20 Questions with Emily

Emily Capece has the voice of an angel. She has graced stages and classrooms around the world with her gift of singing. Couple this with her acting talent and she is a one woman entertainer. We met in Charleston, West Virginia, where everybody knows everybody. As newcomers in our homes away from Charleston, Emily and I muse about our relative anonymity and our adoration of the place we called home for 20-something years. 

Emily’s song has quieted recently while she navigates a stage she never imagined: her now teenage son’s ultra ultra ultra rare cancer diagnosis and treatment. From her home near Cleveland, she praises a patient advocate in Los Angeles for guiding her and her family through this unrivaled trial. As we spoke last week, I could imagine her with sword and cape and a warrior’s shield, ready for battle. Woven through this heavy discussion, Emily’s gift of entertaining had me laughing out loud. It really is the best medicine.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Should I be pretentious or should I be real? Unfortunately I'm a slow cooker, so I don’t do many recipes in 20 minutes. My first job out of college, I taught music at an American elementary school on a base in Okinawa. I was so excited about being in a different culture! I learned this noodle dish, Otsu. It’s somen (skinny soba) with cucumbers, snow peas and tofu with a great dressing. I really like it room temp or even cold. It’s just delicious! I used to make it all the time when I lived alone. It’s so yummy and comforting, I can whip this up any time!

I had a lot of fun. I was there for 2 years, I met my husband Christian there my second year. He moved back to Washington and I decided he was worth following. 

What’s your favorite city? Vienna. I haven’t been there since way too long. I studied abroad there. It was amazing! I saw all the operas! I wandered around, I just loved it! Ten years later I got a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to go back for a summer program and study Mozart operas, a course for teachers. I’m a voice and music history major. I’m always talking about it! It’s a really special, beautiful artsy, musical place. It has all the things! I really love Cleveland, too! I grew up here, I needed to leave for 22 years to appreciate it. 

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? Oh yeah, I have a lot! I love a Oaxacan mole! I could eat mole with a spoon every day. Momocho on the west side of Cleveland. They have the BEST mole! And they make these flautas with butternut squash and goat cheese, with some frizzled brussels sprouts. I think about this daily.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? I always have a jar of Korean marmalade that I make into tea! It’s ginger and citrus and I really love it in cold and flu season. I’m always super happy to find that. 

Who taught you to cook? My mom for sure. She worked full time at Kent State University and came home every night and cooked dinner. In the 80’s in northeast Ohio you didn’t go out to eat. I didn’t know that having family dinners was unique or special. My grandmother was the cookie queen! I have all her recipe boxes. She had all this commentary on every recipe card. Every card has these opinions attached to it. Cooking is so great for those of us who want to be more creative in our lives

What’s your go-to dish for company? The roast chicken from Zuni Cafe, I just love that bread soaked up with all the chicken fat. You don’t have to have company for that! It’s just sooo good. It’s so easy. There are a lot of steps but it really is so easy! Christian and I found ourselves at Zuni Cafe in San Francisco eating this dish. I’m happy that it turns out at home. Was Yelp a thing back then? 

What’s on your cooking playlist? These days I’m listening to Brandi Carlisle. I just love a rock and roll female singer. Folk women who rock! 

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? COFFEE. She sings! 

With oat milk! You have to use a loooooot of oat milk to make it turn any color but black.

Date night--at home? or out? How can you have a date night at home with children? OUT obviously!

Most stained cookbook? Splendid Table How to Eat Supper by Lynn Rosetto Kasper and Sally Swift.

Surf? or Turf? Definitely fish, definitely surf.

Indispensable kitchen tool? I’ve been carrying this around. It's a Tovolo. It’s like a little plastic scraper thing, one side is oval shaped and the other side is square. It’s the BEST thing to get peanut butter out of the bottom of the jar. It’s the bomb!

Staple childhood comfort food? My mom made these things called walking salads. We used to hike all the time as kids. You take a piece of cabbage spread with peanut butter, roll it up and shove a toothpick in it and you have a walking salad! It would show up in my lunchbox. It’s like celery with peanut butter. 

