Matthew Lud
Matthew Lud is one of the top Food influencer in United States with 35662 audience and 7.55% engagement rate on Instagram. Check out the full profile and start to collaborate.
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United States, East Chattanooga
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I remember taking this photo while on a walk with Beth. We were in Formentera, Spain; she was pregnant, and we loved the vibrancy of the island. It's strange to recall transcendent moments from the past; this was simply a “golden hour” walk, an attempt to capture great shots, but it turned into a cherished memory. So much grief from loss is about the special moments you’ll never have again, the gripping and visceral ones—the formative. I wish I had known how special this random experience would become; I would have relished it more (to Beth’s deep consternation), I would have cried (not making things better), and I would have lingered (the frustration continues). The beautiful flowing golden grass might be a common occurrence in “the med,” but to me, it’s magic; it’s a memory I’ll never forget; it reminds me of how much I love her.
2025-10-10
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Having empathy for others is hard; it requires patience, intentionality, and, worst of all —‘selflessness.’ But hopefully, for those we love, such effort is given graciously and without the expectation of recompense. It is, however, much harder to give such grace to one’s self; what does it mean to have empathy for yourself? A friend once asked me, “Matt, how do you care for yourself emotionally?” I replied, “I’m not even sure I understand what that means.” It’s taken me far too long to recognize that my emotions are real, valid, and deserve compassion. This is the long process of validation. It feels selfish (it did for me) to acknowledge how I felt and believe I deserve empathy, but I do, and so do you. The process of actually & actively empathizing with myself is another story, but even recognizing that I’m in need of validation was and is an arduous journey all of its own. We all experience pain, sorrow, tragedy, and trauma; learning to validate ourselves—“it makes sense that you feel the way that you do, and it’s ok,” is a life-giving breath of air to a winded soul.
2025-10-10
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Beth’s favorite meal number three: Paris supper. Every time we’d land in Paris, the first food we ate was either @miznonparis (if it was lunch time) or what we affectionately called “Paris supper;” warm baguettes from downstairs, crystally Comte & real stinky Epossie cheese, cured meats, cornichon, olives, and ‘moutarde’— only the spiciest Dijon would do. And if, on a random weekday, we couldn’t muster the will to make dinner (or find enough cookware in a sink of cascading dishes), “Paris supper” was the go-to. To this day, it remains a favorite. So, go out and get your favorite bread, cheese, etc. and make it a meal.
2025-10-10
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2351
Beth’s favorite meal Number 2: Dimsum. Making the perfect soup dumpling often occupied her thoughts; I, too, have an interest in noodle-making, but we never fully dedicated ourselves to the task. We’ve, of course, made homemade wrappers for potstickers, attempted hand-pulled noodles by slinging them not-so-gracefully around the kitchen, and even had some success with soba. So, for this recipe, I’m cheating—I made a deconstructed soup dumpling! A Dashi Deconstructed Soup Dumpling Ingredients For Awase Dashi - 5 Cups purified water - 10 grams kombu (about four 4 x 3 sheets) - 25 grams (5 cups lightly packed) katsuobushi (a.k.a. bonito) flakes For Simple Kaishe - 1/2 cup shoyu/ soy sauce - 1/2 cup sake - 1/4 cup sugar For Dumplings - 1/2 lb ground pork - 1/4 cup simple kaeshi - 2 cloves of garlic minced - 1/2 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger - 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions - About a half pack of dumpling wrappers Directions For Dashi 1. Place kombu and cold water in a pot and slowly bring to a simmer over 20 mins. 2. Once it comes to a simmer, immediately remove it from the heat and remove the kombu. 3. Add the bonito flakes after you remove the kombu and return to the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 4. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. I line it with cheesecloth for a nice, clear dashi. You can also use paper towels in a pinch. For Kaeshi 1. Add ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. 2. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. 3. Cook at a simmer, occasionally stirring for about 7 minutes. For Dumplings 1. Mix the kaeshi, garlic, ginger, and scallions into the ground pork until combined. 2. To make the dumplings, hold a wrapper in one hand and place a tablespoon of the pork mixture in the center. Moisten the edge of the wrapper & place a second wrapper on top and press the edges together. Store on a lightly floured work surface or parchment-lined baking sheet until ready to cook. 4. Steam, boil, or pan fry for 7-9 mins. 5. Serve in a shallow bowl with one dumpling and a 1/4-1/2 cup of Dashi.
