I got an email last week from my grandson in Florida.

He wanted to know how to make homemade dumplings. Specifically, my homemade dumplings.

Since he had never before tackled such an undertaking, he wanted a recipe with detailed instructions.

I knew this wasn't going to be easy because I figured he didn't have a rolling pin or a pastry sheet.

But I told him he could substitute. He could use a tall round glass for a rolling pin and a couple of sheets of waxed paper for a pastry sheet.

I explained that he might have to add a bit more flour to the recipe if it felt sticky before he rolled it out and cut it into strips.

The lengthy recipe was sent and in a couple of days I received an email response, complete with photographs of his dumplings in progress.

One of the photographs pictured the dumplings thinly rolled out on waxed paper. The pastry had not yet been cut into one inch wide strips.

Another photo showed the dumplings cooking in a large pot of broth on the kitchen range.

The last photo showed the finished product in a serving bowl. My grandson was very pleased

"They are not bad at all," he emailed. "It wasn't as magnificent as your batch, but it took me back home for a while. I will keep trying until I get it right."

I emailed a few minor adjustments he might make on his second try.

He said his next cooking adventure will be making homemade biscuits.

Shortly after that, I received a phone call from my son.

He wanted to know how to prepare fried chicken livers.

He had never before cooked them. He had bought one of those margarine-size containers that fishermen sometimes buy for fish bait.

I told him to drain the livers, then dredge them individually in flour, and cook them on medium heat in shortening or cooking oil .I also told him to season the livers with salt and pepper. I cautioned him not to overcook the livers, that it wouldn't take long for them to brown.

Now, ironically, my daughter had cooked chicken livers the same night, I later learned. However, she is fancier than I am. When she cooks liver, she first fries five or six strips of bacon in a skillet. She also slices a whole onion into rings and cooks the bacon and onions together. Then she removes the fried bacon and onions from the skillet. She uses the bacon grease for frying her livers. She dredges her chicken livers in flour that has been seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. When the livers are done, she then spoons the cooked bacon and onions onto the livers. She serves it up altogether as the main course.

That, along with a couple of vegetables and some hot rolls, and her meal is complete.

My son and my grandson are now planning a long distance cookoff.

It will be my son's cathead biscuits pitted against my grandson's homemade dumplings.

May the best man win.