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? A lot of people. I have always loved Mary Oliver. Especially during this time, going out into nature. I would want to have a picnic under a tree and talk to her about what she observes! I need that grounding comfort in the things that are super simple. Right now I need somebody quiet. 

Ideal grilled cheese? I love sourdough or baguette, super toasted up, with brie, super thinly sliced granny smith apples and honey mustard.

Favorite pizza topping? Fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil. Straight up. Simple is best!

Where would you want to take a cooking class? I love Thai food and Indian food and every time I try to replicate either of those, it never turns out. I’d say Thailand for sure. Send me to the experts!

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? If you cook with your child in the kitchen, they will eat what they make. If you just cook and present it at the dinner table, it’s hit or miss whether they will eat it. It can take a lot longer when they’re in there but it’s worth it.

Three things next to your stove? Olive oil, Dickinson salt, cat hair! We have 2 new kittens, Covid kittens! Every time I’m cooking she’s everywhere she’s not supposed to be. There is always a cat next to me. 

What do you miss most about Charleston? I miss the people. I miss seeing the little ones growing up, and I miss the Healthy Life Market. I love that place! 

Break out your chopsticks and add Emily’s Otsu to your 20 minute meal rotation! it’s as delicious as it is quick.

Emily’s Otsu

Emily walked me through her comforting japanese noodle dish and I’m adding it into instant rotation in my kitchen! Riff away! I went with a balanced blend of all her sauce suggestions, plus sesame seeds. Note about the somen: some brands can be soaked and some quick boiled. My brand didn’t do so well with soaking...so I boiled one of the bundles for about a minute without taking my stirring fork out of the pot and voila! 

Fry up a bunch of extra firm tofu, bite sized cubes, then throw some random oil in the pan, black pepper and soy sauce or tamari. Take it out of the pan. In the same pan, briefly stir fry snow peas and green onion, add cucumbers and cilantro at the end. Soak (or boil, see note above) the somen, top with the vegetables and tofu and drizzle with sauce. 

Emily says: the sauce  is what makes it! I riff on it, tamari, olive oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, a little honey, lemon, grated ginger, chopped garlic if i’m feeling it. Chili flakes. I really like it room temp or even cold. It’s just delicious!

20 Questions with Ellie

Ellie Goldman’s mom Christie stopped me in the produce section of our favorite Charleston grocery store about 10 years ago to inquire about cooking classes for kids. “My daughter loves to cook!” she explained. She signed her up for my Summer cooking camp and suddenly Ellie and I became fast friends. Fast forward, Ellie is now deciding which college she will attend in the Fall.

On any given night, one of the three Goldman kids will plan the menu and make dinner for the family. Her younger brothers (and of course her parents and neighbor grandparents!) will miss her in the kitchen once she leaves for college. They can all be sure she will know how to feed herself (and likely throw a fabulous dorm room dinner party!) at whichever university she chooses.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? I like to make butter and salted pecans. I make them around the holidays and also mom keeps pecans in the freezer so I can make them any time. It’s just pecans, butter, and I like to use J. Q. Dickinson salt. We gave them to all our neighbors at Christmas, wrapped in little takeout boxes lined with tissue paper.

What’s your favorite city? Chicago. I love the shopping and the big city vibe. It’s clean and progressive, I like that!

What’s your favorite restaurant in your current city? Pies and Pints. I like all their pizza varieties and usually fall back on the sriracha shrimp.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Godfather peppers from (our neighbors) the Leefs. They can be used on anything! I like them on steak, or from a fork.

Who taught you to cook? My mom taught me, she’s a really good cook! My grandma taught me to bake.

What’s your go-to dish for company? I like to make a cheese platter with crackers, grapes and apples. It always features brie baked with honey.

What’s on your cooking playlist? I like to turn on happy upbeat music that makes you feel happy and good!

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee! We have an espresso machine and I like it with almond milk and a little sugar.

Dinner with friends—at home? or out? I like to cook for people. It’s more fun than going out.

Most stained cookbook page? I have been collecting recipes in a notebook and the most stained page is the recipe for red velvet cupcakes.

Indispensable kitchen tool? Silicone baking mats for cookies or macarons. They make life so much easier!

