TV | I watched With Love, Meghan - so you (don't) have to
As a big fan of her former blog The Tig - which inspired a few past creative ventures of mine -, I always get excited for her new creative ventures. I thought her former brand launch American Riviera Orchard (ARO) would be it - because of that cryptic video of her in a beautiful kitchen - but Meghan is that kind of woman who is always making big launches but then nothing comes of it. Some people need accountability from the universe but still take their time to deliver, if they ever do. Eventually, Meghan did with her new Netflix programme With Love, Meghan which was supposed to be released in January, but she asked to delay it because of the California fires. And also, in February she wanted to focus on supporting her husband Prince Harry with the Invictus Games in Whistler, Canada. By the way, I finished his audiobook a few weeks ago. So March seemed like a good fit for the launch. From my understanding they shot 16 episodes and split them in two seasons, with 8 episodes launched now and the remainder in the last quarter of the year.
Jess
I finished the whole 8 episodes in a few days - the episodes are quite short and easy to watch! - and I have to say: the photography is amazing and the colours are quite saturated - in a positive way. Everything looks great: the dishes, the gifts, the flowers, the garden, the music, the clothes. Meghan is a beautiful woman but she looks more enhanced than before. As a lover of aesthetic everything, this kind of show is literally my jam.
What I had more difficulty with with the show: I preferred the episodes where Meghan had a guest who wasn't a personal friend. She has a way of explaining things to her friends that was a bit condescending to me and she showed a bit more enthusiasm and respect when cooking with people she admires in the kitchen. I don't mean to be negative about it, it just triggers me when people explain things to me as if I were a child. And also, all the cooking with rings on her fingers, I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THAT. Yuck.
Here is an episode by episode takeaway:
Episode 1 - Hello, Honey
I only started enjoying honey during the pandemic, as I had 2 or 3 honey lemon teas whilst sick with long covid and got used to the taste. I am not at a stage I want to go harvest my own but I respect the process.
In this episode, Meghan hosts her wedding make-up Daniel Martin. They have been friends for 15 years. As much as he is endearing - I feel good vibes from him - he is not that used to being in the front of the camera. Meghan decides the whole menu and is doing a One Pot Pasta - or a Single Skillet Spaghetti as she calls it - which is one of my husband Bruno's main go-to dishes he makes for us on weeknights. It was nice to confirm he does it the right way and that it's a simple dish, great for a family of two just like us. Bruno loves colourful foods (at least 3 colours in a dish, is our motto)(very necessary as food is usually only white or yellow in Portugal where Bruno comes from) and this is the perfect dish for that!
Jess
We also love cooking it on our old Le Creuset skillet, we bought in 2017 when living in Lisbon and we never went back. On the contrary, I would love to have an enameled one like Meghan has in the show. One day, one day!
This episode is also around Meghan's love for hosting a guest at her place, with a gift basket with snacks and bath salts. Bruno and I never properly hosted at our place as we always lived in small apartments throughout the years. We hosted a few friends and family at our former serviced house Casa Virginia (that we sold in November 2024) and always left a few snacks and nibbles for their comfort, but it's not the same as hosting at home.
But things changed recently as we just moved to a bigger home with 3 ensuite bedrooms and are eager to create a guest bedroom. And it has a massive bathtub. We cannot wait to do a video tour and share with you as soon as we are completely settled! Maybe I will be the one doing bath salts in the future, who knows? In the meantime, I will be buying them!
In the episode, Meghan uses the beeswax to make candles, which is a great idea I have been thinking about. I love candles and I have been collecting them for the past 10 years, since my first Diptyque Amber candle bought in Paris in 2014 and the Sea Salt and Sage Jo Malone one I bought in 2015 at the Cape Town V&A Waterfront. Those were both so sentimental and meaningful - also because I was able to afford them with my own money! - that I never forgot about them and still rebuy them frequently to this day!
Bref !
I know I will be doing my own candles soon enough so this was very enjoyable to watch as I had never even watched a Youtube about it. It was interesting to watch the melting, temperature, wicks, oil adding, waiting process.
Then Meghan makes a three-layer "beautiful from the inside" cake and I am now asking myself if I should buy three similar sized cake moulds? I don't have that. And doing a three-layer cake would take hours for me BUT HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS! She made it look simple as soon as you have the cake baked and then you assemble it. I have to show it to Bruno to see if he bites and does it for us one day hehe #fingerscrossed
Meghan seems to be a massive tea and infusions lover. With the exception of Rooibos, I don't drink tea but drink infusions everyday. Bruno is a massive tea lover and drinks black or green tea everyday, so you will find a bit of everything at our home.
