Dad may not always want a tie, a cigar or a quippy coffee mug, but he always wants to eat. Taking him out for a family meal not only fulfills that wish, it also gifts him with your company.

And while he may fit the steak-feasting dad archetype, he’s got plenty of culinary options this weekend. Here are some choices that range from French to Asian to Italian, from Memphis ribs to Argentine churrasco. Read the full story

When I was a little girl sent overseas to visit my father in Hungary, there were exactly three Hungarian dishes I liked to eat. (Hamburgers, much to my dismay, were not very popular there. )

They were: Hideg meggyleves (cold cherry soup), paprikás csirke (chicken paprika) and palacsinta (crepes). Luckily, just about everywhere we went I could find one of these staples of Hungarian cooking, plucked from the usual heavy meals of cabbage, potato and stewed meats that featured prominently in the restaurant menus.

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Morton’s The Steakhouse is vowing to “put the ‘men’ in menu” on Father’s Day (their words) with a special three-course menu for $69.

The Father’s Day special, which runs from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at local Morton’s locations, includes a choice of soup or salad, an entrée, side and dessert. Read the full story

I once had a conversation with Steve Tyrell, the wonderful bluesy standards singer, about why he’s popular with women who were little girls when the Steve Martin version of “Father of the Bride” was released. It’s because of Tyrell’s touching take on “The Way You Look Tonight,” and their use of for a Father/Daughter dance at their weddings, even though the song wasn’t used for that purpose in the movie. It just touches on the close emotional ties between daddies and their girls, both in the film and, obviously, in the lives of those real-life brides.

For Father’s Day, we’re asking our readers what songs they used to dance with their dads when they got hitched – and that’s both women and men, because we know of men shared that special moment with their daddies, too. Why did you pick it? What does it mean to you? Do you have photos?

Please respond or email Leslie Streeter at lstreeter@pbpost.com (For the record, mine was “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban, which we giggled through because we couldn’t remember the words and were like ‘You raise me up on…something something mountains!”

Thanks, and Happy Father’s Day!

After the challenge of describing our four wines as the type of father they might be (see Part 1 of A Toast to Fathers, from yesterday), our next task was to find out how these “fathers” stood up to food.

I had assigned a bottle of wine each to Holly, Linda, and Beth and Dave, and asked them to find a recipe that would pair with it. Like the good students, and friends, they are, they did a little research online and came up with dishes that made the evening a well-rounded and complete dining experience! (Recipes are at the end of the story.) Read the full story

In what’s now become a ritual during our annual father/daughter weekend when Dad comes to visit, we arm ourselves with wine-buying guides and lists torn from magazines, and set out for yet another adventure at our favorite shopping destination: Total Wine.

This year’s goal, as dictated by my dad (who am I to argue when he wants to splurge on his “little girl”?), was to buy a case of wine — a different varietal or region residing in each cardboard-partitioned space.

So in honor of my father’s fine palate and his concern for mine, I invited a few friends over to share the liquid wealth and play a game sure to please any paternal oenophile. Read the full story

Show dad you care by sending him an ecard

Shopping for dad can be difficult and when your on a budget it can be even more challenging. Here are a few ideas that are sure to make every dad happy. ( Or, if stumped at the stores, try taking dad to one of the many Father’s Day events going on around town.)

For the wine loving dad: $40
Wine coolers are expensive and can’t be taken everywhere, but with Ravi ($40) dad can cool his wine to perfection. Place the Ravi in the freezer for at least 6 hours and place it on the neck of the bottle when you pour the wine passes through and chills it to a perfect 54 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Allow us to advocate for the dad “who has everything,” the man who’s impossible to shop for or surprise. He’s the unlucky dude who each year watches as moms everywhere are celebrated with feasts and flowers on their special day.
But what does he get on Father’s Day for his patience and paternity?
A tie. Socks. Tools, if he’s lucky.

Guided by the belief that a great steak trumps even the nicest tie, a robust bottle
of red zin trumps a pair of socks, and the hog snapper special at Captain Charlie’s trumps any wrench any day, we offer culinary ideas for the dad or granddad in your life.

Besides, how many ties can a guy have?

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It was my father who first introduced his hobby of photography to me, and it ultimately became my profession. So I suppose it was natural for him to introduce to me another hobby and love of his – wine. (Maybe my second career!)

It grew slowly on me, partly because of a lack of funds, but after enjoying wines with him on our infrequent visits, and plenty of reading, both online and in Wine Spectator magazine, my tastes and appreciation have evolved.

Dad and I had a special father-daughter weekend together not too long ago – special because this was all our own with no other family members. Read the full story