It’s been a few months since I last did a Favorite Meal, but this one has been well worth the wait. I decided to try something a little different by trying to do it long distance. I wanted to see how it would work, if my physical presence was really needed, and if creating a framework for the participant(s) was enough. After working with Yuri and Erin– who did a fantastic job and looked like they had a lot of fun–I decided it depends on the favorite meal and those who are carrying it out. If you’d like me to do a favorite meal for you long distance, send me your ideas!
Just to recap, the Favorite Meal series (click to see other favorite meals that have been done) started as my thesis project for my masters degree. I ask people a series of questions about their favorite person. Based upon their answers, I create an entire experience–food and environment–really focusing on connecting themselves with their Favorite and with themselves. It is a wonderful design challenge, forcing me out of my “comfort zone” with having to cook and experiment with different foods, experience intimate moments and memories, and face the humanity of the experience for all of us involved. Some ‘Favorites’ have been present (and that is a lovely surprise for both parties!) while most are for a ‘Favorite’ who is deceased. Some Favorite meals have been really funny and some have been heavy and sad; others have been uplifting and cleansing–it all depends on who the Favorite is, who the facilitating person is, and what the situation is. But they ALL have been a celebration of life in its various forms, from the painful to the hilarious, clearing the air and the way for people to experience that and move on. And I have been so incredibly grateful to have been made a part of my participants journeys!
(Erin (left) and Yuri–wrapping and tasting their own chocolate bars)Yuri and Erin are friends of friends from undergrad–we all went to DAAP for various forms of design. They live in Brooklyn and I live in Portland–this was a great test for distance because, well, that’s pretty far! But it worked out beautifully. Yuri chose his Uncle Bunky as his favorite. Johannes George Devos, otherwise known as Uncle Bunky, was Dutch. Yuri used to spend summers with him in Holland; Uncle Bunky was a food connoisseur and lover. He used to plan field trips to various wine, cheese, and olive oil making farms because he valued, treasured, and loved the traditions of food so much. They took all the pictures of their excursion to the Factory and of their meal.
(The front counter at Mast Bros.)
(A Mast Brother hard at work!)
With this in mind, I created a little field trip of their own, right in Brooklyn to the Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory. I screenprinted some “tickets” with the information of where it was and when to go–the tickets were meant to resemble the beautiful wrappings the Mast Bros. use on their chocolates. Did I mention that this chocolate tastes amazing too? It’s good chocolate. Real good. I then sent him a recipe of an authentic Indonesian curry to make when they got home from their excursion. It looked delicious and they even platted their meal beautifully–so nice guys!Yuri’s Favorite Meal Answers:
Who would you like to have a Favorite Meal with?
Bunky – Johannes George Devos. Bunky is my uncle from my mother’s side. He lived in Holland his whole life.
Why?
I chose Bunky because I would give anything to cook a meal for him. He passed away two years ago and as I continue my culinary journey, I would love to share with him all I have learned. He was fascinated by everyone and everything. He would call my mother and want to know all about her work, life, the kids and what we were doing. He was extremely passionate about art and music. Bunky worked as vice president of legal sales for Dunhill and Peter Stuyversant cigarettes. One major accomplishment in his career was putting art work in the factories to improve the decor and work environment. He was a painter himself, as well as his daughters and wife. Bunky provided for his family in every way possible. He was so close to his three girls, and was determined to stay close to them his whole life. He was the “master of the house”, as my whole family called him. He always wanted to bring the family together. My parents, sister and I spent the summers in Holland when I was a child. We took trips to the south of France and I watched as the adults ate and drank for hours. He was all about the tradition of sharing a meal with family and friends. He would take us all to wineries, cheese shops, and once the oldest factory which made hazelnut oil. He visited as many things local as he possibly could. He cared about it all. In a small village in the south of France, he woke everyone up at four a.m and took us to a cow trading auction. We stood in cow shit and watched the farmers buy and sell cows. His fascination with life was so amazing. It was so fun to watch him eat. He took so much time to smell, taste, raise his glass, do a whole song and dance to have the first drop of a bottle of wine. [personal note: sounds amazing, right?]
(Yuri is a great cook–he was excited when he saw quail eggs as part of the recipe:)
What flavors remind you of this person?
Bunky was a lover of Indonesian food. He enjoyed spicy hot food. He liked savory over sweet. He loved scallops, oysters, foie gras, as much as an occasional white castle or Mc donalds hamburger to remember his childhood. Two foods that come to mind that he didn’t like are brussel sprouts and pumpkin. We learned this one thanksgiving when the family came to Cincinnati. He was never a fan of sushi.
Bunky loved to drink. He drank scotch and then moved onto wine with almost every meal. He drank beer with Indonesian food.
What time of day would be most appropriate for the meal? It could be any time of the day …breakfast, cocktails, midnight snack…?
The meal most appropriate would be cocktail hour and or dinner.
Where do you see this favorite meal happening? A specific city? A climate? A time period?
His home in Amsterdam on Van Bree Straat. He always loved to be home.
What smells remind you of this person?
Smells that come to mind are cigarettes and his cologne.
Are there any mementos or small trinkets that you have that you’d like to incorporate and are special to them?
A bow tie he gave me. He always looked sharp. He wore bow ties.
Indonesian Prawn Curry with Quail Eggs
INGREDIENTS
12 quail’s eggs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 shallots or one onion, finely chopped
1 inch piece fresh ginger root, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 inch piece lemon grass, finely shredded
1-2 small fresh red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 lbs raw shrimp tails, peeled and deveined
14oz can coconut milk
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
4 oz of Chinese leaves (bok choy or napa cabbage), roughly chopped
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 scallions, green parts only, shredded
2 tbsp shredded coconut to garnish
1. Boil the quails eggs for 8 minutes. Refresh in cold water, peel by dipping in cold water to to release the shells and set them aside.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok, add the shallots or onion, ginger, and garlic and cook until the onions have softened, without coloring. Add the lemon grass, chilies, turmeric, and fish sauce and fry briefly to bring out their flavors.
3. Add the prawns to the wok and fry briefly. Pour the coconut milk through a strainer over a bowl, then add the thin part of the milk with the chicken stock. Add the Chinese leaves (bok choy or napa cabbage), sugar, and salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 6-8 minutes.
4. Turn out the prawn curry on to a warmed serving dish. Halve the quail’s eggs, using a sharp knife, and toss them in the sauce until they are well coated. Sprinkle with the spring onions and the shredded coconut. Serve with plain boiled rice.
5. Enjoy with a cold Amstel!
(They even made Uncle Bunky his own plate–love the veggie letters 
Thank you so much Yuri and Erin for letting me create the framework for this experience for you! The chocolate factory looked so amazing to go visit–I’m a little jealous 
.
Cheers!
I love this! So inspiring.