Two Artists Write Marblehead Seafood Cookbook

Life in Marblehead is so intertwined with the sea and art, it was probably inevitable that a pair of artists and cooking enthusiasts would join together to write a Marblehead seafood cookbook.

Carol Coen and Bettie Hamilton have written and painted a new book with seafood recipes. The book is illustrated with their own paintings.

Called "Artists in the Kitchen, A Marblehead Seafood Cookbook," the book is stuffed with recipes for cooking fish or shellfish. The exception: a chapter on Downeast Desserts. "Since fruit marries so well with fish, all the desserts are fruit based," Hamilton said.

The two women met in 1989 when Coen moved to Marblehead and joined the Marblehead Arts Association. She met Hamilton at the association and bought one of her paintings. "We have been friends ever since," Coen said.

The idea for the cookbook came years later after spending many times cooking, serving or eating food at MAA events. "If we weren't talking about painting, we were talking about cooking and eating," Coen said.

The introduction to the book explains: "We, Carol and Bettie are artists in real life and strive to be artists in the kitchen as well. Our book, 'Artists in the Kitchen,' is the result of the passions we shared - family, friends, painting, cooking and our historic home town."

"We employ the same principles in cooking as are second nature in painting, i.e. - color, design and composition, complementary colors, balance and foremost- originality," the introduction states.

For example, "The color contrasts of Cadmium red tomatoes nestled on a bed of Windsor green lettuce with a counterpoint of pinky Rose madder shrimp uses complementary and analogous color and is a small masterpiece in food," the book states.

The artists have injected a lot of humor in this Marblehead cookbook.

The chapter on appetizers is called Mermaid's Morsels. The drinks section is entitled Nauti Libations and includes a Mermaid's Martini. There is a chapter called St. Elmo's Soups, Stews and Chowders in honor of the patron saint of sailors.

The opening chapter is Seacoast Sandwiches and Salads, followed by Fishy Stories and Shellfish Symphonies.

"Because Carol is Finnish, Bettie Danish," Hamilton said, the chapter called Scandinavia Flava contains family recipes. From their friends around the world the book sails further afield with Nautica Exotica, which includes Asian, Thai and European recipes for seafood.

There is also a chapter on Plating by Palette and Palate, which explains with a chart how to prepare artistic presentations of the dishes.

Many of the recipes are named for Marblehead historic spots, people, beaches or parks and contains a brief note on each. An example, Hamilton named one recipe for Grace Oliver's Beach at the entrance of Peach's Point, "Old Bags Beach is a favorite spot for older ladies in one piece bathing suits to gather and gossip!"

There is a recipe named after Skipper Ireson, who was "tarred and feathered and carried in a cart by the women of Marblehead" and thus celebrated in poetry.

"There is even a recipe for Rosehip jam (to serve with fish hash) made from the plentiful seaside Rosa Rugosa that grows so prolifically along the Nor'eastern coast," Hamilton said.

This book is not the first for Hamilton, who has also produced a cookbook on apple recipes. It is Coen's first cookbook. When she saw the first copies roll of the press, she said, "I was so pleased with it, I was giddy."

The "Artists in the Kitchen" may be purchased at theand the

Correction: Due to misinformation, in earlier versions of this story, Spirit of '76 was listed as a place to buy this cookbook. Spirit of '76 is not carrying the book. Sea Gull Gift Shop and Marblehead Arts Association do have the book available.