September 3, 2006, Our Labor Day weekends are always spent with my close childhood next door neighbors who are my lifetime best friends, Alice and Becky. This year we were joined by two other long time friends, Jere and Joe Ann. It was our first Labor Day in Cape May but not our first feast together! One of many savored. Fred is the top cook at our house he has a particular cooking style that has morphed over the years into a routine and as we settled into Cape May, took into account our new locale. His cooking has a strong Mediterranean influence and is most often influenced by the season, using local, fresh ingredients. Cape May is the second-largest commercial fishing port on the East Coast and his favorite thing to do is to go to the local fish market, the Lobster House, and select from the best catch of the day. From there he will often create linguine in clam sauce, mediterranean shrimp salad, or poached flounder in parchment with herbs and lemon. The side dishes will begin with a stop at the local farmer’s market, picking out vegetables and fruit that will complement the entree, and finally a stop in our garden to pick fresh herbs. While the meal is being prepared I create a table setting that responds to the menu, often including whatever flowers are in season from our garden. I grab the camera and document the meal, working quickly so as not to stop the flow of the event. Then we begin our meal by saying thanks for the food and the guests.
Cape May Cioppino,2007 Oil on linen, 2' x 2 Our meal that September day started with Fred's tricolor tomato and goat cheese salad, and was followed by cioppino and grilled bread. With everyone savoring his cooking, Fred was in his element. Even though our guests are often artists, the talk is almost always about food and wine, and on this night the topic was our adventure in a new and magical place.