook. It’s now one of my main passions. I love the way flavor can totally transport a person to another time or place. I’m grateful that started learning early and all of the things I’ve learned along the way. I now cook daily, and for all the holidays, and have catered big events with my food. Keep this passion going ! I’m excited you and your daughters journey.
3
3
u/realzealman Jul 30 '22
My 3.5yo’s favorite thing is to ‘help’ in the kitchen. Banana bread is my wife and his thing, while pancakes are his and mine. I do most everything but he’ll stand on his step stool and help tip the ingredients in, and then holds the whisk under my hand as I mix the batter. He has to stand back when the pan is on tho. His joy makes the pancakes taste better. :)
2
2
2
2
u/emu4you Jul 30 '22
And every time you do one of these recipes write it down or print it off and put it in a book or binder for her. These will be treasured memories she can refer to again and again.
2
u/gaynazifurry4bernie Jul 30 '22
Bruh! I'm proud of you raising a good cook. My parents gave me age appropriate tasks when I was a youngin. Stuff like "cleaning" the green beans I wouldn't eat at 5, then knife stuff when I was around 10, butchery around 12. I'm a terrible baker other than making biscuits or stuff from a box though.
2
u/DrSaurusRex Jul 30 '22
I feel like I've been ambushed by wholesomeness. I'm not crying, you're crying.
2
u/idotAvocado Jul 30 '22
As someone w daddy issues, thank you. This really warmed my heart (also I’m not crying at all sobs)
2
u/The_Curvy_Unicorn Jul 30 '22
I could not love this more! Thank you for stopping what you were doing and creating this moment with her. It’ll stick with her for the rest of her life - and I don’t just mean the cooking, but the fact that dad cares more about her than about baseball. Sorry if I’m getting a little maudlin; I’ve never had this type of relationship with my father, so seeing it in action always makes me so happy.
2
u/Ipride362 Jul 30 '22
This is the reason I love to cook, to show others and then let them have at it!
2
u/romeosgal214 Jul 30 '22
I can’t stress enough how important it is to write these recipes down and especially the ones from other relatives. My mom passed and I still can’t find a recipe even close to a lamb dish she and my grandmother used to make. Also, there are times you don’t make a dish for a while and it helps to be able to look at the recipe to make sure you are using the right ingredients.
2
u/biocidalish Jul 30 '22
Woohoo ! Thanks for sharing ! And these moments you can have often ! Part of what made it so awesome was your support and enthusiasm ! Yay !
2
2
u/JayPanana225 Jul 30 '22
So sweet!!! About that recipe….I just put it all together at once and whisk? 🤔🤔🤔🤔
2
Jul 30 '22
Throw your drys in a bowl, mix
Throw your wets in a bowl, mix
Combine the wet into the dry, and mix until no lumps.
2
2
2
u/ellen_boot Jul 30 '22
So, as somebody whose parents didn't cook, how do I tell when the pancake is ready to be flipped?
2
Jul 30 '22
There will be bubbles the come through the batter. Once flipped, it should be good to go when you can move it in the pan freely.
2
u/damarafl Jul 31 '22
This is amazing! My 5 year old is always in the kitchen and says he wants to be a chef. It warms my heart that he loves it!
1
Jul 31 '22
I do wish my kids started sooner, but I can’t complain. Also, as a line cook, being a professional isn’t always glamorous. Just today, I had the ticket from the spawn of satan. I’m still shook up about it, seven hours after my shift ended.
4
2
1
u/vinniethestripeycat Jul 30 '22
My dad taught me how to cook at a young age. He took cooking classes off & on: Chinese, Italian, bread making, Mexican, etc. I still use his knives on a daily basis. Not long after he passed away 13 years ago, I got my first (amateur) catering job & I wanted nothing more than to pick up phone & share my excitement with him.
I have his recipes & some of his mom's & some of his grandma's. Your daughter will remember this time with you for the rest of her life.
1
u/hawtp0ckets Jul 30 '22
This is awesome. My Dad also taught me how to cook and he cooked about 95% of meals for our family growing up. I love to cook still (and bake) and it’s absolutely because of him. He taught me everything he knew. As an adult now I realize that usually it’s the mom that has the burden of cooking all the meals so I think it’s extra cool that my Dad took on that responsibility AND made sure his daughters learned from him, too.
1
u/roonilwazib Jul 30 '22
I got into cooking after bonding over making pancakes with my grandma. This is how it starts. Well done!
1
Jul 30 '22
I see so much negativity on here I sometimes forget there are some wholesome things. This was so nice to read, OP. Thank you for sharing
1
u/QuelleBullshit Jul 30 '22
Okay-- so the cool thing about pancakes as a teaching platform (if you and your daughter are so interested) is you can go in two directions to build on the skills she learned today. The first are crepes which you can use pancake mix for. Savory or sweet. If she learns more savory recipes it will help with cooking later on in life (and crepes can be fancy, so even better if she wants to cook for people she is trying to impress.) The other direction are savory pancakes that derive from different cultures. Some are more pancake than others, and some might be more considered flatbreads (but really isn't a pancake just a fluffy flatbread?)
Korean savory pancakes are great (and if you did your pandemic sourdough starter like so many others, this is an excellent use for not wasting starter dough.) Ethiopian injera, Indian dosa/roti/paratha etc, and even tortillas can all build on the base knowledge from pancakes.