I love the final scene with the tea and cake with that gorgeous Los Padres National Park mountains scenery. It reminded me of having breakfast surrounded by the most gorgeous mountains at Mont Rochelle, in Franschhoek.
All in all, a great first episode!
Jess
Episode 2 - Welcome to the Party
This is one of the most talked about episodes with Mindy Kaling. I like Mindy - I read her book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me a few years ago - and she brings honest funny vibes to the screen. Meghan and Mindy do not seem to know each other that well but it could be a blossoming friendship in the making.
This episode is centered around doing a nice garden party for kids as they are both moms. I do not care about kids parties, kids party gifts and balloon arches to be honest - yes, I am not a mother as you might have gathered - but I like afternoon tea ideas, always. Cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches are my favourite in the world! It's not a coincidence my husband and I got engaged during a festive tea feast in Edinburgh, Scotland! It's one of our favourite meals and we repeat them on special days and occasions.
Jess
I love the frittata idea for hosting a friend in the morning for a breakfast or brunch. And I would serve it whole but Meghan gives us a great plating idea with roast tomatoes, fresh leaves and bacon. She just knows how to elevate everything!
I am also a big lover of bellinis and mimosas for a boozy brunch so I was completely on board with all the juice and nectar assortments to offer your guests when they arrive. I will replicate that idea as I love grapefruit anything and peach nectars as well.
Even if a bit childish for me, I liked the decorated open toasts and crostinis with flowers and ladybugs made with tomatoes, mozzarella, black olives and basil. Why not?! I will not be doing a rainbow fruit platter anytime soon though. It is beautiful and colourful but I don't think it's truly practical to finger eat it.
Mindy compliments Meghan's sense of style but I have loved Mindy's throughout the years. I don't have denim shirts or jackets - I don't wear denim that often anyway! - but I completely fell in love with Kaling's denim Valentino shirt with the iconic V on the breast pocket. I want it now!
The only thing I felt overall is that Meghan could have consulted with Mindy before the episode as some things seemed to mismatch Mindy such as a need for a fruit salad idea. As Mindy mentions, she doesn't do or eat fruit salads...
Episode 3 - Two Kids from LA
I really enjoyed this episode. I don't eat Korean cuisine often but I always enjoy it when I do. But I am a lover of fried chicken and I want to make that fried chicken as soon as possible. I had never heard of a brine before and call myself intrigued, I learned so much from this episode.
I don't love kimchi but I like it when I find it in a plate so it was interesting to know the ingredients behind it and that it isn't anything out of this world. Also, fermented food are great for girls like me who have digestive issues (that is why I take prebiotics and probiotics!) and having them in natural form is even better than supplements. Yes, I am speaking against myself here!
Jess
I had never heard about chef Roi Choi before but he seems like a great and approachable guy. Loved his vibe and down-to-earth, how he picked up on Meg's sensitiveness over crudités platters and jokes with her about the level of spiciness in her garden chillies.
I don't love pickled veggies but chef Roi made it look easy to replicate. Overall, those dishes looked amazing and the fried chicken looked so crispy, I am sure the whole crew who partook in the feast - how approachable of Meghan to break that wall several times through the episodes! - seemed to really be enjoying it. Meghan seemed so upbeat in this episode, she looked proud of her accomplishments before a real chef and it showed. As she wished in the beginning of the episode, I hope they've become friends indeed.
Episode 4 - Love is in the Details
In this episode, Meghan invites her friend Delfina Blaquier, the wife of polo player Nacho Figueras. Nacho has been one of Prince Harry's closest friends and the two couples seemed to enjoy spending time together. Meghan famously has a great picture at polo resting with one of Nacho and Delfina's daughters in the shade. By the way, that white jumpsuit by Heidi Merrick is one of my favourite looks from her, ever! And that says a lot as I usually like what she is wearing, even if it is not always my own style.
She is ready giddy about the visit. She starts by making raspberry preserves and sun tea (which I had never heard about before!).
Also, a heartwarming part is when Meghan talks about her rescue beagle dog Guy who eventually passed away at the beginning of the year. He on all the episodes with her, resting in his woven bed. She mentions he is old and doesn't run around anymore which is foreshadowing of his sudden death. She must be heartbroken, that dog has been with her through thick and thin, I can only imagine!
Back onto Delfina's visit! Meghan prepares peanut butter dog treats - I don't have pets so I did not care for this segment - for Delfina's dog Nina, which Delfina doesn't bring to the set. Awkward.
