Cooking with intuition. Cooking with little, to no recipe. Cooking with a total understanding of combining certain ingredients to make dishes completely unique.

​This is what you find with my husband, Sam's cooking. This is the first of many "cuisine" posts you will find on Curio Inspo. Although much of the content found here will be art focused, I believe there is something artful about creating meals. I am in awe with Sam's cooking, and so I thought, "his creative cooking methods deserve more than a simple photo ... there are interesting stories to be shared.” After all, Sam has a curious way of cooking, and this site's purpose is to inspire.

As this is the first cuisine post, I wanted to share some background about Sam as a "chef":

It is important to note, Sam is not a chef professionally, but he has an obvious passion for cooking. When we first met in the fall of 2014, we were working on a cruise ship sailing the South Pacific. He was the sommelier on board, and he always shared with me anecdotes about him cooking for his friends and family. Yet, since we were crew on a cruise ship, he was unable to cook for me when first met. In fact, it took almost an entire year until he finally cooked a meal for me! I was pretty certain he could cook, but I had no idea ... HE COULD COOK! Sam jokes it is the reason I married him (which certainly was one of the contending reasons). But in all seriousness, you can feel the love he puts into every dish.

Sam's main inspiration for his cooking comes from his late mom, Mary Lynn. From the stories I heard, she was an amazing “chef” of her own. I never was able to meet Sam's mom sadly, but when he creates a meal, I feel a connection to her. We have stacks of her handwritten recipes and cookbooks. Mary Lynn's love for cooking has certainly been ignited within Sam. I imagine her smiling down watching him move in the kitchen, putting his signature in each dish, and the delight he has sharing the meal with his loved ones. The energy surrounding Sam in the kitchen is most certainly an extension of his mom.

In addition, Sam is constantly watching, reading, and absorbing what other famous chefs are doing in their own kitchens. Some of his favorite are Rene Redzepi (Noma), David Chang (Momofuku), James Rigato (Mabel Gray), and Paul Bocuse (L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges), to name a few. And then there is the chef, Francis Mallmann, who is all about the FIRE. Sam loves this chef because he specializes in cooking over an open flame. Sam built an intricate fire pit in our backyard, with Mallmann as his inspiration. 

That brings us to today's topic, which was Sam's idea to create a holiday dinner focused on a turkey cooked on an open fire. This was an intimate meal consisting of 5 courses and a few wine pairings. Keep scrolling to read more and see visuals from this meal. And cheers to the power of fire! 

COURSE 1  
Split Pea Soup
crispy prosciutto
marigolds, parsley, scallions 

COURSE 2 
Wedge Salad 
heirloom tomatoes 
kimchi aioli 
​bacon 

INTERMEZZO 
​Butter Basted Turkey Heart 
three-day soy, ginger & maple marinade 
blood orange

COURSE 3 
Paté Tart 
chicken liver 
sweet potato 
crème fraîche  
pomegranate and spiced honey 

COURSE 4 
Winner Winner Turkey Dinner 

COURSE 5 
Key Lime "Not a Pie" 
key lime gelato 
graham crumbles 
sweetened condensed milk 

​Wandering through the Chew Jetty, or the other 6 "Clan Jetties" that exist in this area, is like nothing else. When you enter one of the jetties, you are surrounded by old wooden homes with colorful splashes of bright teals and ruby reds. Many homes are adorned with miniature shrines on their front porches. You can hear the creaking of the planks below your feet, while the water of the Penang Straight sparkles between the wooden cracks. The smell of something cooking fills the air. Children run along the dock, going from house to house, laughing and playing along the jetty. There is a feeling of history, community, and warmth that radiates from the little homes that are built along the docks. The residents acknowledge your presence, and may try to sell you a coffee or fortune cookie. You can't help to feel like a person from another world, but you have to remind yourself that you are indeed just an outsider. You are allowed to be a part of this magical place for just a brief moment.

These settlements that have been around for more than a century are now considered a UNESCO heritage site. Although Penang has much urban development within the bustling capital of George Town, the jetties are almost untouched by the 21st century. The homes all stand in their original wooden designs, like they would have 100 years ago. There is basic electricity and water, but no modern plumbing ... and definitely no NetFlix. Although many of us could not fathom living like this, you can't help but be overcome with peace in this simplistic way of life. As you peer into the homes, you do not see people sitting around a TV or fixated on their phone screens. The people of this village are talking with each other, cooking, watching people go by, fishing, mediating, or waving hello. By day the residents often relax in their homes, and when evening sets they go to their porch for cool air.

Artist: Marisol (Escobar)
American (born France), 1930-2016

Title: The Party

Medium: Assemblage with 15 figures and 3 wall panels painted and carved wood, mirror, plastic, television set, clothes, shoes, glasses and other accessories 1956-66

Location: Toledo Museum of Art ​

When you think of the word "party", what do you think of? Many people associate this with positive thoughts and excitement, but for others this word may create anxiety. Thoughts pertaining to a party creates emotion, which the artist Marisol explores in her installation ... 

​I first viewed this installation by Marisol in the fall of 2007 and visited it again recently. Although I have only seen this artwork twice in person, it is something that I always go back to again in my mind. My first reaction when I saw this installation was there was a sense of fun. The life size figures were together in a social interaction, adorned in colorful dresses, and elegant accessories. One figure is holding a tray of cocktails, ready to serve the guests at any moment. Another first impressions of this installation made me think of my family and my own social interactions. Growing up there were countless times my mom, aunts, grandma, and even great grandma would throw a party for everyone to get together to celebrate. This made me feel nostalgic for those times. 

​However, when viewing anything at a certain level you must remove your past experiences. After I started looking at the sculptures in more detail, I found there was more to the installation than my initial reaction of simple fun and nostalgia. There was also something cold and stiff. The figures at the party all face the viewer; they are not facing each other and do not seem to be in the act of socializing. Although they are together in one place, they are also isolated. With even further observation, the viewer sees there is one portrait that repeats among the figures. Why is this the case? Was this someone playing out different roles that exist in a social situation? Come to find out, it is a self-portrait of the artist - whether a cast, photo, or carved sculpture. The installation seems to question how some may conform to be accepted, but the importance of staying true to our identity and self expression. 

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Ending questions for self thought: 

• What are your thoughts about social interactions?
• Do you ever feel alone in a crowded room? 
• What ways has socializing changed today compared to the past? 
• Are there certain pressures to be a certain way?
• Do you find yourself with various identities in certain situations? 
• How do you stay true to yourself? 

“I never wanted to be a part of society. I have always had a horror of the schematic, of conventional behavior. All my life I have to wanted to be distant, not to be like anyone else. I feel uncomfortable with the established codes of conduct." Marisol