The cook: Fred Gilbert of Boynton Beach

His story: I was born and raised in Meadville, Pa. As a boy, I enjoyed fishing. My mother owned a restaurant. My dad was an electrician. As a teen, I washed dishes in another restaurant and ended up as a waiter. I have two sons, one a science teacher in Vermont and the other a truck driver in New York. I attended the Salvation Army School for Officers Training in New York City.

I later became a United Methodist pastor and served in the Adirondacks for 20 years. It was during that time that I took a greater interest in cooking, because of all the potluck meals the church sponsored and the ongoing bake sales to raise money. After I retired as a minister, I became a merchant marine for eight years.

I like the sun, and I saw an ad for this condo and bought it sight unseen (Four Sea Suns adult community) last February, without even knowing where Boynton Beach was. I packed up my rusty 1993 Geo Metro and headed south with all I owned. I’m optimistic about getting a part-time job as a bridgetender here in Palm Beach County. I love growing plants and have had vegetable and flower gardens for years. My lanai has basil, tomato plants, desert rose and other houseplants. For the first time in my life, I have attempted growing a couple of orchids.

His cooking story: My mother and dad were great cooks. My dad liked to experiment with food and be creative while my mother stuck by tried and true meals. I remember some of my mother’s standbys which were not favorites of mine, liver being No. 1.

My passion for cooking developed during my time in the ministry, and I viewed it as a stress reliever. I lean toward being a vegetarian. I also love pasta dishes. A favorite is pasta à la vodka. I like using butternut squash since it is so versatile. I make a great butternut squash lasagna. Most of my cooking stems from an interest in reading and trying new recipes. I’ve told people over the years that if they can read, they can cook. So, basically I’m self-taught.
I have won recognition from the Plattsburgh, N.Y., Press Republican for a couple of recipes while living in the Adirondacks. I have been working on a cookbook of recipes with little anecdotes about them.

I put together my church’s cookbooks with some unique recipes (one: homemade honey without bees).
Favorite food from mom’s kitchen: My mother made a mayonnaise cake that was so moist and good, my brothers and I would scarf it down without icing. My mother made an awesome French dressing, which may be one reason I’m such a salad eater to this day. The recipe is over 100 years old and so good. My guess is that the recipe is the same age as canned tomato soup since that is one of the ingredients.

Funny cooking stories: For my sons’ lunches, I tried offering something other than standard PB&J. I would pack veggie sticks, applesauce, cottage cheese, pepperoni, fruit as well as sandwiches and casseroles. My boys told me they were the most popular ones in the cafeteria.

Another funny story is while in seminary, I shared a common kitchen with another seminarian. She and I would often take turns cooking. One day while preparing roasted chicken, I wanted to be creative with spices and was having difficulty finding any. I opened the refrigerator and saw a bag with what appeared to be spices on the door. I opened it and liked the citrus smell. So I coated the chicken with it and baked it. While we were eating, my friend raved about the chicken. When she asked about the spices, I told her what I used, and she screamed and said: “That was my orange-flavored Metamucil.”

About the recipes: The West African Peanut Soup is delicious. I use a little extra cayenne pepper, giving the soup a nice bite. In my early days of ministry in the Salvation Army, my then-wife (now divorced) and I hosted some Ethiopian students who introduced me to African Peanut Soup.

The Danish Almond Pudding, to quote Martha Stewart, “is to die for.” Since this is a bit labor-intensive, I don’t make it nearly often enough. It was a holiday treat for my family and friends each December. When I made it for my family, in addition to the slithered toasted almonds, I would put one whole almond in and whoever found it in their pudding would receive some small gift.

His free cookbook: Low & Slow: Mastering the Art of Barbecue in Five Easy Lessons by Gary Wiviott (Running Press).
Cooking tool you can’t do without: A food processor. So many sauces and soups require blending until smooth.
The recipes: West African Peanut Soup, Danish Almond Pudding

Difficulty: Simple (soup), medium (pudding)