Neighborhood Foodies: Dr. Greg Nairn Shares a Recipe

I love going to see my dentist. I know that it may sound weird, but I really enjoy going. I do not like to have dental work done, I just like my dentist.

My dentist is great! He is knowledgeable, friendly and he makes me laugh. Did I mention that he is a foodie?

When I go and have work done I also get a cooking tip or two, and if I am lucky I may walk away with a new recipe. For a foodie, it just does not get better than this.

I had the pleasure of meeting Greg Nairn several years ago when our daughters were in dance class together. I first saw Greg at the dance studio—he was there with his daughter.

Greg was always very friendly. He never stayed around with the tribe of moms that occupied the empty space outside of the classroom, and he would usually leave once the class began.

He stood out because he is a dad and he was wearing scrubs. Dads really never came to the dance class, let alone a dad in scrubs. I must admit he always looked kind of lost—perhaps he was scared that he ventured into this estrogen laden arena.

One night he forgot elastic for his daughter’s hair—a requirement for class. His daughter looked over at him with her big blue eyes and said in her little voice, “Daddy, you forgot to put my hair in a ponytail."

The expression on his face was that of a deer in the headlights. Poor guy—most dads do not carry around such items in their back pockets. I happened to have an extra one so I gave it to him. He thanked me, his daughter went into the class and he went on his way.

A few weeks later I met his wife, Beth. I introduced myself to her and told her I was the person who gave her daughter the elastic for her hair. We laughed about it and then started to chat.

I was lucky that our paths crossed that night. At the time, I was in a dental dilemma and I needed some advice in this area. 

She told me that her husband was a dentist and that they lived in Peters Township. Beth told me that Associates in Dentistry was in Washington, PA. It is a small, family-run practice (Greg and his dad) that has been in business for more than 40 years. I was looking for a practice and dentist like this, so I asked her many questions. She told me, “Just talk to my husband I am sure he can help you."

I ran into Greg a few weeks later, and I stopped to talk to him. I kind of talked at him, and the poor guy could not get away even if he tried. I was in a dental bind at this point. My children needed a dentist and we were between insurances. My insurance was not widely accepted—I was new to the area and did not know who to trust or where to go.

So Greg said to me, “Relax, no problem—just bring the kids into the office and I’ll check their teeth. We’ll figure out the insurance thing later. It is important that the kids teeth are healthy and that they are OK."

REALLY? I thought to myself that I am in a twilight adventure or better yet, Alan Funt will be running out of the bushes yelling, “You’re on Candid Camera." I kept thinking people aren’t really this nice, there had to be a catch and there has to be something else.

There wasn’t, he is just that nice.

Eventually we made our way to Greg’s office and have been patients of his for several years now. It is like going to visit family when we go in for a check-up. My kids like going, and have fun when they are there.

To say that I have a close relationship with my dentist is an understatement. I have inherited the poor teeth gene from my family—thanks Ma. I have had so much work done and have had so many issues that I feel like Norm from the show "Cheers" when I walk into his office.

The fun part happens as soon as I get in the dental chair—we immediately talk food. Oh this is not a lightweight conversation, Greg is the real deal. We discuss things like his Steak Au Poive recipe and Steak Diane (I can’t make a good one and he can), and other such yummy treats. Greg is Italian and our discussion eventually turns to Italian food.

The bane of his existence has been homemade roasted red peppers. Asking for cooking advice is one thing, however it can be challenging when having a root canal. To discuss such things while having this type of procedure can only mean one thing—we are foodies.

My fondest memory in his office was this past winter. Greg was in a Pizzelle quagmire. I am sitting in the chair, fully numbed up ready to get a filling. He asks me about Pizzelles and then said, “Hold on, I have to go get Beth.” I cracked up—like I could really go somewhere.

He came back with his wife and we had a chat about Pizzelles. I was trying to have a conversation while half of my mouth was numb. I feared that I looked like Bill Murray’s character Carl Spackler (the groundskeeper) from the movie "Caddyshack."

We all sat there for a moment laughing and talking about Pizzelles. It struck me that this does not occur in most dental offices. I guess that this is what happens when your dentist is a foodie.

Greg is always willing to talk about food and cooking. He agreed to share his recipe for Nairn Shish Kabobs. This is from his mom’s collection and has been in the family for more than 30 years. Neither he nor Beth is sure where the original recipe came from, but it is a family favorite.

As a side note, I have had the Nairn Shish Kabobs and they are delightfully sinful. The meat is aromatically tender and vegetables are sublime. It truly is a wonderful dish—perfect for warm-weather cooking.

Please check out Dr. Greg Nairn on his webpage: mytoothdr.com or find him on Facebook.

Here's the recipe: 

Nairn Shish Kabobs

This works well with chicken and beef.

Marinade

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

¾ cup soy sauce

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

½ cup wine vinegar

½ cup lemon juice

2 Tablespoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon ground pepper

1 clove garlic (crushed)

1 ½ teaspoon parsley

Mix all ingredients into a large bowl. Place cubed filet (beef) and/or chicken into the marinade. If you are making both, marinate the chicken and filet (beef) separately. Leave out a couple tablespoons to brush on to the skewers while cooking. It is best if the meat marinates overnight. Place on skewers with quartered bacon slices and vegetables. We use yellow and red peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms. Cook on the grill – ½ hour per skewer. Great served on rice!