Featured Food Blog: Cooking with Books

Name: Marnely Rodriguez
Name of blog:  Cooking with Books
Twitter: @nella22
Location: Martha’s Vineyard, MA

How would you describe your culinary style?
Coming from a Hotel Management background and tossing in an Associate’s in Baking and Pastry Arts, I consider my culinary style to be very influenced by flavors and the combination of them. I tend to cook on a whim, on a spontaneous craving or idea that takes over my mind and won’t let go until I get into the kitchen and develop it. It’s definitely not fancy (although I do like to make more complicated dishes from time to time), my style can be considered as comforting in technique and intense in flavors.

What is the main source of inspiration for your recipes?
My main source of inspiration is everything around me, which sounds so cliché but it’s reality. I’m inspired by my surroundings, specially now living on Martha’s Vineyard and having a vast variety of local seafood to explore. I’m inspired by my Dominican roots and upbringing, cooking traditional dishes from time to time. I’m inspired by other chefs, cooks, bloggers and the people I meet on the bus. Like I said, I’m inspired by mostly everything and everyone, in one way or the other.

If you could have one food while stranded on a desert island, what would it be? 
Rice! I’m a rice addict, and on a desert island jasmine rice would go a long way; tossed with wild greens for a rice salad, served with fish (that I’d learn to catch…somehow!), cooked in coconut water for delicious coconut rice. Mmhmm, all this rice talk makes me wish I was on a desert island right now!

For someone new to your blog, which recipe do you recommend they try first? 
Some of my favorite recipes on the blog, both savory and sweet:

• Majarete Pie (Corn Pudding Pie): the pefect summer dessert that uses sweet, fresh corn and topped with fresh mangoes (can you tell I love mangoes?!)
• Sausage and Quinoa Casserole: Cheesy, meaty and decadent, all while being healthy enough to feel great about yourself! 
• Curried Goat Phyllo Triangles: if you love trying new meats, purchase goat from your local butcher and make these delicious treats! 
• Pecan Mexican Wedding Cookies: one of the simplest cookies out there, and so delicious!
• Mango Dulce de Leche Pudding Cakes: gooey, sweet and the perfect dessert when mangoes are in season. When they aren’t, you can substitute for your favorite stone fruit. 

What is your ultimate guilty food pleasure? 
Pasta, any kind and the cheesier, the better! I can eat 3 bowls of pasta in one sitting (and trust me, they aren’t small bowls!) Don’t judge me!

Define Yummly.
Yummly to me is food that by just looking at it, my stomach is grumbling. It’s the type of food you see and say “Dear God! It’s 2012, when are they going to invent a laptop in which you can stick your hand inside the screen and grab the Yummly food off of it!?!”