See that large metal grain bin? My dad made that! Yes, I am a proud daughter who enjoys bragging about how her daddy made the thing with Bob’s face on it outside of Bob’s Red Mill. My dad designs and repairs feed mill equipment for a living, which I never understood the appeal of (smelly, hot, physical, not my kind of job . . . but wait, that describes my job perfectly! I guess I am a daddy’s girl!). I did help him out when I was younger, for less than a week. I could not take more than that! My “helping” included screwing large nuts and bolts into large, metal grain bins, in the pouring rain, and complaining about it constantly. I remember shivering in clothes completely soaked through, and screwing small pieces of metal into larger pieces of metal with numb fingers. But, I also remember the rides to and from Bob’s, talking and laughing with my dad, telling stories and planning where to stop and eat. I remember my brother helping my dad operate the crane, and standing in awe as they lifted giant sheets of metal into the sky. I remember touring the mill with Bob, meeting the other employees, and eating a brown bag lunch in the cafeteria with the piano in the corner. I remember feeding the ducks in the pond, smelling the musty air in my dad’s service truck, shopping in Bob’s little store, and buying some oatmeal or rice flour for my mom. Great memories about a place that I now frequent as a customer. I feel like I contributed in some very small way, to building a part of my favorite store/restaurant.
We visited Bob’s on Saturday for breakfast, the best breakfast anywhere, ever. Tender biscuits, perfectly cooked over-easy eggs, and the best part, the hash browns. Crispy on the outside, perfectly seasoned and not greasy at all. You can really taste the freshness of everything, and how much love goes into every menu item. I ordered my new Saturday favorite, the hash brown casserole with biscuits. Way too much food for one meal, but to go boxes exist for a reason, right? My boyfriend prefers the classic hash browns, eggs and toast, a little boring for me, but no menu item at Bob’s disappoints. We left with to go boxes stuffed with breakfast for the next day, ready to enjoy the sunshine.
What Am I Eating? 