Chef Jeff learns to make sushi

Although I do cook quite a bit, my partner Ed Cunningham is the true chef in our household. This week Ed, the business manager for the local office of the law firm Holland & Knight, coordinated the annual summer associates activity in the form of a Japanese-inspired cooking class at In Good Taste in Portland's Pearl District. Attorneys, staff, spouses (that would include me as the "corporate wife") and friends got a hands-on lesson in making sushi.

(From left to right: Law clerk Andy Schlegel, Chef Ivy Manning, yours truly and Andy's wife Kendra preparing sushi at In Good Taste.)

Food writer, cooking instructor and personal chef Ivy Manning prepared a great menu for the evening of Sesame Noodles with Asparagus, Miso Soup, Thai Vegetable Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce, California Inside Out Rolls, Spicy Tuna Rolls, Japanese Eggplant with Miso Glaze, and Grilled Fresh Albacore Tuna with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes. Manning demonstrated how to make the sushi and then we divided up into three groups; each given the assignment of making one of the sushi rolls on the menu.

My teammates and I were responsible for making the Thai Vegetable Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce. The whole process was surprisingly easy and fun. It's somewhat embarrassing that Ed and I have all the sushi-making tools at home and never used them in the past. Making sushi would be a great excuse to have a participatory dinner party.

Chef Ivy prepared all of the other dishes as she explained the recipes (which we were provided) and offered helpful tips. Throughout the evening we were served a sparkling wine, two white wines and local sake - ingredients that always contribute to a successful cooking event. Following a dessert of raspberry sorbet with fresh fruit, we were all presented the surprise treat of the evening - autographed copies of Ivy Manning's new cookbook, The Farm to Table Cookbook: The Art of Eating Locally.

The evening was an incredibly enjoyable and educational experience for this "corporate wife."

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Look who's making news in our household

I've got to admit, when it comes to media coverage in our household, my other half of 17.5 years - Ed Cunningham - usually stays out of the limelight while doing an incredible job as Business Manager in the Portland office of the nationwide law firm Holland & Knight. I'm usually the one being interviewed by some magazine or having my photo taken for a newspaper. So much so that Ed usually refers to me as the "media ho."

However, yesterday was his turn - and I couldn't be prouder and happier for him. Just Out, the statewide newsmagazine for the GLBT community, published an article about the fact that Holland & Knight was recently honored by the Human Rights Campaign with a perfect score of 100 points in its annual Corporate Equity Index. The law firm was recognized for its actions and policies toward sexual minority employees, as well as consumers and investors, making it one of the "best places to work for GLBT equality" in the nation. Just Out writer Teresa Coates interviewed Ed about the recognition.

At a local level, Ed has played an active role in promoting diversity within the Portland office. In fact, he was recently honored as the inaugural recipient of Portland office's Diversity Supporter of the Year Award and was honored by the Native American Youth and Family Center last year. Ed has been a member of the local office diversity committee, initiated a Native Youth Internship Program, and is surrounded by little kids each month through the office adoption of a Head Start program class. I'm thrilled that he's getting a public "pat on the back" for his efforts - although that's not why he does any of the community work.

More than anything else, I have always appreciated the support that Ed has given me in my design work, writing and other activities. For 17.5 years he's been an equal partner in the public and private efforts of Jeff Fisher LogoMotives.

© 2007 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives