NOTE: This was originally posted last Mother’s Day. The menu has changed, but the sentiments have not. Happy Mother’s Day!

Holidays are a time when we take stock of how we have been blessed in life. Today leads me to think about how I am blessed by having my own mother, the stepmother of my children, and her mother all in my life to celebrate.

My mother raised me, taught me to be an individual, and made me who I am. My wife accepted and grew to love two children who are not her own by birth. It is no small task to deal with two teenage boys neither of whom she got to hold as affectionate, adorable and adoring babies. My mother-in-law, despite having no real say in the matter, found herself attached to me and my unkempt brood, and has welcomed us into her family in every way.

While there is no way to adequately thank these wonderful women for all that they have done for me, I hope that they at least know how much they are appreciated. My personal way of trying to express love, appreciation, and honor is to cook for people. As my own mother lives thousands of miles from me, I will have to owe her one.

Today I will spend a lot of time cooking to try and make it a good day for people who mean a lot to me, which in turn makes it a good day for me. I find cooking to be an engaging way to spend my time. I love finding the ingredients, the processes, and the eating. These are all the more enjoyable when I am doing these things for others. While not as altruistic as it sounds, I thoroughly enjoy the accolades when everything works out well, I love to see how much enjoyment my food can bring.

This morning started off with a trip to my favorite local fish monger. This is another blessing. I live near the Gulf of Mexico and a 10 minute drive gets me some seriously fresh seafood. I arrived there just as they were opening and the workers were still spreading ice and the morning’s haul was yet to be placed out on display. The smell was wonderful. It was clean, fresh, and smelled of salt water.

Fresh Red Snapper, Gulf Shrimp and some Sashimi grade Yellowfin Tuna all made it onto the menu. I am thinking Tuna Tartare to start. Snapper stuffed with a sake-ginger risotto and shrimp, and a nice Napa cabbage Asian salad will round out the meal.

Now I just need to decide between a nice Pinot Gris or a Gewürztraminer to go along with it, and come up with what some around here consider the most important part of a special meal…dessert.

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone, and especially to the special women in my life!