Member Spotlight - JoeV!

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
We received a bunch of new nominations for Spotlights, and will ask each person nominated to complete the questionnaire.

First up, is JoeV!

Thanks for sharing, Joe!

Tell us a little about yourself - your family or household, kids, pets, occupation, etc. I’ll be 61 in October, and have been happily married for 39 years to Linda, the mother of our 3 children; Kelly, 32 and Mom of Alexa; Krissy, 29 and living & working in Orlando since 2001; and David, 25 who lives in Kent, Ohio. Our last pet went to doggy heaven in September 2010, and since we’re rarely here during the day, we’ll probably stay pet free so we can travel spontaneously. DW works for a church in multiple roles, and I own & operate a Handyman business since losing my corporate job in 2001…best thing to happen to me in a long time!

What part of the world do you live in? Northeast Ohio within walking distance of Lake Erie.
How did you find the NCT community? I was invited here by someone after my untimely parting of ways from that other site. You all know the one.

Do you have any hobbies besides cooking? Oh, yeah! I love fishing of all sorts, and I build my own fishing rods, tie my own flies and teach fly-fishing to kids & adults. I’m certified to teach the Boy Scout Fly Fishing Merit Badge, and am a Life Member of the Federation of Fly Fishers. I also enjoy shooting sports and load my own ammunition for hunting and target shooting, and do some minor gunsmithing as well. I recently got my Amateur Radio license, and have been building antennas for my HF, UHF & VHF radios. I’m currently studying for my General Class Amateur license, and am involved in several community service projects involving ham radio.

If you could choose any profession or occupation, what would it be and why? I’m doing what makes me happy right now. My business keeps me as busy as I want to be, and affords me the flexibility to fish, shoot or vacation on very short notice. I work with my hands and find it extremely rewarding.
How and why did you choose your Username? What does it mean? It’s a shortened version of my real name.
What is a typical day like for you? Fortunately for me, there are not many “typical days.” Some days I get to play at my hobbies all day and cook for me & DW, and other days I work for one or more of the 120+ unique clients I have each year, doing plumbing, electrical, carpentry repairs or renovations . Since I only work 500-600 hours each year, I get to do what I want the rest of the time while every one else is working.
What accomplishment are you most proud of? Together with DW, we have raised three fine children who we are very proud of, and managed to not lose touch with each other in that process. When the kids were little I insisted we have a sitter each Friday night so we could have one meal a week where it was just the two of us, free from the distractions of everyday life. Sometimes it was just McDonalds, but was always just her and me for a meal. I believe that was the glue that held our marriage together.
Give us 5 words that describe you. Curious; Persistent; Determined; Trustworthy; Courageous;
Name 5 things that would be on your "bucket list". 1. Fly fish Alaska for salmon. 2. Fly fish Patagonia for trout. 3. Visit all 50 states by car (after flying to HI & AK). 4. Take a two-week Mediterranean cruise with DW. 5. Hit the lottery…big time! (I think I need to start buying tickets if I want that one to become a reality. LOL)

Name 5 things you can't live without. Butter, Italian herbs, pork, pure water and excellent spiced rum.
Who is your role model and why? I have always marched to the beat of a different drummer, and can’t say that any one individual has shaped me into who I am today. There have been many influences in my life, and some of the negative influences have made me a better person, determined to not be like they are/were. I am the sum total of all of my life experiences.
Tell us one thing about yourself that people would be surprised to know. I am an identical twin, and we are as different as night and day. He lives his life by all the proper rules, and rubs elbows with all “the right” people. My friends run the gamut from saints to sinners (more latter than former) and we have one helluva good time. I rarely will be found with “the right people” unless DW makes me be with them.What would the child you once were think of the adult you have become? I have blanked out most of my childhood because of memories attributed to alcoholism and abuse.

What is the best moment of your life so far? Every moment I can live and breathe is my best moment so far. Each breath is a new opportunity for growth and positive change.