Staple childhood comfort food? PB&J, grilled. Creamy peanut butter and strawberry jam, on Charleston bread if we have it.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? The young actor Timothy Chalamet. I really like the films he’s in.

Best thing you’ve ever eaten in an airport? a great fresh food breakfast in Chicago. I don’t remember the name of the place but it was great finding greens and fresh stuff.

How do you like your toast? Wheat, toasted not too brown with creamy peanut butter right on it, then honey.

Favorite pizza topping? Banana peppers, they go well on a lot of pizzas.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? at a vineyard in Italy.

Three Instagram accounts you follow? Taste of All Charleston, elaborate cakes, and videos of exotic foods

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? If you are baking macarons, make them in the winter when it’s drier.

What’s your favorite sports team? Virginia Tech. I’ve been brainwashed by my parents.

Quick to make and great for gifts, Ellie loves these butter and salted pecans.

Ellie’s Butter and Salted Pecans

all you need is butter, pecans, and salt. For each cup of pecans, you’ll need about a tablespoon of melted butter and a half teaspoon of salt. Toss this trio together in a bowl, scrape it all out onto a rimmed baking sheet (preferably lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper for easy cleanup), add another good sprinkle of salt, and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Check at 10 minutes when the aroma begs you to open the oven door. Have a peek. Depending on how you like them/the oven, cook a few extra minutes without leaving the kitchen. Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool, then store in an airtight container for up to a week or wrap for gifts.

20 Questions with Cameron

Whenever I need a therapeutic dose of laughter, I call Cameron Washburn. He could field calls on a paid line just to lift someone’s spirits. When he picked up the phone for this interview, he mused, “How did you get my number? This is supposed to be a closed line!” He went ‘off the record’ a few times when answering my simple questions. My husband met Cameron freshman year at University of Florida. where they were in the same fraternity pledge class. Then became roommates and brothers forever. He was in our wedding and hit the dance floor with another groomsman doing the Love Shack. I cry laughing at the memory.

Cameron and his wife Lisa live in Atlanta with their teenage daughters Abby and Sarah. We keep visits on a high frequency and most recently they hosted us spontaneously in their home when we invited ourselves for a weekend stay for the Peach Bowl. ‘Come ahead!!’ they said, not fully disclosing they were hosting Lisa’s family and her dad’s 90th birthday party. Friends + Family = Framily. They coined this term and it’s perfect.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? We are a family full of pasta-tarians so we often make pasta. I love a pan-seared chicken breast with some kind of cooking sauce. Also I like to get Lisa to think I can get the Weber going quicker than it actually happens. I’ll create some distraction and open a beer for her, then light the chimney starter for the grill. Or we order Thai. To be more honest about it, I grill a lot of stuff on Sunday to stock the fridge for the week.

What’s your favorite city? Right now I like where I am. I’ve come to enjoy Atlanta. My wistful city is Florence even though I’ve only been there once. Really it’s wherever you guys are.

What’s your favorite restaurant in your current city? EATS on Ponce. They have the BEST jerk chicken. It’s fall off the bone good! I go for the plate with black beans, collards and corn bread. There are some killer places on Buford Highway. Let people know it’s there, they should stop by.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Hot sauce. When I’m pretty sure I’m out of hot sauce and find some, it makes me happy. I was in that situation recently.

Who taught you to cook? My grandmother. If she was making something I didn’t like for dinner, she’d have me scramble some eggs for myself. More than teaching me how to cook, she taught me how to feed myself.

What’s your go-to dish for company? Depends who’s coming over. Typically a steak dinner. Lisa does a really good batch of chicken parm.

What’s on your cooking playlist? If it’s the whole family, we’ve been going with The Beatles. We just saw the movie Yesterday. Often it’s (Tom) Petty. I’d rather not get demographic’d but sometimes it’s ‘Alexa play alt country’ or ‘Alexa play the Wilco station’

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? I’m a coffee guy. I drink A LOT of coffee. First thing in the morning. In my house before I get out of my PJs

Date night—at home? or out? Are the kids home? We have two teenage daughters and if they’re home, we go out. Really it’s a mix.

