The Revival of Catie Cooks

After a year away, I am returning to my roots and reviving the blog that helped launch my new life and career. I’ve had every intention of writing in the past year. The 50 posts in my drafts serve as testament to that. I planned to write about new bakeries I tried and food events…

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Monkfish Paprikash

Chicken paprikash is a traditional meal in Hungarian cuisine, and it is one of my favorite comfort classics. Since my life now revolves around the sea, I wanted to try this preparation as a seafood dish, and I chose monkfish. Sometimes called “sea devil,” because of its frightening appearance, monkfish is a meaty fish that…

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The Accidental Pescatarian

My supervisor says, “People are either born into the seafood industry or they fall into it by accident.” After 8 months in the industry, I can attest to this statement. I am surrounded by people from multi-generation seafood families and then those like myself who happened to be in the right place at the right…

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What Do You Do with a Degree in Food?

Although I didn’t officially celebrate graduation until May, it has now been one year since I finished the coursework for my gastronomy master’s degree. I am reflecting on what this degree has done for me and whether it was worth it. I won’t sugarcoat things. Grad school is ridiculously expensive. When self-financing a degree, it…

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Thanksgiving For One

I spent Thanksgiving alone today. By alone, I mean I never left my apartment. I FaceTimed twice with my family but didn’t have a single in-person interaction with another human. I had mixed feelings going into this holiday. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. No, it’s my favorite day of the year. I mean what foodie…

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Cod Cheeks with Grits and Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette

I’ve been M.I.A. this summer, as I have been settling into my new role as the Customer Success Manager at Wulf’s Fish. On top of customer service and marketing duties, I have been developing some new seafood recipes to put on our website. This one that I worked on earlier this summer I saved for…

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Kale and Sausage Pasta

I came up with this recipe the week I moved. I had only unpacked my deep sauté pan, so I needed to make a one pot meal. The pasta cooks in the mix of chicken stock and cream. By the time the pasta is done cooking, you will have a thick creamy sauce that beautifully…

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Boston University Graduation

I once described Boston as “a city in which I could see myself thriving.” I wrote that in 2019 as I was preparing to move for grad school. Three years, countless hours of work, sleepless nights, and a global pandemic later, I walked across the stage at Boston University this weekend having earned my master’s…

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Creamy Crab Cake Pasta

Having lived in Maryland for five years, I have had no shortage of crab in my life, but I found myself wanting to try something new. What happens when a time-honored seafood appetizer gets flipped into a hearty, comforting meal? With all the flavors of a classic crab cake, this pasta dish is sure to…

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Red Velvet Ice Cream Sandwiches

Valentine’s Day is around the corner. What better way to celebrate than by making ice cream sandwiches with your partner (or your kids), especially if you are like me and still stuck inside due to the cold winter weather. This fun treat is perfect for Valentine’s Day: red velvet ice cream with cream cheese swirl…

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