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Showing posts with label The Meaning of "Seaman Chef". Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Meaning of "Seaman Chef". Show all posts

Wednesday, 20 January 2021

The Chef's best friends

 

There is no doubt, the knives are the best friends of the Chef. We have many available tools to facilitate our job, but a good sharp knife always makes the difference.

As we sometimes create our own tools to perform tasks better and faster, months ago I decided to use my spare time wisely and started drawing some models (11, to be exact) and started to collect information on steel.

Seriously and unexpectedly, I discovered an entire new world made of percentages of components like carbon, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum, temperatures extremely well calibrated in forging, hammering and tempering, to have the final product with great elasticity, strength and tenacity.

All this began to absorb most of my free time and I found myself spending nights in front of the computer understanding how the 0.04% of phosphorus or the 0.75% molybdenum affects the hardness of a blade according to the Rockwell scale... What a headache!!!

No matter what, the sketches became drawings, the drawings became projects in scale 1:1, the projects became shapes in plexiglass before and later in wood. Then I found myself looking for a blacksmith passionate enough to do few pieces for me and again... What a headache!!!

Never forget who you are and where you come from, especially if your homeland is called Tuscany, so I discovered a hidden workshop in the Apuan Alps (I do not reveal the name) where two very special  craftsmen produce tools of the highest quality and where their ancestors used to produce swords and weapons back in 1500. It has been an unexpected experience for me to be with them, exchanging thoughts and ideas and correcting the many mistakes I did in the project.

Finally I got my blades, I continued the "homeland" way, thinking that those special blades deserve a special handle, that's when I found in my mother's backyard the trimmings of the trees from our family olive grove and ready for the fireplace. What a shame! The olive tree wood is great for everything and resistant to any stress, so I found many aged pieces and I cut them in tiles good to be assembled as the scales of the handle and really appealing with their natural and typical wood grains.

To assure a very long life to the handle, I have decided to add two bolsters (or guards) made of bronze to keep separate the cutting side with the handle itself and obviously, all the assembling is done with bronze rivets too.  

Should I forget that in Tuscany we have the best leather tanneries in the world? Of course not! And here we go with a dedicated leather case sewn thanks to my old sailor skills and with a little bronze tag with the engraved name of the knife.

At this point I have only to introduce my new babies which are looking for new, passionate owners:


Boning knife Tuscania BN15, length of the blade 15 cm, length of the handle 12 cm, weight 150 gr, price without shipping 170 eur.

Pairing knife Gladio PR11, length of the blade 11 cm, length of the handle 10 cm, weight 85 gr, price without shipping 115 eur.

Carving knife Tuscania CR24, length of the blade 24 cm, length of the handle 12 cm, weight 220 gr, price without shipping 210 eur.


Nakiri knife Tuscania NK18, length of the blade 18 cm, length of the handle 12 cm, weight 260 gr, price without shipping 195 eur.



Thursday, 7 March 2019

Ten tips to succeed in the hospitality

           1 - HAVE A CLEAR VISION OF YOUR FUTURE 
This is difficult, because you should have well in mind what will be your future in life and career and you should be ready for eventual adjustments to reach your goals.
As you have to make choices in your young age while unexperienced, a lot will depend from your education, from how your family will encourage you to believe in your potential and how you will respond to the inevitable troubles you will face… OK, this is just a kind way to ask yourself if you are “guts equipped”, or not.
Since I was a kid, I have always applied the rule: YSTJ, YFTJ (You Start The Job, You Finish The Job), it means you start to do something and you stick to it until it is damn well done and it doesn’t matter what kind of task, whether it’s a project or simply doing some gardening at home.
Later, I discovered that this is one of the basic rules written in the kitchen code.

2 - START TO WORK EARLY AND GET FINANCIAL INDIPENDENCE 
The hospitality school I attended used to start the academic year on October 1st and finish on May 31st, so I got five full months for a well-paid seasonal job in the Tuscan Riviera.
Apart the money in the pocket at the end of the season, it has been very difficult to step inside the real world of hospitality, because most of the lessons are learned on the spot, not at school, and I found myself full of cuts and burns on the outside, on my skin, but also on the inside, in my soul. However, I also found myself more motivated, focusing more and more on the future moves.

