We met in a lab. Nick was a graduate student, and Emily was there to produce a magazine story. She had a media bag slung over her shoulder and a tripod tucked under her arm. He hovered above a microscope in a crisp white lab coat. Our eyes met, and we smiled, and conversation came easy.
The chemistry that originated in the lab on that April day soon spread into the kitchen. We started small — simply trying to impress one another with sweet potato soup and lasagna. We woke up to pumpkin pecan waffles and strong hazelnut coffee. We shared brie with cranberries and almonds and sips of Blue Moon. We told stories over glasses of Pinot or Chianti while simmering, sautéing, and stirring.
We called ourselves The Culinary Couple and began to chronicle our kitchen adventures together in 2007. As Nick remembers, he declared this a lifelong commitment from the moment we purchased our URL.
And then, two-and-a-half years later, we really did make it official. We stood in a garden on the banks of the Susquehanna River and promised to love each other in sunshine and in rain. And then we celebrated with family and friends over pit-style pork and German sausages, beer from our favorite microbrewery, and a tower of cupcakes.
{Photos Credit to Robert Winton}
We recently relocated from western Pennsylvania to northern New Jersey with our three children: Sam (5), Nora (3), and baby Evelyn, as well as our Golden Lucy. We’re hopeful that our kids grow up to love the kitchen as much as we do.
About Emily
Emily is a writer. She underlines phrases from her favorite food memoirs and organizes her grocery list according to the layout of the store. She loves strawberries, French press coffee, dark chocolate, and her red KitchenAid stand mixer. Contact Emily at emily@theculinarycouple.com.
About Nick
Nick is a scientist. He likes to experiment with malts and hops and flour and yeast. He loves pistachios and microbrews and his red Le Creuset Dutch oven. Nick is fond of cutting boards, he can’t resist the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, and he makes a mean Wienerschnitzel. Contact Nick at nick@theculinarycouple.com.
About THE CULINARY KIDS
Our culinary kids love to eat! Spaghetti and meatballs, quesadillas and guacamole, carrots and hummus, pancakes and maple syrup. Find out how we introduced food to the kids and get some of our favorite munchkin recipes.
Join Us
To us, cooking isn’t just about preparing delectable dishes; it’s about laughter and love. It’s about finding pleasure in seasonal ingredients and making memories in bites bursting with flavor.
Join us as we chronicle our adventures in parenthood — both inside and outside of the kitchen!
You guys are just too damn cute!!! Nick has told us about your iron chef battles but to see it online is just amazing. Best of luck to both of you with your culinary creativity.
You guys are awesome! And so creative! I wish we lived closer to each other! Love K
What a fabulous web site — attractive, creative and FUN (just like the two of you!)! Not too many twenty-somethings are as varied in their dating activities as you two — from football tailgating to Iron Chef to the Metropolitan Opera! We are so happy that Nick has found someone who complements his talents and interests so well (and keeps him on his toes!). Can’t wait to meet you, Ms Emily! Hugs, Mom Wiley
What an amazing website….for two amazing people! We are looking forward to meeting Emily, and would love to host you both in Altoona any time at all. Love, Aunt Mary
Very, very, very creative. The e-mail was even more creative. As I read it I could only imagine your Mother out in CA reading it and having a stroke knowing you were going to get married and she hadn’t even met Emily yet. Also, the news in Fairfax is that Kirsten still hasn’t come out of the coma yet.
Question – Can we submit recipes for you to try and then evaluate? If there good, you add them to your recipe section and you can create a Family Cookingsite. Then you go public, get advertisers and sell your site for a billion dollars!! Then you can support all of us.
Love you, Jim and Vicki
That would be “if they’re good” not “there good”. Duh…
Dear Nick and Emily,
I love the website and reading about your adventures. The pictures are great.
I plan to print off your peanut recipes, sound (and look) yummy.
Glad I had a chance to see both of you at my Uncle Tom’s birthday party at the beginning of October.
The two of you have magic!!!
Joy
Dear Nick and Emily,
I have been speechless since reading the opening
lines of the Wiley Wednesday Announcement…
Congratulations on your “Culinary Love”! The website is amazing, just like the two of you!
Love, Mom Rowlands
Am I missing something??? Are you guys engaged??? I love this website, you guys are awesome. Im gonna have to try some recipies and suprise Brian since he says I cant cook!!! Love yas Jillian xoxoxo
All you need now are some good old cajun recipes. We’ll have to give lessons at the lake next time.
The Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms and the Balsamic Chicken Wings were delicious….thanks for dinner!
Time to update your chef photos to show off the Christmas gift from Sister Wiley.
Love you two,
Mom Rowlands
You two are adorable!!! I LOVE cooking too!! I can’t wait to try some of your dishes!
I love the website!!!! Your mom and I NEED more CHOCOLATE RECIPES!!!! Love, T.W.
Happy Birthday Emily! Will Nick be posting a special birthday dinner?
Love your site – it might inspire me to cook some.
Holly
Hi Culinary Couple!
I saw Steph Spangler and Katie Kurtzman last night and they told me about your adorable site — so fun! I would love to interview you all on my food blog (or challenge you both to an awesome IRON CHEF competition!!!).
All best,
Julie
Hey there you two!! Congrats on the engagement!!!! I am excited to repeat a Nick at BJ’s wedding haha!
Please keep Amy and I up to date on everything…
mjb5022@gmail.com
and
amy.bauer@temple.edu
I love this website, yall are soooo cute!!! I have to start my grocery list to make some of these recipes, they look great! Also, Congratulations on your engagement, Nick, I’m so glad you’re on our team and look forward to meeting Emily someday!
Awww, you guys are soooo cute! Like I said, I wish we’d met up when I lived there!
Hi! LOVE this site! Psyched to try out some of your delicious recipes.
Enjoyed having a drink with the two of you. I hope you guys enjoyed your time in Pittsburgh. I look forward to seeing some great holiday recipes.
excited to start following!
Absolutely adore your blog! love, Love, LOVE! :o)
I’m so thrilled to find other PA bloggers! I’m in Pittsburgh! Your blog is amazing. Thanks so much for sharing all of your culinary goodness! Have a wonderful weekend!
~Abby =)