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“The Connoisseur”
Vice Admiral Edward H. Martin, USN (Ret.) Sept em ber 30, 1 931 - December 23, 2015 Spring 2002: “This is one of my favorite appetizers. In the sauce pan is cracked pepper, a little salt, and freshly ground nutmeg.” He grinds it by hand in a nutmeg grinder. “Next, I add butter and let it dissolve and melt in there.” Ed Martin is a serious cook, a true gastronome. “Now, I crack the eggs, one at a time. They must be at room temperature… Making gougres—pronounced goo-zhair—is a little touchy, so you must stay right with them every moment. You can only use a wooden spoon—it won’t work with a metal one.” He mixes the dough until it is the texture of silk. “This is how you want it. Smooth and silky. They are rolled into little dough balls and baked for ten to fifteen minutes until they’re golden brown and good lookin’!” He likes to eat them hot, washed down liberally with fine champagne. Ed is a proud and colorful man—with dancing blue eyes, a plume-like posture,
Vice Admiral Edward H. Martin, USN (Ret.) Portrait by photographer Jamie Howren.
and a cadence in his voice that is both lilting and commanding. His garden is replete
being served. It gives his favorite foods that
prison experience is just what fueled this
with roses, bougainvillea, kona coffee tree
extra punch. Everyone knows they’re in
passion for the finer things in life: good
plants, snow bushes, plumeria, fuchsia,
for a culinary treat when they come to the
food, exotic travel, and fine furniture. He
geraniums, and peppers. Ah yes, the pep-
Martins’ house.
also doesn’t mind talking about his experi-
pers. Bright orange habanero peppers that
Ed is juicy—he practically salivates just
ence in Vietnam or his distinguished Navy
he uses to concoct his notorious, fiery
talking about his favorite things. He is
career. He is frequently asked by local and
pepper juice that marinates in the refrig-
proud of his accomplishments and finds
national media to comment on events in
erator for more than three months before
the fun in everything he does. Perhaps his
the Middle East and issues involving terror-
P62 | Coronado Magazine