We were introduced to Alice and Jared - the dynamic duo behind the blog Eat A Duck I Must - through the2010 Foodbuzz Project Food Blog contest. In particular, their video entry titled, "In the Mood for Tuna" caught our attention and affection. They were lucky enough to have some videographer friends help them put together the film noir spoof. They'd tell you they are not as cool as they appear in the short film, but read their responses to our questions, check out their blog, and I think you'll agree with us that yes, they are this cool!
In the Mood for Tuna from Sarah Krusen on Vimeo.
GD: How did you meet and what role did food play in your romance?
A&J: We had been friends for a very long time and had crushes on each other since... let's just say when we were MUCH younger! The timing wasn’t right until 6 years into our friendship when we realized we made a lot of sense together. Looking back, we see that so much of our relationship and travels together centered around food from the very beginning. While most folks look for dining options around the sites they'd like to see, we would plan our trips around the meals we want to eat. But seriously, doesn't that make more sense?
GD: What have you learned about each other through cooking?
A&J: Our cooking styles really reflect our personalities. I (Alice, the ENFP) like to freestyle with whatever is in the fridge though I fully admit that the results are usually not suitable for consumption. That’s why I am in
charge of eating and blogging! Jared (the ISTJ) likes to plan out the meal and executes paying close attention to every detail. Can you tell why he makes a great chef?
GD: You have such a strong visual theme to your blog, do you find you cook more with your eyes or taste buds in mind?
A&J: Jared always creates dishes with the plating in mind as well as the flavors, and many times we try to come up with new angles and natural lighting techniques to stretch our photography repertoire. But clean and harmonious flavors reign supreme because in the end we still need to eat the dish and like it!
GD: You love to travel AND eat - what has been your most memorable meal away from home?
A&J: Most of our favorite meals have been when we were traveling in Japan. We had the most incredible ramen at a street stall in Fukuoka. In Osaka we ate at a fish market where we had the freshest and most luxurious otoro. We like to joke and say that we won't bother eating sushi anymore unless we are back at a fish market in Japan.
GD: Can you actually taste it when food is made with love?
A&J: Absolutely. Every now and then Jared gets inspired to plan out a fancy multi-course meal. I know firsthand the amount of thought and effort he puts into creating it and all of the small details he adds to make it far beyond what you call home cookin'. Though I probably more so appreciate his home-style and slow-cooked meals. Meals like that are incredibly comforting and feel a bit like your mama just gave you a great big hug. :)
GD: When it comes to cooking or your blog, what are you currently inspired by?
A&J: Jared and I love to travel and eat out when we can. Whenever a dish stands out, he loves to recreate the same dishes at home. Now that we have a 4 month old, it’s also nice being able to eat restaurant style food at home since we can hardly get out of the house for a date night meal anymore!
GD: What’s the secret to keeping your relationship cooking?
A&J: As funny as it may sound, writing this blog together has definitely made us a better couple. It's given us the opportunity to work together (mostly) harmoniously and being able to celebrate the successes and commiserate over the failures as a team sure beats doing it by yourself! We do our best to not take it too seriously and keep it light and fun. For the most part, there's a whole lot of high-fiving going on!