              3 - WORK HARD
Let me explain something about how it works in the kitchen:
With a seasonal job in hotel, you start at 7.30 AM, you finish at 3.00 PM. You get a shower and you start again at 5.30 PM until 10, 10.30, 11 who-knows-PM. 
Day off after 120/140 days, if you are lucky.
Seasonal job in restaurant: same or worse.
Regular hotel job: same or worse.
Regular restaurant job: same or worse.
I suppose I’m clear enough…
On top of these “little details”, you should add the time for trainings, updates and some serious course to increase your management-administrative-financial skills.
Last, but not least and, as every no normal human, you will have a very short time to spend with your family, the only cardinal point and the only source of real happiness in your life.
This mess is called Hard Work and to succeed you have to Work Hard, but looking at the bright side, when you will see civil servants complaining for 35/40 hours week jobs, you will have a lot of fun and your sarcasm will rise at a no measurable level.

4 - INTRODUCE YOURSELF WITH A PROFESSIONAL CURRICULUM VITAE
I have been asked several times to select curriculums for hoteliers looking For professional and, seriously, many of them are awful.
The CV must be interesting and appealing, compressed in not more than three pages; with your professional photo and no frames, no borders, no emoticons, no colours or whatever helps your CV to go straight in the bin.
Apart the aesthetic side, the real priorities are two:
1 - Never lie, because, as I say, lies have short legs, they don’t go very far and they will turn against you.
It doesn’t matter how long your CV is and how many certifications you have, but how much is honest. If you are available for a new challenge, it is also to make your CV “heavier” and not the opposite.
2 - The language of the CV is English and the formats are Word or PDF, you have to check it a dozen times, make the due corrections and send your honest CV to honest employers or recruiters.

5 - HR SUCKS
HR sucks, it’s a matter of fact, when you are the one to be recruited and when you have to recruit your team.
In the first case you have to pass, most of the times, the scan of an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) a robot calibrated on “I.D.G.A.F. about how much you are a passionate hotelier” and in less than 6 seconds it will delete your application.
In the second case you will find yourself collecting cvs directly, because the HR team forgot to switch on their brains that day.
In both cases, you are on your own, so find the way to contact the boss directly and to select candidates with your parameters to create your own database.

6 - TAKE ACTION, EVEN WHEN YOU ARE SCARED
The comfort zone is like a killer. If you are a brilliant leader, you cannot accept to operate in a comfortable little space that will not bring you anywhere. Personal growth and remarkable performance comes from doing what is unfamiliar, that’s why you have to cancel the word fear from your dictionary, because it is the fear of the unknown that cuts your wings.
Personally, I have adopted a motto that is guiding me since a while: memento audere semper” (remember to dare, always) and indeed, it works.

7 - REPUTATION AND HONOUR 
“Camminare a testa alta” (walk with the head held high) is a pillar of my childhood transmitted by my parents and grandparents. It doesn’t matter what are your roots or wealth, in any case you must be a “knight in his shining armor”.
Many times it will be a challenge, but when you put your reputation before anything else, the losers will keep the distance from you, because of your integrity, and the righteous will admire you for the same reason. 
It is also a truth that stubbornness is not a good friend of an hotelier which has to be flexible 24/7, so my solution is: “I don’t deal with compromises, but if I have to deal with compromises, I will deal with compromises with someone willing to deal with compromises more than me”.

8 -  LEARN FROM PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE YOU
Teaching is one of the most difficult jobs. If you don’t nourish the minds of your pupils, you have no chances to advance and them too. I have been lucky enough to have tutors who are my role models; in some way, they force you to learn, even if you tend to be a rebel, having nothing to do with discipline or effort or all those boring things for old men. 
But afterwards you will understand the gift they left in your hands and you will always feel in debt with them.
After decades, some of them are still there ready to give me advices, because seasoned leaders understand and deeply respect the concept that all leaders need leaders.

9 - SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND INSPIRE OTHERS ALONG THE WAY
You are not exactly the owner of your knowledge, you are just luckier, faster or simply born before than others. That’s why you must share it, confronting your experience with your peers or subordinates and this is the best way to build a strong team which will thank you with outstanding performances.
You can see from the eyes of your staff, they are shining while absorbing the knowledge you are passing to them. In those moments you build your respect, strong like a wall, lasting forever. 
And maybe, after twenty years, you will still receive the birthday wishes or an unexpected visit and, those little things or just a few minutes for a coffee, will repay you for years of struggles.