Most stained cookbook? Your Keepers*. We made your enchiladas just last week. The oven fries are a staple. We make the vegetarian chili and add ground turkey. (*Note: I handwrote a cookbook Keepers a collection of favorites for Christmas gifts in 1992. Fun to see it’s still in use!)

Indispensable kitchen tool? I love my cast iron skillet, and the spatter screen in conjunction with it. Though sometimes it seems the spatter screen doesn’t work so maybe it is dispensable.

Staple childhood comfort food? Moon over Miami, you know the egg in the nest. It tastes just like it used to. You use plenty of butter on both sides of the bread. The circle of toast is the best part! Grill the bread on both sides before cracking the egg into the middle. Flip it over once it’s set and flip it again. It saves any kind of bread you have. When you use really good bread you’re just nailing it!

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? Jesus, as a historical figure. I have some questions. I’d say ‘hey what’s the deal?’

Go-to olive oil? First cold pressed extra virgin? I don’t really have one. I don’t want to pretend. I’m not that culinary.

Best thing you’ve ever eaten in an airport? That’s EASY! Popeye’s. There are two terminals in Atlanta. I don’t know why people go looking. I will get it way too close to boarding time. I’ll get on the plane with it. The beauty of it is you don’t even need to be in an airport to enjoy.

Ideal grilled cheese? I like it the same as the cheese on my burger. American. It’s ideal. I love the melt on it. Two slices of Kraft American singles. Butter on the bread AND in the pan. Use the best sliced bread you can get your hands on.

Favorite pizza topping? Crushed red pepper to sprinkle on top.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? At your house. You’re my favorite cook in the world.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Make sure you have your kitchen faucet converted to regular stream to prevent matrimonial unbliss. If it’s on shower spray and you have a stack of plates in the sink it’s just a mess.

Three things next to your stove? A spoon rest which changes depending on the season. We just put the Christmas one away. We have a spice drawer right there and the carb corner which is a basket of miscellaneous breads.

What’s your favorite sports team? Florida Gators

When I announced I was finished with the questions, Cameron interrupted, '“Hey Ape, you didn’t ask me how much I bench.”

Exactly 5 ingredients, significantly less than 20 minutes. Add seasonal fruit and you have a quick meal fit for a king or queen!

Moon over Miami

Some call it Eggy Toast, Toad in a Hole, I’m sure there are more names. My mom calls it Cowboy Toast. This one is Cam’s comfort food which doubles as a 20 minute recipe.

For each serving you will need: a slice of bread with about a 3-inch moon circle cut out of the middle, some soft butter, an egg, salt and pepper.

HEAT a medium skillet over medium heat and add a small pat of butter. Spread both sides of the bread and the bread moon with butter and place them in the skillet. When the bread just begins to brown, flip both pieces over and crack the egg into the hole. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the egg just begins to set, carefully flip and cook on the second side until the white and yolk are at your preferred degree of doneness. In all, just about a minute and a half per side for ‘over easy.’

SERVE with the moon rising or setting with a side of fresh fruit.

20 Questions with Joy

A native of Ventura County, California, Joy Marr now calls Fayette County, West Virginia home. I met Joy when I moved to nearby Charleston as a newlywed in 1992. She was long established by then, working with Class VI River Runners, wearing every hat on an outdoor adventure business roster. We met on the bank of the Gauley River where she prepared a gourmet feast in a makeshift kitchen for the overnight rafting guests at the halfway mark. I was lucky enough to dine al fresco after a thrilling white knuckle day of West Virginia whitewater, ready to jump back in the next day.

Her productivity is impressive: she multitasks with the local foods scene, maintains an active fitness schedule, runs a cooking school and catering company as well as River Rock Retreat, casual accommodations near the rim of the famed New River Gorge. She nurtures everyone in her midst from her fabulous garden and kitchen and is quick to deliver a meal to a friend in need of comfort.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? I call it Salmon with Greens, etc… I keep wild caught salmon filets in my freezer. I season them and cook them frozen with the lid on so it’s almost like poaching. I go roaming in my fridge to get my greens and any extra bits I find. She is giggling. I throw everything in there! I have two skillets going while I unload the dishwasher.

