Cooking with M.

“There is no sincerer love than the love of food” -George Bernard

As a preview to Valentine’s Day, I want to dedicate a post to my partner in crime, my food lover boyfriend: M.

M. and I met last summer on Martha’s Vineyard (May 2010) where we both worked at a private golf club as cooks. You haven’t experienced summer if you haven’t been on the Vineyard during the summer: while working doubles every week, you somehow still find time to have drinks with friends, eat midnight snacks, and enjoy every activity downtown and on-island. M. worked twice as much as I did, and our schedules combined in the middle if I was working a single shift, but we got to see each other all day if I was working into the night shift. He was the one that always looked out for me, taught me procedures, and endured my constant whining-asking for things. I probably asked him more than 100 questions this summer…

Where do you keep the pesto? What cheese goes on the Chicken Croissant? When can I start making popover batter? Why do I have to leave it out? Where are the microgreens? Is this small enough? Is this enough bread for service? Why do we use frozen baguettes? Can I have some of your water? Why do you guys get to drink shots of espresso and I don’t? Are you even going to sit down for lunch? Do you want me to make you a snack? …. …. … 

Club Food: Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Club Food: Picky Customer, Dressing on the Side.

That’s about 1% of my questions. Mind you, I was new in this kitchen and this is a kitchen filled with procedures for everything. He had all the answers and if not, related them to our Sous Chef, also a great help. How and when did we even fall in love? No clue. He says he liked me from the beginning, I say it was more of a mid-season love. I might have gotten distracted with Vineyard temptations (hey, I’m human!) but returned to home base and met him there. After July, I don’t remember getting a full nights sleep! After the night shift ended, we would hang out: I’d watch them play FIFA, make “crudite platters”, pizza bagels and drink. Fall asleep at 2am, wake up at 8am for work at 9am (and if working a double, shift ended at 11pm), hang out after service and…repeat. So somehow, in the middle of all this madness, it began!

After before the season ended, we traveled to Nantucket for Restaurant Week. I left MV and he took me all the way to Boston, which of course meant two days there, tasting and eating amazing food. Afterwards, I moved to Charlottesville, VA where he visited me and cooked Thanksgiving Dinner together. We visited my college friend, Francys, in Washington DC for a Foodie Weekend. She works for Chef Jose Andres at Cafe Atlantico and took us around mostly all his restaurants. I love having friends like her! Instant tour guide in a new city that knows what we love: FOOD! (By the way, if you’re ever in DC check out the Donovan Hotel. Chic luxury hotel with reasonable prices and great rooms!). So…Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Charlottesville, DC. I moved then to Miami but couldn’t stay away for long. We met up in Boston to head towards Las Vegas, NV! As you know, we ate a lot of food in Vegas..and now we’re back to Martha’s Vineyard in the dead of winter. You might say, well a little detox time! But NO! We stopped by the grocery store the day after we arrived and bought $200 worth of groceries for our food projects at home: hydrating pasta, no-knead bread, lemon extract, tacos, curries, fresh ricotta… As you can see, we’ve been busy cooking and we love it. That I’ve found someone to share my love of food with, someone that cooks, someone that does dishes (!) and someone that wants to make cheese curds at 10pm, makes me feel like the luckiest baker/cook in the world! So this post is dedicated to M.! Thanks darling

Thanksgiving <Charlottesville, VA>

The Pearl Braised Boar Filled Calamari with Root Veggies and Ink

60 Second Steak, Quail Egg, Brioche Crouton <nantucket, the pearl>

salt and pepper wok fried lobster

last meal on the Vineyard Oct 2010, Mac and Cheese and Tenderloin with Foie Sauce

Breakfast

corn mashed potatoes, fried frisee, filet stuffed with truffles/goat cheese and peanut sauce <boston, poe’s kitchen>

Arepas w/pulled pork, guacamole salsa

taco: foie, red onion

blueberry-jarlsberg cheese pancake

beer tasting

end of season staff meal

pork-fennel burger, avocado salad <home, mvy>

no knead bread <home, mvy>

steak tacos <home, mvy>

Chicken Wing Prep! <home, mvy>

His Jalapeno No Knead Bread <home, mvy>

Superbowl Wings <home, mvy>

Breakfast: Jalapeno Bread, Cheese, Poached Eggs, Hollandaise, Bacon, Sauteed Veg. BEST EVER! <home, mvy>

Dinner: Seared Chicken, Spicy Sweet Potato Mash w.Bacon, Sauteed Veggies <home, mvy>

Nutella Cake <home, mvy>

Dinner Set-up <home, mvy>

Seared Fennel Infused Pork Loin <home, mvy>

Fennel Pork Loin, Mushroom Gravy, Ricotta Mash, Brocoli <home, mvy>

Chicken and Sausage Red Curry over White Rice <home, mvy>

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!! This is M.’s Favorite snack! First to Guess what it is & you’ll win a special gift, including Payard caramels! *

Orzo infused with Bacon  w. Pork Meatballs

*Giveaway: Guess what the Giveaway picture is and Win a love/Vegas care package! Remember, it’s M.’s favorite thing to eat! First one to guess wins! Make sure to post your email in the comment!