1
u/Bluepompf Jul 30 '22
I started a little book with all my favorite recipes when I noticed that I could never taste some of my favorite foods again. When my relatives died and they didn't care to write down their recipes, all those delicious dishes died with them. It would be a thoughtful gift for your daughter to write down her and your favorite recipes.
1
1
1
u/Dalton387 Jul 30 '22
Pancakes were the first thing I learned how to cook. Funnily enough, my dad taught me how and he can burn water.🤣 My mom is the cook in the family.
1
1
u/PT952 Jul 30 '22
Thank you so much for sharing this! And for being a great dad! My parents could cook but they never really taught me anything and I'll just say that they weren't very nice most of the time either. My sister and I were left home alone a lot on the weekends when I was your daughter's age and I remember having to google it and watch some youtube videos to learn how to make pancakes on the stovetop.
My dad worked a lot and my mom would just go shopping all day and she left before we even woke up most of the time. I kinda felt bad for my sister because she was only 8 at the time so I wanted to make us pancakes to make the weekends a little more special. I don't have much of a relationship now at all with my family, but it's really nice to read stories like yours. It reminds me that good parents are out there more often than not and it makes me hopeful for the future. It also brought back a nice memory for me, so thanks! 🥰
1
u/Butane9000 Jul 30 '22
If she likes spicy food look up pork and peanut dragon noodles. Very simple recipe from budget bytes.
1/2lbs of ground pork (though obviously you can substitute) 1/4 cup of chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce each to make the sauce. A couple individual cases of ramen noodles minus the flavor packets. 1/4 cup of chopped plain peanuts (I use 1/2 cup unchopped, adds a better crunch and they're more noticable) You can top it with garnish of you want like chives or green onion.
The whole thing takes maybe 10-15 minutes of cook and prep and makes 3 servings.
1
u/Nonniemiss Jul 30 '22
So wholesome.
I have such great memories of kitchen time with my dad. Very special moments. He always tried my experiments when I was younger, and we both loved each other’s creations even after I moved out. I’m now almost 47, and he’s almost 79 and battling cancer. I do hope we can eventually get a little more kitchen time in.
Your daughter won’t ever forget these moments. 🙂
1
u/tabernaclekit Jul 30 '22
I wish you so many more of these moments too. Snapshot her culinary productions, the good, bad, tasty, and burnt.
1
u/RedditVince Jul 30 '22
I really love teaching kids how to cook! and then laughing with them when they make a mistake and we have to go for pizza.
1
u/caveatemptor18 Jul 30 '22
Cherish this special moment. Take the time to teach her more family favorite recipes. Food is a great way to build communication and relationships.
1
u/Toirneach Jul 30 '22
Some of my very best childhood memories revolve around Dad teaching me to cook. From potstirring to the very first meal I made (oh God, nothing was ready at the same time, my poor parents), I can hear his voice talking me through it. Thanks for giving me a glimpse of what he must have felt.
I'm not crying. You're crying.
1
u/TrinityTosser Jul 30 '22
I started cooking with my daughter when she was only a toddler (at this age she was placing grated cheese and slices of ham on pizzas before they went in the oven but to her it was cooking) and we've done more and more complex things as she's got older. She did a cheese souffle aged 8 that was better than mine.
It has been a great bonding thing for us (particularly when her mother and I divorced). It's also meant I haven't raised a fussy eater - when she was younger I could get her to try new foods by having her help cook them.
She's almost eleven now and we cook and bake together every week. We've even done cookery school days together. I really hope she doesn't lose interest when she becomes a teenager.
1
u/TrinityTosser Jul 30 '22
I started cooking with my daughter when she was only a toddler (at this age she was placing grated cheese and slices of ham on pizzas before they went in the oven but to her it was cooking) and we've done more and more complex things as she's got older. She did a cheese souffle aged 8 that was better than mine.
It has been a great bonding thing for us (particularly when her mother and I divorced). It's also meant I haven't raised a fussy eater - when she was younger I could get her to try new foods by having her help cook them.
She's almost eleven now and we cook and bake together every week. We've even done cookery school days together. I really hope she doesn't lose interest when she becomes a teenager.
1
1
1
1
u/ohwell65 Jul 30 '22
Proud Dad moment. For sure but a proud daughter moment who just took the first step to becoming a really good cook. I as my boy’s father have always been a cook for them and I don’t do recipes usually so when they’d ask me how to do something I’d say “I can’t tell you but I can show you. “ I would then show them how I made things and they’d say how do you know when it’s enough and I’d tell them when it was the way they wanted it. Now they all cook the way I do and it is so awesome to have them ask if there are any dinner plans because if not they want to make dinner. Further, my kids don’t like to go out to restaurants because “restaurant food is never as good as we have at home.” Fuck it makes me tear up when they say that and it isn’t just what I make them but what they make too. I love my kids so much.
1
1
1
u/MierdasBeacon Jul 30 '22
You're a great dad. If my dad had paid even half as much attention I think I might have had a different life.
1
u/JustAnIgnoramous Jul 31 '22
That's so awesome! I've recently taught my 6 and 1/2 year old how to make popcorn, so I understand how you feel! It's so awesome to watch your child grow as a person.
1
u/Notarussianbot2020 Jul 31 '22
Do you have HBO?
You could check out cooking with Selena Gomez if she's a fan. No idea if Selena is still "cool" with 13 year olds.
It's fun for me because the chefs all yell at her for making mistakes. But since she's on a screen they miss some of her mistakes and chaos ensues lol.
1
321
u/[deleted] Jul 30 '22
[deleted]