Then Meghan says they are going to be doing a focaccia because Delfina always wanted to learn how to do it. She doesn't seem like she really wanted to learn, she came to eat and be with her friend! Later in the episode, she suggests doing a pasta and I was surprised by that: eating a pasta salad with focaccia? That is so heavy in my regard... a beautiful salad with the focaccia would be enough. I don't have bread with pasta, hence my surprise. I know a lot of people do. But Delfina also mentions they are going to roll out of there, so... As I felt with Mindy's episode, there is a disconnect between what Meghan cooks and what her guests want to eat...
But like Delfina, I also love focaccia. My husband has made a few through the years but it's been a long time since he last did one... I will nag him about it as well!
Then they go hiking which I found really nice. I also like hiking whilst holidaying, we have done it several times, last time was during our luxurious road trip in Central and Northern Portugal in Spring 2024, at Passadiços do Mondêgo. If you are in shape, I recommend doing it, but not in a day as cold as when we did it ourselves!
Jess
I love love love her scented towels idea! I just ordered a pack of 12 hand towels to do it and will use this Aime spray which I usually spray over my bed a few minutes before diving right in. It is also recommended to spray on pjs before wearing them. Cannot wait to try it!
Jess
The green pasta looks amazing but nothing to rave home about. I like their spanglish banter, Meghan's Spanish is just superb and I love when she speaks it.
Now onto a charcuterie board. I love charcuterie boards - check the one Bruno and I did when hosting friends for a raclette night! - but again, WHY SO MUCH FOOD?! Wasn't the focaccia and the pasta enough? This could be spread in other episodes in my opinion... anyway... I am just triggered by food waste and I have to resign into thinking this whole spread was shared with the crew, not just between two very slim ladies who don't eat as much as they are conveying here...
Jess
Even if triggered, I liked this episode and the recipes. Onto the next!
Episode 5 - Surprise and Delight
This episode starts by showing us Meghan getting ready to host two friends, Abigail Spencer, the actress (I think she is stunning!) and Kelly McKee Zajfen, the Heart Mom advocate. She starts by buying amazing flowers to make a flower arrangement. She mentions how she learned about flower arrangements at the workshop her friends organised for her at her infamous NYC baby shower when she was pregnant with her son Archie. She is really good at it and mentions it is also a side business for Abigail. A nice nod to her friend, whom she mentions doesn't know how to cook but has other skills. I don't have much experience doing flower arrangements - there are no locally grown flowers where I live and as they are imported, I am not comfortable buying them - but I love buying flowers when I am in my house in the Algarve. For Christmas, I bought this gorgeous arrangement from Colvin and I have a discount for you if you want to try them as well!
Then she goes onto making nice ice cubes with edible flowers and little orange juice ice cubes for the mimosa. What a great idea! Will do soon! I just need to check where I can purchase edible flowers without losing an arm...
As her friends arrive, Meghan challenges them to make baked salt branzinos. I love a whole fish - even if I am scared of doing it myself - but my husband makes oven roasted fish every (other) week when he finds a fresh one at the market. He has done baked salt fish before and I love it. As mentioned, it does not salt the fish as the skin layer protects it and it is a stunning way of cooking if salt isn't expensive in your neck of the woods. Meghan reminded me this dish isn't that hard to do - if the fishmonger pre-prepares the fish and confirms there is nothing bloody or gutty in there, I just can't... I have a hard time cooking animal protein. Yes, I am a hypocrite, as I can eat it, I just cannot see it raw...
I really like the crudités platter she does in this episode, with hummus. Even if it is so so easy to do, sometimes we also buy store bought. We recently found the most incredible cashew hummus at Apolonia Supermercados, the portuguese Erewhon, from a brand called Acayu. I cannot wait to go to Algarve to grab another one, it is delicious with crudités or spread over a fresh baguette sliced. Diagonally. If you know, you know.
Jess
I love how Meghan always has sparkling wine (Champagne) or Rosé in hand for hosting. I don't drink much alcohol - only a glass or two per month - but when I do, it's usually bubbly or rosé so I can relate. And the crispier the better for me!
Contrary to the previous episode which was very carb heavy for me, these dishes are more balanced. They will eat the fish beautifully presented with lemon & fresh herbs and roasted tomatoes. I see on the table that they are having this with sliced of olive bread and I am here for it. It is so so lovely, I wanted to recreate it immediately.