10 - HAVE A POWERFUL AND INSPIRING "WHY"
“If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step you take just gets you to the wrong place faster”, that’s why you must know your WHY so that working and risking will surely make the effort worth it.
Your WHY almost always has something to do with love, the desire to succeed, to take care of, support and nurture the people you love and who support your vision (or just trying to do something to pay back your family for never being at home like all the other humans).
The difficulties faced on daily basis by an hotelier are too energy consuming and several times your health is seriously affected by continuous pressure, but a life purpose is the only way to fight all the negativities which will disappear when you focus on your WHY.

Perhaps these ten tips don’t worth to be written on the Bible, but I hope they could help some future, 
crazy and awesome hotelier.

Monday, 5 November 2018

I am a Chef

"I am a Chef" I say...
"Oh what's your specialty?" they always ask.
"My specialty...?" I say...

My specialty is maintaining peace among a staff of professionals, immigrants, part-timers waiting to be real job-ers, burnouts, disgruntles and people genuinely motivated by the hospitality.
My specialty is knowing how to do everyone's job, so they respect me, but also, at the blink of an eye, I could be pulling their functions as they are pulling that crumpled suit out of the closet for the next job interview.
My specialty is delivering high quality food in a timely manner within the constraint of archaic equipment, new fads, ancient techniques, all while abiding the unfair, unrealistic, ever-changing demands of health department, management and guests alike.
My specialty is sleeping very little, waking when a lot of people are going to bed, never seeing the sunlight during the holidays, working countless days in a row, being the first in and the last to leave.
My specialty is actually having fun in a such high demanding and stressful job, taking pride in a job well done, seeing doubts in the people's eyes sometimes and, somehow, pulling it off.

"I am a Chef" I say... "That's my specialty"

Sunday, 2 July 2017

Interview with the Chef


If your kitchen was on fire, what would you save and why?
My knives and, in the season, I would grab the truffles. It is better to cry in front of a risotto with Alba truffle than a sandwich with turkey ham.

If you weren’t a chef what would you be?
A sniper or a gladiator.

What’s your foodie guilty pleasure?
Nutella from the fridge and my way to I eat it from the jar.

If you had to cook for your hero, whom would you cook for and what would you cook?
It would be great to cook for Thomas Keller something simple and definitely Italian.

Who would be your fantasy dinner guests?
A round table for five with Ennio Morricone, Roberto Baggio, Vladimir Putin, Clint Eastwood and Oliver Stone, it would be a must.

Sweet or savoury?
Definitely both, depending by the mood and the wine.

What is your favourite food shop or market?
Porta Palazzo market in Turin.

And for a blow-out dinner?
I cannot list, there are too many, but also “chez moi” is quiet intriguing…

What would your death row meal be?
Tomahawk of Chianina, salsa of datterino tomato, rocket salad, olive oil from my mum and one Super Tuscan.

What is your favourite cookbook?
“Az Óceán Kincsei”, a very nice seafood cookbook. Ah yes,I did it!

What’s your top cooking tip?
No passion, no cook.

What is your favourite foodie destination in the Italy?
All the regions of Italy are monuments to the food, but Tuscany and Campania… they are diamonds.

And abroad?
Thailand, Vietnam, Mauritius.

What ingredients are really worth forking out for?
Burrata, Alba Truffle, Formaggio di Fossa, Culatello.

What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?
When it’s time to introduce something in my stomach, I’m very conservative and I don’t go over certain points. I go wild in other things, but a crested porcupine stew it’s a must eat before to die.

In your opinion, what is the most underrated ingredient/cut of meat/fish?
What we call “poor fish”, rabbit, milk fed lamb.

Monday, 26 June 2017

Operations Team VS Support Team

After many years on the field, I see that some basic things are still not clear for many so called hoteliers.
A very basic question in many discussions is:
“Who is responsible for serving a steak to a guest or changing the bathrobe in the room?”
A beginner will answer:
“Easy! The server and the house keeper”.

