The “What If” game always gets you in trouble...!

What if we had gone to Spain for our honeymoon and Mataio had apprenticed at El Bulli with Ferran Adrià?

It was part of the plan in 2000 when we got married.Then we decided that six 16-hour days a week in the restaurant might not be the best way to start off the marriage. So, we politely declined the position for a stage (culinary apprenticeship) and set off to Italy—which was not a bad trade. We did make it to Spain for a few weeks though, and fell in love with the architecture, pickled garlic, and quaint hill towns.

Even though Mataio missed his shot at cooking with Ferran, he and Doug got to meet him at a Spanish food conference in Napa a few years ago. They came back full of ideas, with renewed love for Spanish cuisine.

Since then, they have been dying to share all of this at a tapas night In the Kitchen. Friday, June 5th is the night! We will transform the kitchen into a tapas bar and serve up Spanish wine and food from 6pm to 9pm. It is also Art Walk night downtown Bellingham. We hope folks will take advantage of both offerings and party the night away! Call or email Jess at 360.927.4890 to reserve your place.

Back to the “What If” game, Mataio has been wondering, “what if I just ignore my high cholesterol? After all, it is an occupational hazard.” Occupational hazard or not, if he doesn’t curb his desire for fats that solidify at room temperature (especially pork fat), he may be on track for health problems in coming years. I think the Spaniards would be sad to see him give up entirely on pork fat though! The truth is we could all use a diet tune-up and a reminder that we can still eat our old favorites with just a few modifications to make them more heart healthy.

Join Mataio and physician Gail Knops on June 1st as they show you how to reinvent classic dishes with simple changes in technique or ingredients. This class promises to be fun and informative—setting you on the track for better health and good eating.

Finally, what if you all loved my newsletter as much as folks love Molly Wizenberg’s Orangette blog? Ha, fat chance! Award-winning food blogger Molly Wizenberg has a new book out, A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table. In her book, Molly shares personal stories through food tales and adds recipes along the way. I personally love the French lemon-yogurt cake! She also mentions this great little catering company in Bellingham, Ciao Thyme, maybe you’ve heard of them? Anyway, we are very excited to welcome Molly back to In the Kitchen for a book reading event on Thursday, June 4th at 6:30pm. This event is free, but RSVP is required, as seating is limited. Do not forget to bring your copy of the book for a signature!