Man Surprised With Chopping Board Featuring Late Dad's Chili Recipe

A man could not hold back his tears when his wife surprised him with a chopping board featuring his late father's handwritten chili recipe – a family favorite amongst aunts and uncles, children and grandchildren. In James Neil's family, his father's chili became legendary, acting as a staple at gatherings over the years, as well as winning many chili cook-off competitions. The meal was so set in family pastimes that, eventually, James’ own children would ask for their grandpa's chili, known by that point simply as Grandpa Pete's Chili. Pete, who lived in Canada, passed away from cancer in 2020, and while cleaning out the house, James' wife, Robin, came across a series of letters: one a handwritten recipe for Grandpa Pete's Chili; another ending, "Love, Dad." James’ father came from a generation of men who didn't openly say "I love you" very often, Robin said, and so she decided to ask an engraver to combine the handwritten recipe and the expression of love on a chopping board. On Christmas Day 2021, James opened a box and was initially unsure what it contained. With Robin recording on her phone, James then realized that the writing on the chopping board staring back at him was his father’s – but it was the "Love, Dad" that set him off.

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