How and at what age did you start cooking? Mom raised 5 boys and taught us all how to cook, clean and sew at an early age. She never wanted any of us to be a burden on any woman because of incompetence or laziness around the home. It worked! I can even crochet, even though I have not done it in decades.

Do you have a signature dish or one that you make especially well? My signature dish is the meal that puts a smile on the face of DW when she sits down at the table after a hard day at work. I asked her this questions and she said “They’re all good, there are not really any bad meals.”

What is your favorite spice? Garlic

What 2 cooking tools/gadgets/appliances would you swap from your kitchen and what would you swap them for? I would swap our mellon-baller for a 6-burner Viking range that would accommodate large pots on the stovetop and 36” sheet pans in the oven. I would also swap our plastic handle paring knife for a Hobart HL-200 Legacy mixer.

What is your favorite restaurant meal? The dinner offerings at China Buffet in Mentor-On-The-lake, Ohio.What would your last meal be if you could choose anything at all? I’ll have one of everything, please!

If you could host a dinner party with 6 well-known guests, living or dead, who would they be and what would you serve? Most well-know people have more baggage than I have, so I would swap the famous for 6 close friends and make them my pan seared, slow cooked roast beef with mashed potatoes, pan gravy, candied carrots and a salad of mixed greens with DW’s dressing. For dessert I would make them a lattice top apple pie served with French Vanilla ice cream and a hearty cup of Columbian coffee. I’m not much of a drinker, so I would leave the drinks up whoever wanted to bring them.

Who would you most like to prepare a meal for and why. What would you serve? I cook for her almost every day, and I make what she likes to eat…DW! She appreciates every meal that I make and every loaf of bread I bake. Who can ask for more?

Who would you most like to have prepare a meal for you? I would want Mama & Peeps to team up to fix me whatever they wanted to (except okra). I have not seen anything here that I would not eat from either of these excellent chefs.

100 years from now, how would you like to be remembered? As a good person who was always there when help was needed, and who defended those who were abused by mean-spirited people.
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Mama

Queen of Cornbread
Site Supporter
Awwww Joe.......I am truly honored! Working with Peeps in the kitchen would be nothing short of a GREAT time and I would LOVE to work with her to fix you something amazing! I'd probably have to sneak some southern popcorn in there though :wink:

I don't have a melon baller or a plastic handle paring knife but I would go out and buy them just to swap for those very same things! :lol:

I didn't see bread baking in there anywhere. In my mind, when I think of JoeV I can almost smell homemade bread. I don't know of anyone who has consistently produced more beautiful bread than you.

Thank you for sharing!
 

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
I really enjoyed reading that, and the melon baller made me laugh too! Thanks :)
 

homecook

New member
Very nice Joe!! Everything sounds about right. LOL I'm really fortunate in that I have you for a neighbor......
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Boy, Linda sure is a lucky woman to have someone like you to love her so much!

Great Spotlight, Joe - thanks again!

Lee
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Awesome job Joe. Interesting insight into the man behind the scenes. Very nicely done. It's a pleasure to have you as an active member here on NCT. :tiphat: :clap: :clap:
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
Awwww Joe.......I am truly honored! Working with Peeps in the kitchen would be nothing short of a GREAT time and I would LOVE to work with her to fix you something amazing! I'd probably have to sneak some southern popcorn in there though :wink:

I don't have a melon baller or a plastic handle paring knife but I would go out and buy them just to swap for those very same things! :lol:

I didn't see bread baking in there anywhere. In my mind, when I think of JoeV I can almost smell homemade bread. I don't know of anyone who has consistently produced more beautiful bread than you.

Thank you for sharing!
I also feel honored!! I would love to steal ummmmmmmmmmm borrow some recipes first hand from Mama!! LOL I second what Mama said Joe and baking go hand in hand! When I think of Joe images of his sticky buns dance in my head!! :whistling:
 
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