We all know that it is not true; the responsible is the entire team.
A server delivering a dish to a well-dressed table, a cook preparing the dish on a well washed plate by the steward with a well maintained dishwasher machine by the engineering team, which is using parts purchased by the finance.
A bathrobe delivered to a room by the house keeper, well washed and ironed by the launderer and again we can call in all the staff and
departmentsinvolved in the good running of a laundry.

Everything is crystal clear, right? One Hotel = One Team, no discussion.
Is the satisfaction of the guest high? It’s because of the team.
Is it down? It’s because of the team.

Although, there is the "de facto" separation in "operations team" and "support team".
The operations team is the one delivering the final product to the guest, all those “ladies and gentlemen” playing with their faces, and, I would say, the business card of the hotel as well (Kitchen/Stewarding, F&B, Room Division, Front Office and Security).

The support team is the one, of course, supporting, in order that the operation team can deliver at its best all the times
(HR, Engineering, IT, Finance & Purchasing, Sales & Marketing).

And here we start with the issues: HR that does not hire, Engineering that does not fix, IT not responding..., Finance that does not purchase, Sales & Marketing that sells whatever they want... I can spend hours to list samples, but, even
if they have different duties and completely different jobs, I have to recognize they have two "fils rouges" connecting them perfectly:
- they are professional liars, I mean, Pinocchio is a debutant compared with them;
- when things go wrong, they immediately drop the shit on the operations,
I mean, they are so fast that a Lamborghini is a snail compared to them.

Fortunately I met few exceptions, they are professionals and I can just bow to them,
but I would like one day to finish addressing the majority of the support team as
"those off in the weekend” or “state workers”.
Nothing personal, just realistic, if the hotel is a 24/7 business, the operation team is present 24/7
and the support team has to be flexible and do what they should, just supporting at least 12/7,
unless they are so smart and proficient to dothe expected and more in their 8 miserable hours shift.

I really hope to be wrong, or maybe I’m just a human magnet attracting jerks in my neighborhood.

Saturday, 1 April 2017

The Kitchen Code

This is THE KITCHEN CODE.
I know, someone will say it is not politically correct.
Well, in effect it is not and I don't give a fuck!
Also it is not written in any school text or any management manual,
but I grew up with this rules in most of the kitchens I worked 
and I expect the same in my kitchens, so let's have a bit of fun....

1. You show up early and you are at your station early, ready to work

2. You arrive in a presentable fashion: showered, shaved, brushed, combed, and in a clean uniform, last night’s entertainment is not discernable

3. You have a genuine enthusiasm for good food, good technique, and culinary advancement, regardless of how much you already think you know

4. You maintain a good attitude, finding satisfaction in doing good work

5. You are coachable and don’t get defensive when criticized

6. You are not a know-it-all (the opposite of being coachable)

7. You don’t take yourself too seriously and are able to laugh at yourself if you fucked up…but you also learn from it

8. You do not dwell upon or allow the feelings associated with a fuck-up to distract you. Instead, you keep your mental focus in the game and move on. If you need to discuss it with Chef then do so after service has ended

9. You season everything with the “correct” amount of seasoning as per the Chef’s preference (not your own)

10. You taste everything in your station, making sure it is correctly made and of proper quality

11. Dull knives are disrespectful to ingredients – you have a sharp knife at all times

12. You NEVER use someone else’s knives without their permission. As Anthony Bourdain says: “Don’t touch my dick, don’t touch my knife”

13. You do not complain – especially about those things which cannot be controlled, such as customer requests/returns, the restaurant hours of operation, having to work weekends, holidays, how busy or slow it is, etc.

14. You show respect for the food, for the Chef, and for how we want things done at THIS restaurant (not the way some other chef did it at some other restaurant you worked at…we don’t care)

15. You show respect for fellow co-workers (team members); this includes cooks, dishwashers, bussers, prep cooks, food runners, expeditors, and servers (yes, the servers too!)

