The Master Home Chef

 Prince Harry recently described his grandfather , the Duke of Edinburgh as "a master of the barbecue" This was true of men of Philip's generation. They loved to cook only outdoors while the kitchen remained the domain of the women of the household. Yet as we 've discovered from the last two generations and lockdown that's all changed. Men have become as adept as women and in some cases more so at cooking and baking.

There have been some men who have always loved to cook and bake (namely my grandfather, Poppy, and his son my uncle).it was a chance to get creative and test their skills. High school Home Ec classes even taught what was known as "Bachelor in the Kitchen" where boys learned how to make pizza from scratch and even whip up a buttercream frosting. Now single and stay at home dads are just as enthusiastic at finding the right sourdough starter as moms are. They're getting excited over catalogs from Williams & Sonoma and King Arthur Flour. They're buying air fryers and immersion blenders at Target or Wal-Mart. The best part is they're enjoying it, as they include the kids in various aspect of meal preparation. Kids are learning their their kitchen skills from their fathers as a generation or two ago learned how to throw a baseball or drive a car. Sons and daughters are taking direction from how to make the right pasta dough to basting a turkey. It brings them closer because they can then sit down and eat together and share their day's experience.

What are dad home chefs cooking?Mac and cheese is probably number one on the list. It's a comfort food , harking back to their childhoods. They may have even gotten the recipe from their moms and grannies.Some  are probably putting their spin on it by adding in Gruyere or Parmesan or subbing in rotelli pasta for elbow macaroni. Hamburgers are another must cook. These are not the already made patties but hand made ones, with the addition of  minced onions and bacon bits. The more advanced home chefs may try their hand at Cornish game hens with a wild rice stuffing or a prime rib. Of course the male home chef shines not only at parties but super events like the in house Super Bowl gathering. This is a chance to get creative with those wings, homemade pizza and of course, grilled and smoked meats. They'll probably make all sorts of sauces for the wings like the tangy lemon pepper flavor to four alarm wing marinade. Male home chefs will bake up the kind of guy pizza their friends love with layers of steak and pepperoni topped with mozzarella and Parmesan. Of course they grill. The steaks will probably have a gourmet touch with a medallion of herb butter on top or spiced with chimichurri sauce.

Home cooking concepts have changed from Prince Philip's generations to his grandsons. Male home chefs are expanding their skills and their palates as they claim the kitchen as theirs. They're making  their stand and becoming good at it with time honored recipes.