"FathersDay" news and stories

One staffer's devotion to Dad is well-documented. Photo: Sara Bonisteel.

Nationwide, Dads are opening boxes and saying, "Another tie ... great!"

Well, not that these propensities are limited to those with a Y-chromosome, but in the hot months we Slashfood staffers have spied our fathers grilling, talking about grilling, mowing the lawn, golfing or standing about yakking.

And why not? It's Father's Day. Dad's entitled. So whip up a Pop-Tail for the Father's Day brunch (if your dad does that) or simply hand him one of these Slashfood-approved elixirs while he's doing any of the above. Top ranking in the favorite son or daughter continuum is now assured.

Kat Kinsman Dad won't mind being put to work on his special day if it means he gets a chance to man the grill. (Well OK, mine hates grilling, but s'OK. A girl can 'cue for her dad, right, ladies?) Smoked fruit -- like lemons and cherries -- brings a satisfying Scotch-like note to summery drinks like lemonade and margaritas. And hey, so long as you and/or he are spending time smoking, you might as well toss a brisket or pork shoulder on the grate. It'd be a crime to waste all that wood. Try my recipe for Smoked Lemonade.

Rachel Been Billy Been is a simple drinker and a gardener, and usually goes for one of two drinking options -- a cold Foster's or a easy mixture of Scotch and soda. He always lets the ice melt a little too much, which seems to take the edge off of the beverage and the sight of his dying asparagus plants.

Gretchen Roberts writes the wine blog Vinobite, has passed the introductory course at the Court of Master Sommeliers and is studying for her sommelier certification this fall.

According to industry research, the majority (58 percent) of grill owners use them year-round (I'm one of them, and have been known to dust a foot or so of snow off the barbie in the middle of January), but summer is really when grilling gets smokin' hot. With Father's Day and the whole "let's grill a big juicy steak for dad and buy him a tie" cliché less than a week away, let's talk a bit more about barbecue-friendly wines. (And be sure to check out our expert grilling tips here).

Wine and grill pairing basics and four recommended vinos after the jump.

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• Maintain your veggie garden, and more from the Neighborhood Garden Project
• Zhi tea? Yes, please
• Applebee's: Eatin' green in the neighborhood
• Show dad you love him with liquor that leaves no eco-footprint
• The end of an abundant era?
  
• Freaky but factual: Chinese animal parks selling tiger bone wine as tonic

• Cheap wine picks for Dad, if you don't have the extra cash for $225 Dom Perignon.
• The perks of dining at Dustin Gallagher's Grace on College Street -- just on the cusp of Toronto's Little Italy.
• Epic foodie effort: There's a new cookbook bibliography called Culinary Landmarks: A Bibliography of Canadian Cookbooks hitting shelves -- one that chronicles all the texts of the past and retro recipes ranging from lemon pudding to, believe it or not, frozen beef tea.