I love love love when they talk about their friendships and all they have gone through together through the years. It's very hard to have and maintain friends in adulthood and it made my heart warm. It also made me think of my book club girlfriends and how I am the next to host one of our events and how much this show is inspiring me to receive them in my new home. Yet they already do such a stellar job at it, it will be impossible for me to compete.
To finish this gorgeous meal off, she makes a vanilla bean ice cream parfait with her fresh preserves, fresh fruits and a little crumble. I just adored everything about it!
Episode 6 - The Juice is worth the Squeeze
Meghan starts the episode doing breakfast open toasts. One with avocado and a fried egg and the other is in the same style, but with bacon for someone in the crew that was just salivating. I love how beautiful it is but I won't be recreating it anytime soon because I don't eat avocados. And I know that is a pity because there are the most gorgeous locally grown avocados all year around where I live in my tropical neck of the woods but I don't eat them. My husband does. And I do if I am forced or if it is hidden...
How I would do it: with butter or sundried tomato pesto or kalamata olive tapenade instead of the avocado. Not the same nutrition content but delicious altogether!
Then there is another floral segment I loved but can't recreated as aforementioned.
In this episode, Meghan hosts 3 friends (Tracy Robbins, Victoria Jackson, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh) with whom she plays mahjong regularly and organises game night with. It gives such a great sense of community doing something fun together which doesn't involve a screen. That is why I love my book club and my friends' feminine energy!
Jess
Then Meghan goes on to doing plantain chips, just using the second ingredient I dislike the most in the world after avocados. Everybody loves plantain and it's eaten a lot where I live. Unfortunately and contrary to avocados, I can't even stand the smell if someone eats it close to me and immediately gag. I wish it wasn't so violent but it is. And then Meghan says she likes dipping plantain chips into guacamole sauce and I have to breathe slowly.
Meghan invites a chef Ramon Velazquez from Corazon Cocina to make Mexican food - a taco bar, chicken tinga and ceviche. I had never heard about tinga before. And I thought ceviche was a Peruvian dish but who cares.
I love the black dress Meghan is wearing in this episode. I saw on Elizabeth Holmes' So Many Thoughts Substack (I love her unbiased views so much I pay for her newsletter!) that it's a linen one from Posse.
Elizabeth Holmes
It immediately reminded me of this Emilia Wickstead one she wore in Dublin, Ireland in 2018. I would love to have a square neck dress like that but have yet to find one.
Duchess
Chef Ramon and Meghan do the chicken tinga and from the looks of it, it's the kind of dish I'd love to devour. Another tip in my book I will have to recreate soon enough. I am glad we can find the recipe right here when I am ready to make it - or should I send the link to my husband, wink wink?
Then she dries citrus fruits which is an idea I love as I recently bought them and offered to a friend before she hosted me and she immediately used it. It elevates drinks immediately and I love them. I am a big citrus gal, I love limes, lemons, oranges and... my favourite: grapefruits. So this is a great idea to recreate at home soon enough. Even if I don't have a dehydrator, Meghan confirms you can do it in a traditional oven at 130 F degrees (50 Celsius).
She goes onto making a halibut ceviche and I confess I didn't pay much attention when they do because I will not be making one anytime soon as I don't eat raw proteins. But I felt Meghan pumped and excited (and tired from all the sous-chef work). And I have to say, the dish looks amazing and colourful. If it were presented before me, I would eat it.
Jess
Then her friends start showing up for mahjong and they start by making cheeky and spicy cocktails. I loved this bit because I crave fun, community and cocktails. Those drinks in a mason jar and with the dried citrus slices looked amazing and fresh, just as I like them myself. I love cocktails and cocktail hour and feel so happy my husband loves them too. He is a Scotch Whisky collector and loves doing a Manhattan and Old Fashioned - or a play on both!
Jess
Then it's time for her friends to dig into the colourful dishes and they praise her cooking skills and flower arrangements. Everything looks amazing. They even mention they are waiting for her game night cookbook to come out, might it be something in the works? I am sure it would be a success as anything Meghan does. They seem to have great fun together. This was a light and fun episode.
Episode 7 - Elevating the Everyday
In this episode Meghan starts by doing a harvest basket - something I have never thought about myself as I don't have a garden! - that looks bountiful. She also adds some eegs in a box with a logo with her son's name on, Archies' Chikk Inn.
In this episode she will be hosting her longtime friend Vicky Tsai, founder of the beauty cosmetics with a Japanese ethos brand Tatcha. I love beauty products and have almost 300 products in my home apothecary, but I have never bought anything from this brand. Yet.
