Nominated by Grace Waldrop:

"My husband views the act of cooking as a form of entertainment art, to be shared; and he enjoys nothing more than doing so with friends and family. At the same time, he will cook himself a gourmet snack when I'm out of town and enjoy this dinner as though he had a party of 10 at the table. He challenges himself to re-create food we've had at restaurants . . . and he loves to plan the next feast while enjoying the current one.

"When we are planning to spend a week or two at the beach, he starts months ahead packing the food box [for] meals to be cooked over our cast-iron fireplace. Not any ordinary hamburger gathering, but guava ribs, coconut rice, grilled pineapple, etc. He'll get a theme going and take it to new heights.

"He has learned to be a clean-as-you-go cook and the kitchen is always quite neat after he has perfected his latest work of art."

Whether it's a midnight snack, a weeknight supper or a feast for family and friends, good food is an extraordinary and wonderful part of life that should never be taken for granted.

David Waldrop's philosophy on food says it all: "Food presents us with an opportunity to celebrate life three times every day. Try never to miss an opportunity. Life is good. Good food makes it better."

Family/background: "I grew up in Central Florida with a large extended family. I went to the University of West Florida in Pensacola. "

Career: "I worked with the Florida Legislature for a number of years. Then I went to Washington and worked in the Department of Energy during the Reagan administration. I've been in Atlanta for five years and work for the Atlanta regional office of the Department of Energy. I have been married for 30 years."

Hobbies: "Fishing, biking, reading and, of course, cooking."

Who taught you to cook? "I taught myself. My mother was widowed at a young age with four children. She had to work outside the home. I loved to eat and quickly realized that if I was to eat well, I needed to learn to cook well."

Culinary roots: "In Central Florida I was surrounded by all types of citrus (including Key limes and Meyer lemons), mango, papaya, ginger and guava. The influence of Cuban and Caribbean cooking was all around. There were culinary influences from Miami and Tampa's Ybor City. Dishes such as black beans and rice, and marvelous pork and chicken dishes. My grandmother was a classic Southern cook and my grandfather had a small farm on the outskirts of the town we lived in. As a child, rather than candy, my grandfather would often give me a plug of sugar cane, a guava or an orange. So, while we enjoyed typical Southern fare, we were surrounded by all these exotic external influences that fascinated me."

How did your love of cooking develop? "When I realized what a powerful tool food was in bringing people together."

Cooking style: "My cooking style has changed over the years from 'big pot peasant' food (chilis, stews and soups) to what is today called Floribbean (Florida/Caribbean) and Jamaican jerk-style cooking using cumin, ginger, garlic, habanero and Scotch bonnet peppers."

Culinary inspiration: "My grandmother and Justin Wilson."

Most enjoyable aspect of cooking: "Getting together with my wife, Grace, and a good bottle of wine in the kitchen, creating something unique while peeling, chopping, talking and cooking -- and then eating."

Culinary ambition: "I would love to have a small farm to grow all my own fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, an outdoor kitchen under a grape arbor with a wood-burning grill and oven. There is nothing more satisfying than growing your own food. I just read the book 'Fast Food Nation' and am now committed to this more than ever."

Favorite thing to cook: "Soft shell crab in mustard sauce with pasta."

Favorite thing to eat: "My wife just took me to Paris for my 50th birthday, and we sampled bistros and brasseries throughout the Left Bank and Latin Quarter. We followed in the footsteps of Hemingway, James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound and F. Scott Fitzgerald. This was our fourth trip, and for the first time I felt like a native and wanted to eat like a native as well. The flavors and aromas of Paris were intoxicating. I love nothing better than classic French fish soup with a•oli (garlic mayo) and croutons and a bottle of crisp white Muscadet."

Pet peeve: "Food processors. Give me a good sharp knife and a cutting board any day. There is no art to pushing a button."

Memorable flop: "Any effort with bread. I can make an acceptable quick bread but just can't comprehend yeast."

Most memorable meal: "Sweet and spicy guava ribs, black bean casserole, grilled pineapple over an open fire on the beach at our home on Captiva Island, Fla. Sunset, the Gulf of Mexico and dark and stormys (dark rum and ginger beer) added a great deal to the occasion."

Favorite ingredient: "The rich, earthy taste of cumin."

How do you feel about recipes? "I always start off with a good basic recipe, then personalize or localize it with what I have on hand or with my personal preferences. Example: I took a classic apple crisp recipe and substituted mangoes. It is always a great hit while at the beach. Guests usually think that it is some exotic 200-year-old Jamaican recipe."

Fantasy meal: "I would love to prepare a classic Cuban meal of roast pork with black beans and rice on the beach for Ernest Hemingway. For desert: Key lime pie, followed by rum and coffee."

-- Betty Parham

MAIN DISH

Sweet & Spicy Guava Ribs Floribbean

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 4 hours

The ribs can also be cooked, tightly tented with aluminum foil over a pan of water, in a 250-degree oven until very tender.

For the ribs:

3 pounds baby back ribs, cut into 3 sections

1 onion, peeled and quartered

2 cloves garlic

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon cumin

For the barbecue sauce:

1 cup guava paste

6 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 cup dark rum

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 lime juice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoon Matouk's West Indian hot sauce, or 1/2 Scotch bonnet or any hot chile pepper, to taste

In a crockpot, combine ribs, onion, garlic, bay leaves and cumin. Cook for 4 hours, or until cooked through and tender but not falling off the bones. Remove ribs and discard liquid and vegetables.

Shortly before ribs are done, prepare barbecue sauce. In a saucepan, combine guava paste, vinegar, rum, tomato paste, lime juice, soy sauce, onion, ginger, garlic and hot sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring to dissolve guava paste and to prevent sticking.

Preheat a barbecue grill or broiler to high. Remove ribs from crockpot and coat with barbecue sauce and cook, basting often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly charred.

Per serving: 662 calories (percent of calories from fat, 70), 36 grams protein, 13 milligrams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 50 grams fat, 168 milligrams cholesterol, 523 milligrams sodium.

Who are the best cooks? We're looking for Georgia home cooks who deserve recognition for their talents and who have interesting recipes to share. Fax at 404-526-5509, e-mail kitchen@ajc.com or write to Betty Parham, Food Department, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303. Give us your name and phone number, as well as the name and number of the cook you'd like us to consider. And tell us a little about what makes this cook special.