KITCHEN VIEWS

The Quintessential Cozy Cabin Kitchen by Julie Fustanio Kling photos by Lindley Rust

Murtagh, sometimes known to her social media followers as ”Meag the Egg,” revels in her luck scoring a cozy guest cabin in downtown Jackson. She has made the cabin her home over the past two and a half years and recently invited her boyfriend, Adamo Vullo, to share the charming space with her. Once you poke around the tidy, little kitchen, you can see how ingenious the blogger turned realtor is.

MEAGAN Her stylish touches include a Stetson hat and a fishing pole (both worn and used regularly) hanging on the dark wood as artwork when they aren’t in play and a statement blue velvet couch that is visible from the kitchen. The 700ish-square-foot cabin, located just steps from the Town Square and in view of Snow King Mountain, may well be the coolest rental in town. Murtagh, 36, admits that finding a cabin in town like hers is almost as hard as finding a

boyfriend in Jackson. Before she met Vullo, 35, she joked, “I’m just going to have to import a boyfriend like a fine Italian wine.” He is, ironically, Sicilian and did move to Jackson via Atlanta and Montana to cohabitate with her. They have been living together for a year and have shared many meals in the efficient kitchen space.

In the fridge, you will find smoothie makings, and the freezer is loaded with frozen elk (Vullo is a bow hunter) to thaw for dinner any night. The kitchen has been divided just like much of the cabin, with places for Murtagh and her partner to store things. The bottom shelf of the refrigerator is for Vullo and their two dogs, Rudy Boots and Waldo. It is filled with beer, including Roadhouse Brewing Co.’s Family Vacation Golden Ale, and dog bones from Sweet Cheeks Meats.

“He always has like six kinds of beer and hot sauce,” Murtagh says. “We cook almost every night. We love to buy fresh, local food.”

Despite the obvious teamwork — the couple combined all kitchenware and only kept the best of what they both had when he moved in — they do operate differently and tend to have different roles in the kitchen. “He shops like a European,” she says, “often going the day of to just get a few things for dinner that night, while I only like to go once a week and plan through everything I need.” They also follow the general rule: Whoever doesn’t cook, cleans.

EGG-CELLENT FACTS: AS A CHILD, MURTAGH WAS NICKNAMED “THE EGG” BECAUSE SHE WAS A BALD BABY AND SHE HAD AN EGG-SHAPED HEAD. IRONICALLY, A FEW YEARS AGO, SHE LEARNED THAT SHE IS ALLERGIC TO EGGS. SHE LOVES THAT HER SOCIAL MEDIA (@MEAGTHEEGG ON INSTAGRAM) PRESENCE BRINGS BACK CHILDHOOD MEMORIES. “IT’S VERY ENDEARING TO ME WHENEVER SOMEONE CALLS ME THE EGG,” SHE SAYS. WHILE SHE IS PRIMARILY A FULL-TIME REALTOR, SHE OFTEN PARTNERS WITH PRODUCTS SHE LOVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA ENDEAVORS.

MURTAGH’S SECRETS TO KEEPING A TINY KITCHEN TIDY

MAKE SOME ROOM FOR PANTRY ITEMS. SHE USES DEEP CABINETS BELOW THE GRANITE COUNTERTOPS AS FOOD STORAGE.

SIMPLE BASKETS ON THE OPEN SHELVES HIDE MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS THAT MAY NOT BE VISIBLY APPEALING, SUCH AS WATER BOTTLES.

SIMPLIFY WHAT IS VISIBLE. MURTAGH WENT FOR ALL WHITE PLATES SO THE SET WOULD BE COHESIVE AND OFFER A CLEAN LOOK.

FIND THE RIGHT FURNITURE. “I SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FINDING THE RIGHT PIECES,” SHE SAYS. “IT TOOK ME A YEAR TO FIND THE RIGHT SIZE DINING ROOM TABLE AND THE PERFECT COUCH.”

ONLY KEEP WHAT YOU USE. “WE DON’T HAVE 15 SPATULAS. WE HAVE ONE WE LIKE.”

USE EVERY SPACE YOU CAN FIND. STORAGE UNDER THE SINK OFFERS A SPACE FOR HER INSTANT POT.

MURTAGH’S FAVORITE KITCHEN THINGS

GO-TO COCKTAIL: RANCH WATER: BLANCO TEQUILA AND TOPO CHICO MINERAL WATER WITH A LIME

BEST KITCHEN UTENSIL: LOVE MY NEW WEST KNIFEWORKS KNIFE — THE CHOPPER. I USE IT FOR EVERYTHING.

THING ABOUT THE KITCHEN: IT IS LAID OUT REALLY WELL FOR A SMALL SPACE. REALLY BIG FOR A SMALL CABIN. I FEEL LIKE I CAN COOK WHATEVER I WANT HERE.

FAVORITE WINTER MEALS: CURRIES, HEAVY ON THE VEGGIES

NEXT BIG PURCHASE: A COMPOSTER

FAVORITE APPLIANCE: AN INSTANT POT TO MAKE ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH PEAS, MINT AND OLIVE OIL

THE UPPER CABINETS have glass windows, displaying stylish ceramics and glassware. In the corner, a photo wall designed on Framebridge opens up the cabin to places Murtagh has traveled, creating windows into Morocco, Argentina, Nicaragua, Cuba and other parts of the world.

His Sicilian grandmother used to make it for him for breakfast!

VULLO’S FAMILY VEAL MILANESE

6 VEAL CUTLETS

TIP: The couple shop at local butcher Sweet Cheeks Meats.

2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL 1/3 CUP PARMESAN CHEESE, GRATED 3 CUPS ITALIAN-STYLE BREADCRUMBS 3 EGGS SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

> WRAP THE VEAL IN PLASTIC WRAP AND POUND THE MEAT UNTIL THE CUTLETS ARE 1/4 INCH THICK. TIP: You can use a meat tenderizer or a can of soup.

IN A MEDIUM SAUTÉ PAN, POUR IN AROUND 2 TABLESPOONS OF OLIVE OIL AND PLACE ON MEDIUM HEAT. ALLOW THE OIL TO HEAT FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES BEFORE COOKING. MEANWHILE, GRATE THE CHEESE AND MIX IT WITH ITALIAN BREADCRUMBS. CRACK THE EGGS INTO A WIDE, FLAT-BOTTOMED BOWL. SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER. DIP THE CUTLETS INTO THE EGG MIXTURE, MAKING SURE BOTH SIDES OF MEAT ARE COATED. ALLOW THE EXCESS TO DRIP BACK INTO THE BOWL, THEN DIP THE CUTLETS INTO THE BOWL CONTAINING BREADCRUMBS. FLIP THE MEAT FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN BREADCRUMBS, ENSURING BOTH SIDES HAVE A HEALTHY COVERING OF BREADCRUMB.

Murtagh has a severe egg allergy so when making this dish for her, Vullo substitutes olive oil for eggs. This would not be approved by his Nonna!

CAREFULLY LAY BREADED CUTLETS INTO SAUTÉ PAN. COOK ON EITHER SIDE UNTIL THE MEAT IS A RICH GOLDEN BROWN. REMOVE AND PLACE ONTO A PLATTER. LIGHTLY SALT WITH KOSHER OR SEA SALT. SERVE WITH EASY ARUGULA SALAD. THEY LIKE 2 BIG HANDFULS OF BABY ARUGULA, CHERRY TOMATOES FROM VERTICAL HARVEST AND FRESH BASIL LEAVES SPRINKLED WITH 1/2 A LEMON, OLIVE OIL, SALT, PEPPER AND SHAVED PARMESAN CHEESE.