
Making a traditional Hollandaise, yolks in a vinegar reduction (all photos by Donna Turner Ruhlman).

Making a traditional Hollandaise, yolks in a vinegar reduction (all photos by Donna Turner Ruhlman).
Three years ago on this date, a Saturday, Donna, my mom, I, the kids, our dear friend Stu, and the dog spent the morning standing vigil as my father succumbed to the lung cancer. Mom had gone to the farmer's market and gotten corn and she and I stood at the kitchen island plowing through a dozen and a half ears, butter dripping off our chins. My dad, Rip, hadn't been conscious since very early in the morning, 3 am, Donna and I on the bedside, holding his hand. Realizing the end was truly near, he wanted our assurance that I had indeed returned his library books. I had. "We love you, Dad, we're going to be fine, don't worry, everything's going to be OK." By eleven a.m., he breathed sporadically. I hoped he could hear ears of corn being ...