16. You do not expect or demand respect from others. You understand that respect is earned: a) by being equal or better than everyone else in the kitchen, and b) by treating everyone else like they are equal or better than you

17. You understand the importance of a fully staffed crew and you do not call in sick so you can go to that concert, or party

18. You consistently show up for work…if you are sick then be prepared to provide a doctor’s note to prove it (too many have violated the other members of the Saturday night crew by calling in sick to go to a party)

19. If you have a mild cold, or a headache, or a hangover, you are not sick…show up for work

20. You don’t get sick often

21. You have the ability to stay focused under pressure – expect to be in the weeds often… and work your way out of it alone

22. You’re not afraid to ask for help if your station gets slammed…but you understand that help may not be available

23. If your station gets utterly hammered and you sink, you don’t give up and walk off the Line…you break out a shovel and dig your way out

24. You are aware of the kitchen flow and take initiative…if your fellow cook is buried, you help them out

25. You always rotate product properly, practicing FIFO (First In, First Out)

26. You always have enough mise en place for your shift

27. You never throw product out due to over-prepping

28. You NEVER steal someone else’s mise en place

29. You always prepare fresh products daily…do not make tomorrow’s chiffonade today

30. When running low on a product for your station’s prep you always let the chef know before the last of it is gone

31. Never 86 anything unless there is no more product to prep. When running low on a menu item you always give the chef at least a one hour warning before having to 86 it. This allows a count-down for the servers so no customer orders it when it is gone; and it allows time to try to prep more or find a replacement

32. You are fast, but not sloppy…your station is clean and organized even in the middle of the push

33. You always have an extra gear available when needed

34. You follow established safe holding temperatures and verify that your products in the hot bain-marie and refrigerated holding inserts are at temp. You sanitize everything that comes in contact with food, ie. thermometers, utensils etc.

35. You organize your time efficiently, always planning ahead…you make fewer trips to the walk-in, always carrying something both ways

36. You take your breaks when it’s slow, and only with the chef’s permission

37. You restock your station before taking your breaks

38. You manage your food well – if it needs to be in the window in 2 minutes you can make it happen, or if you’re told to slow a dish for 4 minutes you know how to do that as well

39. You have an appetite to learn more, regardless of how much or little you already know

40. You prepare and present the food exactly as the Chef has taught you…every time

41. When you’re having a great day you focus, prepare, & present the food properly throughout your entire shift

42. When you’re having a shitty day you focus, prepare, & present the food properly throughout your entire shift

43. You do it right, without taking shortcuts, even if it’s a tedious pain in the ass. This is called Professional Discipline

44. You do not bring your personal drama to work with you. You take control of, and are responsible for, your “Emotional Wake”

45. You are not afraid to ask appropriate questions about proper procedure…do not hack up an entire tenderloin because you are too arrogant, or too scared, to ask for a demo

46. You work neatly and clean as you go

47. You properly label and date EVERYTHING

48. You admit when you are wrong, but don’t point it out when others are wrong – especially if it’s the chef

49. The kitchen is not a democracy…always do it the Chef’s way, even if you think your way is better, if you must suggest something, do so in private…hopefully the Chef will give you kudos if he accepts the revision…but don’t expect it

50. “Yes Chef!” or “Oui Chef!” is the only proper response to any directive from the Chef. If the Chef says, “Please do it this way” understand that he/she is not offering you a choice; you are politely being instructed how to do it and your compliance is expected

51. You always give call-backs when orders are called

52. You work in a safe manner, thereby protecting yourself and others from harm

53. You always use appropriate kitchen warnings such as, “Behind”, “Corner”, “Hot”, “Knife”, “Oven Open”, etc.

54. You are willing and able to work long hours under high stress, sometimes for many days straight, w/o becoming a moody detriment to the kitchen or the food

55. You work for the good of the team and the restaurant

56. You plan ahead and ask for days off well in advance

57. You always know exactly what is in your oven, or on your stove or grill, even if it’s not yours

58. You are aware and observant in the kitchen: you smell when food doesn’t smell or feel right, you notice if the temp in a cooler is too high, you smell if something is burning

59. You have a “sense of urgency”

60. You work efficiently as regards time and organization, meaning that items which take a long time to prepare are started before items which take less time. During service, if you have a dish which takes 10 minutes to prepare, one which takes 5 minutes, and one which takes 2 minutes, you are able to time and prepare all three within 10 minutes and hit the window at the same time; and it does not take you 17 minutes because you prepared them one at a time

61. You always tell the chef when you leave the Line, including why you are leaving

62. When it’s slow, you always find something useful to do, including cleaning your station or organizing the walk-in. “If you have time to lean you have time to clean”

63. Always treat equipment with respect, as if you paid for it yourself

64. Always work in a manner which meets the health code, ensuring that you’re not going to get someone sick

65. You understand the proper use of foodservice gloves. They are a pain in the ass, but they protect our guests, “No glove, no love”

