Today I’d like you to meet someone very special. My husband, the infamous Nathan Smart. He may be better known for his music or his comedy but there’s more to him than meets the eye. He’s handsome, he’s smart, he makes me laugh harder than anyone, he’s an absolutely wonderful Father and folks let me tell you … this man can cook.
It wasn’t always that way. We were friends for a long time before we ever dated. Back in the day when were just a bunch of twentysomethings doing music and hanging out full time it was rumored that Nathan lived off Pop Tarts and Grape Juice (He may deny this but I have it on very good report). He was notorious for being a picky eater. Very little passed his discriminating palate. He was skinny as a rail and lived off the finest soda pop, fast food and sweets he could find. The years went on and his love of junk food didn’t change but his palate has broadened enormously. In the old days black beans and rice were about as exotic as his food selections got and cooking was just not something he was interested in. A trip to Japan helped change all that along with a healthy dose of my slight addiction to the Food Network. Fast forward to today and you have a man that loves to cook and does it quite well and not just for someone who just started. He’s good.
So this week he decided he would take over the kitchen until further notice. Planning, shopping and cooking dinner every night. I love to cook too but with an 11 month old crawling around getting in to everything I have not been very inspired to say the least. Did I mention that my brother is living with us? Well Josh just moved here from Georgia. So in all of us my husband has a very receptive audience as he attempts to teach himself to really cook.
Last night he made a Summer Flatbread. That’s what I’m calling it since it was a modified version of this recipe. Asparagus, arugula pesto, fresh mozzarella, fresh sliced corn from the cob, peas, fingerling potatoes all on a crispy homemade flat bread and topped off with arugula, Parmesan cheese and a fried egg over easy. It was an explosion of fresh summer flavors. Light and filling all at the same time. Perfect for a July dinner.
I hope this continues …
