Several years ago, ok maybe several dozen years ago…. I came home to South West Virginia for thanksgiving. Ok, I have to start with what that really means….. My family is from SW Virgina, no they settled SW Virginia. They originally landed in what is now called Blacksburg, and then moved to Radford. I skipped a million historical references with that last doozie. If you are interested google Mary Draper Ingles. So thanksgiving is in the 300+ year old family house then Saturday we go back to Blacksburg, to my mother’s for dinner. I cook that dinner….. After being sent to the Grocery Store, I find nothing but nasty.. No fish, no beef nothing.. But a decent looking row of pork chops. Hmmmmmmmm what can I do….. I worked for a Swiss company for about 10 years and went there every year several times. The Swiss do two things obsessively…. Schnitzel and Core Don Bleu.. Staring down that stack of cops I realized I need to do what I can do given what I have. I show up back at the ranch… with pork chops….Some one is not happy. What I cooked is basic, properly seasoned, correctly breaded pork chops cooked, plated and then sauced with a simple white wine, mushroom, cream sauce and a veggie… Silence…. That humble silly meal stopped the critics and gave every one wonderful meal. It is not the loftiness of the product that counts… it is the love, attention to detail, and artistry that you use to give your guests that humble dish, what really counts. You may not know it but the best dishes are those humble ones that need extra love and effort. Beef Bourgogne, Osso Bucco, et Bouillabaisse The best dishes Tonight I cooked Schweine Schnitzel with a reduced cream white wine and mushroom sauce. Simply magnificent