When most people get bored, they eat. When I get bored, I brainstorm new series and features for the blog, and THEN eat. And not too long ago, as I was brainstorming and contemplating what I wanted to eat, I thought how cool it would be to have a mini-foodie series where authors share the things they like to eat. Photos and recipes and all. And so I asked them, and amazingly they responded, and I dubbed it EAT LIKE AN AUTHOR.
Since becoming a
professional chef, I’ve realized that my arc in food and writing are close
companions—two crafts that both require patience, instinct, and a willingness
to start over when something just doesn’t feel right. It reminds me of the
first time I made mac and cheese with my mother. Simple, and yet there is a
memory that remains. It wasn’t much different from the first time I wrote a
story about a boy who became a superhero. It was something I could call my own.
As
my life progressed, so did both crafts. But I’ll admit—because I cook for a
living, my go-to meals are often peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (creamy
peanut butter only and a layer on each side so the jelly has a secure place to
live), and still, that same three-ingredient mac and cheese—noodles, cheese,
and milk. The professional and the personal don’t always overlap.
But
sometimes they do. And when they do, it means something.
The
inspiration behind my debut novel Remember Me was my grandmother, who
passed away from Alzheimer's disease. The book is loosely based on her — and on
the effect her illness had on our entire family. The lesson I carried out of
that experience, and into those pages, was simple: never forget. The
dish I'm sharing today is one I return to for the moments that matter. It's the
kind of meal that commands your full attention — as a cook and as a guest. One
that lingers. One you don't forget.
Deconstructed Beef Wellington with roasted
garlic potato puree, asparagus, and a red wine sauce.
Ingredients
Beef
●
4 beef tenderloin medallions (6–8
oz each)
●
Salt and pepper
●
2 tbsp oil
●
2 tbsp butter
●
Fresh thyme
Duxelles
●
1 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
●
2 shallots, minced
●
2 tbsp butter
●
1 tsp thyme
Potato Purée
●
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
●
1 head roasted garlic
●
4 tbsp butter
●
½ cup heavy cream
Asparagus
●
1 bunch asparagus
●
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Puff Pastry
●
1 sheet puff pastry
●
1 egg, beaten
Red Wine Sauce
●
2 cups red wine
●
1 cup beef stock
●
1 shallot, minced
●
1 tbsp butter
Method
1. Duxelles:
Cook shallots
in butter. Add mushrooms and thyme and cook until dry. Season.
2. Potato Purée:
Roast garlic at
400°F for 40 minutes. Boil potatoes until tender, mash with roasted garlic,
butter, and warm cream. Season.
3. Puff Pastry Rings:
Cut puff pastry
into rings, brush with egg wash, and bake at 400°F for 12–15 minutes until
golden.
4. Asparagus:
Toss with oil,
salt, and pepper. Roast at 425°F for 8–10 minutes.
5. Red Wine Sauce:
Cook shallot
until soft. Add wine and reduce by ¾. Add stock and reduce until slightly
thickened. Finish with butter.
6. Beef:
Season
tenderloins. Sear in oil 2–3 minutes per side. Add butter and thyme, baste, and
cook to 125–130°F. Rest 5 minutes.
Plate
Spread potato purée on the plate. Add a
spoonful of duxelles, top with beef, arrange asparagus alongside, lean a puff
pastry ring against the beef, and finish with red wine sauce.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the funeral of beloved Brooklyn community
leader Mary-ann, journalist Salvador Pitello reflects on the extraordinary life
that inspired him to write her story. Known affectionately as "Mama,"
Mary-ann spent decades serving her neighborhood through a soup kitchen she
founded with her best friend and helping transform Brooklyn into a safer
community.
As Sal chronicles her life, he witnesses the devastating
effects of Alzheimer's disease on Mary-ann, her husband Allan, and their six
children. While in a rehabilitation ward, Mary-ann forms an unlikely friendship
with Landon, a young boy battling brain cancer whose remarkable memory
contrasts with her fading one. Their bond rekindles glimpses of the woman she
once was and leads to a profound act of sacrifice that forever changes both of
their lives.
Gabriel Fowler, originally from Upstate New York, is a writer and personal chef whose journey has been shaped by creativity, travel, and a passion for food. After a football injury redirected his focus from sports to storytelling, he studied journalism at Liberty University and graduated in 2007.
His path has taken him from working with
his family's nonprofit in Ethiopia to backpacking across nine European
countries, experiences that broadened his perspective and fueled his love for
adventure. Today, Gabriel lives in the Philadelphia area with his wife, two
children, and their two dogs. He spends his days writing and his evenings
creating memorable dining experiences as a personal chef.
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