Pride and Joy
Published June 4, 2008 in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner.

Bob and his daughter arrived on a warm summer evening. I watched from the office window as a very elderly gentleman with a cane got out of the taxi. He was a little slow climbing the stairs to the front door but did not seem to have any difficulty with the ascent. I met and greeted them at the door and was greeted in return with warmth, quick wit, and a glad to be here. Bob was robust in size, easily six feet six inches. His daughter carried their one bag but Bob registered and paid for their stay with a clear presents of mind

I could tell Bob had something he wanted to tell me. It reminded me of a child that was just dying to tell a secret. Not wanting to pry, I waited. After exchanging niceties, Bob finally worked his secret into the conversation. His secret was that he was 97 and a-half years old. I was not only surprised but impressed!

The two guests settled into their room along with several take-out menus. The daughter was going to walk to town and bring their dinner back to the Inn. Before leaving, she asked if it was okay to smoke outside. It always pleases me when people are gracious about the Inn’s no-smoking policy. Before leaving to retrieve dinner, she settled Bob into a comfortable chair with a nice soft cushion on the outside deck in the warm sunshine. As if setting a table, from her backpack she laid out for Bob a book, his pipe and tobacco pouch, and a small black ashtray. He enjoyed his smoke and a nice snooze while waiting on her return.

The morning of their departure Bob came into the kitchen to say he had something for me. As I approached, Bob leaned over and whispered, “You are a pride and joy.” He handed me what appeared to be a business card which I stuck in my pocket. Touched, I gave Bob a hug and wished them well on their journey. Later that day, I remembered to take a look at the card. There were no words on the card, just a picture of a bottle of Pride furniture wax and a bottle of Joy liquid dish soap. If you visit the Inn, you will see the card pinned to the office wall to remind me of my Pride in meeting Bob and in my Joy of cooking him a nice breakfast.

Hash Brown and Spinach Quiche

• 2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed and drained
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3/4 cup diced cooked ham OR bacon, optional
• 1/2 cup diced green onions
• 3/4 cup fresh spinach, washed
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preheat over to 450 degrees

Gently dry the drained hash browns between paper towels. Toss the hash browns with the melted butter in a 9-inch, deep pie plate. Press the hash browns into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate to form a crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and beginning to crisp.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, half-and-half, ham OR bacon if desired, green onions, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Lay the spinach in the bottom of the cooked crust. Pour the egg mixture over the spinach.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes until the quiche is a light golden brown. Let the quiche rest for 5 minutes before serving.