Fun fact: Meghan mentions that when she visits Vicky, she offers her coffee and she replies that is not her thing? I feel I have seen Meghan sip several coffees throughout the episodes. Or was she only making them to offer them to her guests? Now I am in doubt! Does someone care to explain?
Coffee-gate aside, I love drinking a latte. I never add sugar per se (sometimes I might add a pump of a Monin Syrup which has sugar in it when it is not sugar free), but loved the idea of adding milk & condensed milk. I must try it with the new homegrown coffee beans I purchased at this incredible resort 4 hours away from our home. Must be really cosy with that beautiful croissants & strawberries basket. Meghan knows how to elevate things!
Jess
Vicky arrives and I love her dress. Meghan looks great in a monochrome look as well but I have a weakness for blue print dresses. All my clothes are plain and texture free but I just can't resist blue florals.
They will be doing potstickers in this episode, a recipe from Vicky's mom. It looks so amazing! I always find these dishes are complicated but they make it "sound" easy and as a real bonding moment, one of the realest out of all the episodes. They have made these vegetarian but it looks easy to replace with other meats in a recipe back at home, if you want to. I also love that they bought the dumpling wrappers and didn't cook everything from scratch, sometimes you need a few premade staples. I love when they fumble to get them on a plate, who doesn't have mishaps in the kitchen? Made it look real!
I liked the chili oil segment because of Meghan's enthusiasm whilst doing it. I have never done one but my husband does one very often. But I will still share this recipe with him (poor guy! He will be submerged with new recipes after this show's binge watch!).
As a beauty product junkie, I loved the beauty product segment. But more than the product in itself, it was Vicky's philosophy that really resonated with me, what a beautiful woman inside and out. And I love the idea of making our routines a spiritual unwinding ritual. I take my evening routine really seriously and I will rethink this moment to be more of a gratitude or meditation filled one. As Vicky says, the only thing that is different between a routine and a ritual is intention. Such powerful words. Boy, I loved this episode!
Jess
Episode 8 - Feels like Home
Last episode! Meghan appears with a stunning maxi dress showcasing her toned arms and is getting ready to host a brunch in her garden. She is lucky she doesn't have bugs in California, I would love to host in my new garden by I'd have to distribute a lot of insect-repellent to all the guests and myself first!
Meghan starts by wrapping gifts and I am so rubbish at this. I don't often give gifts - I hate the obligations behind it, I'd rather provide experiences! Sorry if giving gifts is your love language! - but I have given books in their amazon shipping packages and I am regretful of that. It makes it seem really like I didn't care about it, I know. But I did. I love giving books, especially ones I have read before!
Meghan hosts Alice Waters in this episode and I must be honest, I have never heard about this woman before. But I understand Meghan is giddy and very admirative of her. They talk about the farm-to-table movement, the importance to consume what is in season and the wonderfulness of having a garden you can harvest from at your leisure. They make a salad from the soft greens they get from the garden - which Alice mixes with her vinaigrette with her bare hands (!!!) - and they have a lot of rosé between takes which makes them obviously loosen up even more.
Moreover, Meghan shares more about her chicken's and the joy of having fresh eggs. My husband's parents have chickens and always have a surplus of eggs to share. Last time we landed in the Algarve, they had two dozen eggs waiting for us. It is such a privilege to eat them!
With all those eggs they make a heirloom tomato quiche. I love quiche and this must be delicious but I would rather eat it raw with the best flower salt and olive oil! In summer in the Algarve, it is just the best thing in the world. Or bringing myself my French upbringing memories with some juicy stuffed tomatoes...
Jess
Meghan then prepares the most beautiful menus with her exquisite handwriting and lots of tips on how to prepare a menu and set them for your guests. What a nice idea when hosting!
She then goes onto preparing beautiful roast carrots - I love such a colourful array of carrots myself!, carrot leaves pesto (nothing going to waste!), edible flower cookies, crepes (to savour with her infamous preserves), a crudités platter.
Well, everything looks gorgeous, but what I especially love is her outfit for this segment! Then it's time to host her friends and family and everybody looks happy, sunny and loving. They gather in support with Meghan's new As Ever business and, even if not mentioned but implied, the show itself.
And... it's a wrap!
Or half a wrap as more episodes will drop in a few months. This was a great, luminous and inspiring show, I loved watching and a few days later, I got into the kitchen oftener like this ratatouille I made or the way I decorated a salmon roast with veggies with lemons... all simple recipes I already did but I just wanted to elevate them and showcase them at the table with a bit more attention to detail.
Did you watch this show? If so, did it inspire you? If not, did this article make you want to dive in? Let me know in the comments!
Jess
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