A month or two ago, I was cleaning and reorganizing my room and found an empty sketchbook and a few photos of food I’ve made. It was my original intention — probably since two years ago — to compile a cookbook of my original recipes. As most of my friends and family know, I love to cook (as much as I love to fucking eat), and it seemed logical that I collect all the recipes I’ve produced over the years, photograph them, and write them down in a bound sketchbook. My hope is that one day I’ll pass this cookbook onto my children, a loved one, or some hapless individual who’s clearing out all the shit from my mansion once I’m long dead.
Cooking to me is just another form of creativity. It’s like a drawing or a movie, but you can eat it. Food may not be as permanent as art, but it still needs the insight and skill to craft it. And if you’re smart about it, it can look great.
Here’s a recipe that’s included in my cookbook. It’s simple, and I don’t want to share all my secrets or more complex recipes just in case my food gets me famous one day:
Watermelon and Prosciutto
- 1/2 Seedless Watermelon
- 1/2 Pound Prosciutto Di Parma
- Bunch of Fresh Basil
- Block of Parmesan Cheese
- Baguette, Cut and Toasted
- Ground Black Pepper
- Olive Oil to Drizzle
- Salt to Taste
Cut watermelon into 1 to 1.5 inch slices, anywhere from 0.5 to 1 inch in thickness. Layer a slice of Prosciutto onto a toasted baguette piece. Using a vegetable peeler, shave slivers of parmesan onto the Prosciutto/baguette slices. Add a leaf of fresh basil, then a piece of watermelon on top. Sprinkle with salt, ground pepper, and olive oil.