2025-10-10
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1904
Last week I was thinking about the meals I could make for Beth that she would absolutely love! We used to talk about our “last meals” all the time, and I chose three of hers to make and share with you. Today we are making an Early Spring Green Gazpacho. Beth loved gazpacho! I’m confident she’d eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the entire summer if she could (laziness or work being the only impediment to a fresh batch forever in the fridge). So, I leaned into market-fresh spring veggies for this recipe. Hope you enjoy! Early Spring Green Gazpacho Ingredients: - 2 cups (two big handfuls) of greens (I went with spinach & arugula) - 1/2 cup spring onions or scallions - 1/2 cup basil (any variety) packed tight - 1 small garlic clove - 1/2 cup Marcona almonds - 1/2 cup crème fraiche - 1 tablespoon honey - 1 tablespoon olive oil - juice of one lemon - 1 teaspoon salt - 4 cups filtered water Directions: 1. Blend all ingredients together until all combined and smooth. 2. Add more salt or lemon juice to taste. 3. Chill until ready to serve. 4. Garnish with croutons, chopped almonds, fresh basil, olive oil, crème fraiche, and coarse sea salt. Cheers! ❤️
2025-10-10
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2828
You know that friend (maybe you are that friend) who makes you wait when a meal arrives to frantically and conspicuously rearrange each item to get that dubiously lit, all too coveted “latergram?” Well, imagine adding nudity, thirty-degree weather, a labyrinthine changing room commanding precise etiquette, and only several minutes of sunlight before a crowd of vacationers (also nude) arrives to bask in the bathe; that’s the story of this pic, and it’s possibly my favorite we ever took for that reason. It’s been a year since Beth passed, and it feels surreal. We’ve grown so much and moved towards healing in so many ways, yet it still feels raw & unresolved in others. The path to healing is long and winding; there’s no map and no clear destination; there is, however, a first position, a start: the place you find yourself. You cannot plot a course without first knowing where you are. We must know ourselves as we are before we can begin the journey of healing. And so, the last year has been a year of accepting, accepting the truth that this is real—that we are here. The path to healing begins with acceptance. I know so many of you were devastated by losing Beth, and I’m sorry I wasn’t around to go through it with you—I needed time. Though now, I feel like poking my head out of the hole I dug and feeling sunlight again. I want to share more about Beth, our life together, unfinished or unrevealed work, and new things, crafted as we would—blithely wandering our home & the world. Thank you all so much for your love and kind words; they are not forgotten but coveted.
2025-10-10
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Countless walks down a myriad of walkways and endless memories of visages like this one; I miss our galavanting aimlessly with such intention to capture images. I can’t remember who took them anymore, but I remember the places and the feelings they imbue. And that is all the solace I need. Thank you all for the continuing support and kind messages; I’m mesmerized by it. ❤️
2025-10-10
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Today is @bethkirby’s birthday. It’s also our anniversary. “Birthiversary,” she called it. Knowing her, I feel like she planned this emotional barrage to keep things as intense as possible. I love and miss her. I’m going to post some pics she probably never wanted anyone to see in my stories, but I think they’re lovely. It’s a hard day; thank you guys for being so kind and loving.
2025-10-10
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@bethkirby and I argued about very few things; I’m pretty sure she’d have something to say about these biscuits. Her recipe is legendary, but I think I might have her beat. They are buttery and flaky and crispy and everything. The @ansonmills grits and farm fresh egg also put it over the top. ????????
2025-10-10
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