Noshes, Pick-Me-Ups and Feasts at the JMM

A blog post by Exhibitions Intern Elizabeth Livesey. To read more posts by interns click HERE.

Probably anyone who knows me well would characterize me as a “foodie.” I find experimenting with new (and retakes on old) recipes a thrill, I’m always on the lookout for an unfamiliar and exotic restaurant to try (if you’re wondering, that Burmese restaurant in Silver Spring is a delight), and my Instagram is basically just a receptacle of photos of things I’ve eaten, and the far too many food magazines and bloggers I follow.

If my life didn’t already entirely revolve around food before my internship at the JMM, my condensed work schedule here has made matters even worse (or better—I’m going to go with better). Because I commute from DC, my supervisors have kindly allowed me to get in my weekly 30 hours in three days instead of five. This is fantastic, but requires a little bit more organization on my part. Actually, it really doesn’t—it just means that all of my Monday-Wednesday meals, snacks, coffee breaks and ‘I-can’t-stare-at-a-computer-anymore-without-chocolate’s take place on the premises or in the surrounding neighborhood. Fortunately for me, everyone at the JMM seems to share in my culinary enthusiasm (though, perhaps with not such intense dedication).

So as my time here comes to a close, I thought it might be nice to document the ins-and-outs of noshing here at the JMM.

Home to assorted chocolates, starbursts, peppermint patties, and a brief but highly unfortunate period of smarties, the candy basket sits in the main work room and provides solace to interns and full-time staff alike. It’s best to make the rounds early—Special Dark chocolates seem to disappear quickly. Just speculating here, but this may be due to the fact that certain interns horde them in their cubicles… you know who you are.

When the candy basket is empty (and there were QUITE a few days in June when this was the case)—there is always, for those that dare, the nondescript plastic container that sits directly next to the candy basket.

I actually think it has held the exact same number of generic sugar candies since the day I started– minus one. There was that one day when I was tempted, and then instantly regretted it.

Where all of our more substantial meals take place. Most of us generally bring our lunch and eat together (for those of you who regularly follow the JMM blog, you may remember my confuddling grits debacle).

The table is empty right now, but once in a while leftovers from events will appear here (or even delectable homemade rugelach from library volunteer Judy—you rock Judy!) There were also a couple of days where bland, and probably week-old, popcorn was deposited on the table. Not sure what that was about, but not to worry, we took it off your hands.

I’ve seen a few cluttered office refrigerators in my day—but the JMM fridge definitely takes the cake (pun is SO intended—sometimes there actually is cake). On any given day here, there are at least 6 of us interns, a handful of volunteers and board members, and all of the full-time staff. I’ve actually never had a problem locating my leftovers of whatever Ottolenghi recipe I’ve made the night before, but things do, inevitably, get a little crowded. Sometimes though, when you mention to (read: whine to) Intern Wrangler Rachel about how hungry you are around 5pm, she’ll inform you that there are snacks in fridge in the form of awesome homemade chicken taco fixins and mango-jalapeño salsa. You’re my hero, Rachel.

Finally, with our prime location right on Corn Beef Row and just a short trot away from Little Italy, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to our favorite local eateries.

Some of our favorites here include: the macarons, chocolate croissants and chocolate soufflés, a delightful chocolate mousse cake that we don’t know the name of, chocolate chip cookies, any of the fruit tarts and, the quiche. We come here a lot. With an excellent array of coffee drinks and a lovely staff, how could you not?

I don’t think I need to explain this to anyone who lives in Baltimore– or who doesn’t, but is seeing these photos.

Finally, today we had one last hurrah in Little Italy with all of the interns (minus Sophia—we missed you!) and decided that our restaurant list warranted one final shout-out:

They might characterize themselves as a “very casual eatery” but they mean business with the food. These are the lunch portions. I think intern Rachel could actually fit inside her bowl quite comfortably.

Between our office kitchen lunches and various culinary field trips, we’ve shared some really great meals together, and a lot of laughs. Thanks for everything, JMM. It’s been a real treat.