Dad Gone Wild: Sinfully Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

My family likes to tease my dad and say he’s perky. And if you’re reading this and thinking that’s nothing to tease someone over, you’re certainly correct, because what’s wrong with being a happy, cheerful person? (I guess unless you’re referring to a female’s surgically enhanced body part? And even then you’d probably want them to be perky, but I suppose you could still tease ‘em about it?)

Sorry. Back to the family fare. Though you know, if popular culture is to be believed, Father’s Day is all about masculinity gone wild, it’s like a late night DVD for drills, grills, and pieces of meat. Even Google is all tied up over this holiday today:

So really, my dad isn’t a marketer’s dream because he’s an actual human, not a just cardboard cutout, beer holding, steak grilling maniac who shops at Sears, though on occasion I’m sure he has done one or more of those things. Instead, he’s my dad, and he deserves praise everyday. Not just because he is sometimes told he looks like this guy:

And not just because he really loves chocolate.

And not just because defies stereotypes and rarely cares what anyone thinks. After all, he is an avid golfer and scotch drinker. But he’s not rich. And he’s an agnostic, non-practicing Jew who participates in opening gifts around a Christmas tree each year and lives in one of Boston’s friendliest neighborhoods. I love my parents.

And not just because the best days of his life were (not necessarily in this order):

• Red Sox World Series Wins 2004 & 2007
• Birth of Children
• Meeting his Wife

And not just because he makes everyone he meets feel totally comfortable. He will remember your name. He’ll be your friend even if you like the Yankees, and he’ll play nice even if your future husband is a Yankees fan. He might even give a kick-ass speech about it at your wedding, which just happened to be here.

Cheers.

So yes, he’s perky. He’d make a great bartender. In fact, his new phase in life may include that new profession. I think that’s pretty cool, and I can add it to the list of things that define him as a dad. But for now I think I’ll just show him this:

And see if I can get him to bake these cookies. Because yes, my dad sometimes cooks. He sometimes drove a purple (dad, it was purple!) minivan. He definitely picked me up from ballet. He had a job. He took me to Red Sox games. He told me never to give up on my dreams. He married my mom after knowing her for a veryshort period of time. And I have pretty much the best parents on earth. They accept me as am I: free spirit. And really, Father’s Day should also be Mother’s Day. After all, it takes two to tango.

• 1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1⁄2 tsp baking soda
• 1⁄4 cup organic brown sugar
• 1⁄4 tsp sea salt
• 1⁄4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 T canola oil
• 3 oz. organic vegan dark chocolate
• 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
• 1⁄3 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2. Using a double boiler method, melt the dark chocolate, stirring every few seconds, careful not to let the chocolate burn. Once the chocolate has melted, add the milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and canola oil. Stir well.

3. Add contents from the double boiler to dry ingredients and mix well, let cool for 1 minute and add chocolate chips. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, place batter 1-inch apart on cookie sheet and bake for 14 minutes.