My dear Dad, pictured at right, will be the recipient of a gift to facilitate his camping trip to the Pacific northwest later this summer. If you are left with only a few days to buy something for your father or the father of your children, here are my top five last minute ideas: 1) When I need a gift for a cook in my life, father or not, I can always find something at Wasserstrom. They have fun drink ware, professional grade kitchen gadgets, and knives. Every ~~father~~ man I know loves knives.

2) Let's be frank - father's often have reason to drink. Wrap up a bottle of locally made Watershed gin, OYO vodka, or Brother's Drake mead to soften the sleepless, frustrating moments of parenthood.

3) Give Dad an experience to remember with a Columbus Food Adventures tour or special menu dinner at a local restaurant, like the Goose Island dinner at Latitude 41. Not in Columbus? Look for tours in your area - I just came across awesome sounding bike tours in Cleveland.

4) If your pop is more of the bookish type, my second favorite father, Alex, recommends these foodie reads: Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman is "an incredibly well-thought out and put together book. He takes a lot of time to describe the techniques used in addition to the recipes." Don't mind cursing? Try Alex's other favorite, Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles cookbook, replete with vividly-told stories of the New York restaurant scene.

5) From the self-promotion department: How about a gift registration for a preserving class? Many dads would love to learn how to make pickles, barbecue sauce or bacon. Register for my Preserving Series classes at Wild Goose Creative online.

We are hosting a local burger cook-out for our Dads on Sunday. What are you doing for Father's Day?