66. Know the difference between a cut and a scratch; a cut requires stitches, a scratch does not. If it’s a scratch put a Band-Aid on it and get back to work. If it requires only 2 or 3 stitches, please return to finish your shift after the doctor is done. The crew and the chef will both respect and appreciate you more for it

67. If you do return to work with injuries, be wise enough to work within your restrictions and not cause yourself additional injury

68. You daily rotate all your mise en place on the Line into clean containers at closing

69. You stay until all the day’s work is done properly w/o asking to leave early. You ask if there’s anything else that needs to be done before leaving

70. You mentor new co-workers as you would have liked to have been mentored/taught, not necessarily how you were taught

71. You manage your “recreational activities” wisely… too many of us become addicted to alcohol or drugs

72. To be recognized as a leader in the kitchen…you know the kitchen code, practice the kitchen code, and mentor the kitchen code. I know… sappy and proselytizing!
But how else could you possibly end “The Code… of Anything"?

73. And, last but not least, you have three optional answers when questioned: “Yes CHEF, Sorry CHEF, It will never happen again, CHEF"


Monday, 15 September 2014

Ten Rules of an Incompetent Professional

I just found 10 pearls of wisdom, a really special thanks and bravo to the author.

These rules are the best to place ignorance at the most unsuspected limits. We can easily recognize someone close to us who appears to be a true professional but who, in reality, isn’t anything more than an unqualified beginner. 

1. “Blame others”: whatever happens, there will always be someone who can be blamed for things that go wrong, however much responsibility, or lack of, they have. In the slang of useless people, this rule is called “passing the buck” or saying “the dog ate my work“.

2. “Steal and use the achievements of others”: which is essential for getting to the top, whilst those at the bottom never stop complaining about our incompetence. In the slang of the useless, this is called “taking all the credit“.

3. “Deny having done anything”: even though you’ve been caught on film committing the worst possible crime, deny it all. It could always be thought that it’s a complex plot created by your worst enemy to question your honesty.

4. “Don’t face up to things and avoid making statements”: never try to defend yourself if you’ve done something bad. You will be accused of things that you hadn’t even thought of. It’s better to avoid making statements and mention a brief: “I haven’t done anything; this is a plot against my honesty and good name”.

5. “Look for false witnesses to back up the lie”: there is always an absent-minded friend, one of those who are dying to be at your side, who will be willing to state anything, and back up our tale. It’s important to have some to hand.
6. “Get others to make statements for you”: if there is no other alternative, and rule 4 can’t be applied, it’s much better to get others to do it for you. In addition to the witnesses from the previous rule, try to get people who are fairly simple to make statements for you; they’ll end up boring everyone to death.

7. “Get a lawyer to make statements for you”: once the previous point has been exhausted, it’s best to get a lawyer to respond with excuses and contradictions.

8. “Invent a Saintly role”: if ultimately we have to say something, it’s important to have created a story that elevates us to the level of Holy Spirit and makes everyone believe that under no circumstances would we be capable of such acts.

9. “Throw stones at the enemy”: someone wants to back us into a corner? However saintly they are, they will always have a dark side. Look for it and hit them hard until no doubt remains that the person is worse than the devil.

10. “Invent a conspiracy”: if someone has backed us into a corner, and we haven’t been able to take them down, there is no other alternative than to plot a conspiracy, using a smoke screen. The most common stories are those that involve the abuse or harassment of women, because they always manage to attract nonsensical parrots.


   Be careful because lately ignorant people appear to be having great success.
  

Friday, 30 March 2012

Pass the biscuit

When I was a kid, my Mum liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now & then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.

On that evening, so long ago, my Mum placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mum and asked me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember hearing my Mum apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your momma put in a long hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides... A burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things... And imperfect people.
I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries
just like everyone else. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults and choosing to celebrate each other's differences, is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing,and lasting relationship.

So...please pass me a biscuit. And yes, the burned one will do just fine!
And please pass this along to someone who has enriched your life...

I just did!

Life is too short to wake up with regrets... Love the people who treat you right
and forget about the ones who don't.

ENJOY LIFE NOW - IT HAS AN EXPIRY DATE!