From nine-course meals and British brunches to the refined art of poaching eggs and baking tarte tatin, food has brought these two couples together. Veronica Stivala’s mouth waters.

Francesca Farrugia and Julian Boffa

Francesca and Julian have been together since she was 18 and he 20 and got married at 24 and 26 respectively. They have always both been lovers of good food, and eating out has played a significant role in their relationship since their early dating days.

“Julian came to cooking before I did, and is probably what you’d call quite an accomplished amateur cook,” says Francesca.

We absolutely adore entertaining!

Both cook: she tends to do so during the week since Julian’s working hours are longer than hers. The dishes are usually quite simple, such as salads, soups, pasta and steak. On Saturday they either eat out or get a takeaway as a treat – if they plan to stay in, they prepare a simple snack, such as bruschetta.

“Sunday and dinner parties are usually my domain,” Julian says. “He loves taking over the kitchen and cooking a more laborious, complex meal,” Francesca adds. Favourites are vegetable soups and stews, casserole dishes with chicken and risotto. Julian is a dab hand at fish, Thai and other Asian dishes, and roasts.

“Neither of us really bake, although Julian had tried a couple of cakes some time back,” Francesca lets in.

When it comes to cooking together, they usually leave that for dinner parties, dividing the courses between each other – for instance, Francesca will make the starter or appetisers and take care of the dessert, while Julian will focus on the main course. The two love entertaining and will even organise themed dinners – such as British brunches or Thai evenings – for friends.

It comes as no surprise when the two chime in to say: “We absolutely adore entertaining!”

The two, however, differ in their approach.

“Julian is very dictatorial in the kitchen but always leaves everything to the last minute. On the other hand, I’m very messy and stubborn,” Francesca says.

The two dine out around once a month, or twice if they’re feeling flush. Their favourite restaurants are both in Valletta – Il-Ħorza and Legligin.

“The first is a true gourmet dining experience, whereas Legligin can’t be surpassed for a cosy atmosphere and homely food,” explains Julian.

For the couple, eating out is also a chance to dress up and enjoy each other’s company in an atmosphere which isn’t the usual one of home. It is a way of spending some intimate time together.

The two are rather experimental when it comes to food. They recently braved a nine-course tasting dinner, with a different wine for every course, prepared by Francesca’s students at the Institute for Tourism Studies. They both also like Asian food, especially Thai and Japanese, and Francesca adores Indian.

“Our predilection for the exotic and the hot and spicy is offset by a fondness for traditional British fare, such as roasts and fry-ups,” adds Francesca.

Caroline Gatt and Richard Muscat

Caroline Gatt and Richard Muscat have been together for six years and five months, living together five years and eight months, married four months, but they have been good friends for 18 years. Someone is good at their sums.

But, more seriously, food is quite central to them in that it gives them a certain calm, everyday enjoyment.

Caroline describes their relationship and how it is inextricably linked with food in such a romantic way.

“We just love eating good food and the pleasure of sharing this together has been a silent part of what makes our life together so great.

“When dining out, we love exploring eating new and unfamiliar things. At home, now that we’ve worked out the balance of sharing chores, the daily planning, preparing and eating together has become a core part of what generates love.”

She goes on to point out how so much of the time they get together is spent thinking, planning, talking, watching television programmes, making and savouring food.

The two like to experiment quite a lot but they have developed some specialities. Richard waxes lyrical how Caroline has fine-tuned poached eggs with hollandaise sauce and has really nailed making all sorts of sweets, from jellies, madeleines and hot cross buns to Florentines and cakes.

Richard, on the other hand, prefers preparing pies and sauces. One of his favourites is a savoury tarte tatin with potatoes, tomatoes, goat’s cheese and caramel.

“I prefer making the dough and pastry myself. Lately I’ve also been experimenting with cooking in a tagine which a good friend gave us as a wedding present,” he says.

What they both enjoy is experimenting with cooking Maltese food – think sourdough bread, qassatat and galletti. Homemade cheeselets are next on the list. When the two shop together, they go mostly to the Cambridge market in the town centre.

“Vegetables are always cheaper, fresher, and more seasonal than what you get in the supermarkets,” Caroline says. “Moreover, it’s much more fun to shop at a market than a supermarket lit by horrendous neon tubes. Of course we argue plenty – not so much about the shopping but mostly because shopping for food makes us hungry and like children we get stroppy when we’re tired or hungry,” she adds.

Although both admit they have their arguments in the kitchen, they note how this is usually the result of stress and they cook together really well when they are calm.

“It always reminds me of a dance,” observes Caroline. “Richard turning sideways for me to open the cupboard to get a plate, me passing the tea towel to Richard to dry the spinach he’s just washed without him needing to ask. Our current kitchen is so small you really need to stretch this way and that to get out of each other’s way.”

Cooking is something the two enjoy doing as a means of spending time together.

“Sometimes cooking is a way of making something lovely for each other or making up after a fight,” Richard says. Or of learning about each other: “My grandma used to make this all the time,” or “We always had it this way as kids in Marsalforn.”

The two don’t dine out too often as they prefer cooking at home – the only place they have been to over and over again is Japas Sushi in Cambridge.

When they do eat out, it’s just good, simple fun, dressing up, going out, taking ages deciding what to order and arguing about who chose the best dish.

“The great fun about eating out is that we can taste things that we don’t yet know how to cook,” says Caroline. “And we don’t have to do the washing up.”