What’s the most challenging place you’ve cooked a meal? Cooking on the Gauley River overnights. I’d light 20 pounds of charcoal in the big grill and cook huge sirloin roasts, whole salmons. We’d have cast iron Dutch ovens full of corn pudding. Then roll out big breakfasts for the rafters in the morning. No running water or electricity. It was pretty outstanding!

What’s your favorite restaurant in your current city? The Station. They’ve really found their footing! Their menu and presentation are great and they have a neighborhood-y vibe.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Yuzu Kosho. I got some in South Korea and had to restock it with an online source. It can go everywhere!

Who taught you to cook? I learned from my mother and great grandmother. We always had lots of family over. We would have an assembly line of tamale making. Also my mom showed us every cooking step so we knew how to follow a prep list.

What’s your go-to dish for company? Chicken Marbella from the Silver Palate cookbook

What’s on your cooking playlist? I’ve gotten into the Moody Blues lately, it’s been fun!

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? All three. I was making my own Kombucha. I love making chai with ‘all the stuff’

Date night—at home? or out? Mostly at home

Most stained cookbook? It’s a 3-way tie: Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum, New Basics (follow up to the Silver Palate), and Martha Stewart’s big blue book. I have staple recipes from all of these.

Indispensable kitchen tool? A good kitchen knife, it doesn’t have to be expensive.

Staple childhood comfort food? Red posole or menudo. I grew up with huge pots of these on Sundays. I will pull the car over when I travel if I see a place serving it. I am transported to my great grandmother’s house the minute I taste it.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? Ruth Reichl. I’ve been reading all her books. She has a great appetite for food. She’s fascinating!

Go-to olive oil? California Olive Ranch. I do a tasting in my cooking classes. People are always so shocked at the difference!

Ideal grilled cheese? Thick cut sourdough spread with mayo on the outside of each slice. Inside spread with mustard butter and slabs of Dubliner cheddar. I cook it slow to melt the fat slices of cheese.

Favorite pizza topping? Black olives, the classic on pizza.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? The Kitchen Porch on Martha’s Vineyard with Jan Buhrman. I met her at a yoga retreat. I love her personality.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Sharpen your knives! I teach some simple techniques in every cooking class. The students are always amazed! It makes your time in the kitchen so much more pleasurable.

Three things next to your stove? JQ Dickinson salt, fresh pepper grinder, and some hot chili pepper olive oil my nephew gave me.

What’s your favorite sports team? L.A. Dodgers, the one sport I enjoy with my dad.

a frozen salmon filet sizzles in minutes with Joy’s smart cooking technique.

Joy’s Salmon with Greens, Etc…

less of a formatted recipe and more of a freestyle: For each serving you will need a spoonful of olive oil, handful of chopped onion or one green onion cut into 1-inch pieces, a clove or two of smashed garlic, 3-4 cups/handfuls of fresh greens (kale, spinach, mixed baby greens), supplement with extra goodies from your fridge, such as a few mushrooms, sprigs of wispy herbs, lemon if you have it, small spoonful of Gochujang for some spice. salmon filet (4 to 6 ounce each), olive oil to film the skillet, small pat of butter, salt & pepper.

HEAT olive oil in two 10-inch skillets over medium heat, one for the greens and one for the salmon. Add the onion/garlic/greens+extras and herbs to the skillet and toss with tongs, season with s&p, squeeze in some lemon and add Gochujang if using. Keep half an eye on this while you get the salmon going in the other skillet. Cook until tender

SPRINKLE the frozen salmon on both sides with s&p and lay it skin (or skinned) side down in the skillet. Smear the salmon with about a teaspoon of soft butter and put the lid on (if your butter is straight out of the fridge, you can grate it with a cheese grater, onto the top of the salmon. Just a bit, makes for a tasty ‘sauce’ as if you butter-poached it).

COOK, covered, for 6-10 minutes, until desired degree of doneness. Lots of variables at play—type of skillet, thickness and how frozen is the fish, every stovetop is different. For the testing, I cooked a whole 12 ounce filet for 10 minutes and think 9 minutes would have been perfect. Serve your perfectly cooked salmon on top of the greens, passing lemon wedges at the table.