Just in time for the holidays, the Supreme Court Historical Society today began selling a cookbook full of recipes by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's husband Martin, who died in June, 2010. Entitled "Chef Supreme," the book is also a fond tribute to Martin Ginsburg, a prominent tax lawyer and scholar in addition to his after-hours avocation as a chef and gourmand.
Martha-Ann Alito, the wife of Justice Samuel Alito Jr., spearheaded the cookbook effort on behalf of the other Supreme Court spouses, who got to know him at Court events including lunches organized by the spouses. The 126-page book was published by the Supreme Court Historical Society.
"Marty's gleeful smile, his mischievous wit, perfect manners and his adoring gaze of Justice Ruth enlivened every event we as spouses shared," Martha-Ann Alito wrote in an afterword to the book. "His benchmark warmth, culinary excellence and considerate birthday cakes remain goals to be attained by this most junior spouse. He lives on as an inspiration to me."
The recipes in the spiral-bound book range from gravlax to vitello tonnato, osso buco to chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, and are set forth in careful detail. The recipe for the "perfect baguette" runs six pages, including color photographs.
Interspersed among the recipes are tributes from Supreme Court spouses and other friends and relatives of the late Martin Ginsburg. Maureen Scalia recalled his "lovely small smile" as he watched friends enjoying his cooking. Joanna Breyer remembered Ginsburg giving her just enough cooking advice before spouse events "to steer me away from complete culinary disaster." Exclaimed Ginni Thomas, "What a privilege to have known him!" Jane Roberts said she knew of Ginsburg as a legendary professor while she was a student at Georgetown University Law Center, but at the spouse luncheons, she wrote, "I discovered Marty the man." Catheen Douglas Stone said the fact that at recent spouse lunches he was the only man in the room "was unimportant. He loved being a spouse."
Following the recipes, the book includes lengthier tributes and photos from Ginsburg's children James and Jane as well as other longtime family friends. Copies are available starting today at the Supreme Court gift shop and at the Supreme Court Historical Society's online store.
Can't wait to order a copy of this book for my daughter who is a young lawyer and a clerk in the Federal Courts in Chicago. What a kind and wonderful idea publishing this book is. Obviously, Marty Ginsburg was a well-loved and lovely man of many talents.
Merijean Morrissey
Posted by: Merijean Morrissey | December 12, 2011 at 11:03 AM