In Maine, the whoopie pie isn’t just a dessert—it’s cultural heritage, legislated tradition, and a source of fierce regional pride. Since 2011, when the Maine Legislature officially designated it the state’s treat (distinct from the state dessert, which is blueberry pie), the whoopie pie has held a special place in the heart of New England […]
Author: Sarah
The Complete Guide to Tomatoes: From Andean Fruit to Global Kitchen Staple
Everything you need to know about the world’s most versatile ingredient – its origins, varieties, flavor science, and how to use each type There’s something almost absurd about how thoroughly tomatoes have infiltrated our kitchens. Walk into any grocery store in January and you’ll find them piled in the produce section – sometimes mealy, often […]
Your First Fresh Pasta (No Equipment Required)
Jump to Recipe → Making Fresh Pasta Without the Fuss My mom and I were huge pasta fans. Although we never made fresh pasta together, we loved making pasta at home and especially trying out new pastas at restaurants. I am a huge fan of everything Italian – from Italian charcuterie to pasta to desserts. […]
The Complete Guide to Pasta: From Durum Fields to Your Dinner Table
Everything you need to know about Italy’s most iconic food – the grain, the culture, the science, and the technique There’s a specific sound that good pasta makes when you drain it – a rush of starch-clouded water hitting the sink, steam billowing up, and if you listen closely, the faint creak of al dente […]
Risotto Carbonara: Where Italian Comfort Meets Restaurant Technique
Jump to Recipe → There are recipes you make once for a dinner party, and then there are recipes that become part of your weeknight rotation because they’re just that good. This Risotto Carbonara falls firmly in the latter category. I’ve been making it for years—sometimes as a Tuesday night treat when I need something luxurious […]
The Complete Guide to Grains: From Ancient Seeds to Modern Tables
Walk into any New England farmhouse kitchen from a hundred years ago and you’d find grains everywhere—cornmeal in the pantry for johnnycakes, wheat berries soaking for porridge, rye flour for dense, dark bread that could last through a hard winter. Our ancestors understood something we’re just remembering: grains are the foundation of human civilization, the […]
Pan-Seared Cod with Brown Butter, Lemon, and Capers: New England’s Most Important Fish Gets the French Treatment
Jump to Recipe → There’s a reason they call it “Cape Cod” and not “Cape Bass” or “Cape Flounder.” For centuries, cod was so central to New England’s economy and identity that a carved wooden Sacred Cod has hung in the Massachusetts State House since 1784. This humble fish built fortunes, fed families through hard […]
The Complete Guide to Roux: The Foundation of Great Sauces
If you’ve ever wondered why Cajun gumbo tastes so complex, why French sauces have that silky texture, or how a simple flour-and-fat mixture can transform into everything from béchamel to étouffée, you’re about to discover one of cooking’s most fundamental and versatile techniques. Understanding roux will change how you approach sauces, gravies, and soups forever. […]
Roasted Bone Marrow with Herb Gremolata: The Primal Luxury Your Dinner Party Needs
Jump to Recipe → There’s something deeply satisfying about eating bone marrow—it feels primal and luxurious at the same time. This ancient food, once the prize of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, has been rediscovered by modern restaurants as the ultimate indulgence. And for good reason: when you roast marrow bones until the fat inside turns silky […]
The Complete Guide to Cooking with Wine, Spirits, Beer, and Fermented Beverages
Alcohol has been a cornerstone of cooking for millennia, transforming ordinary dishes into extraordinary culinary experiences. From the wine-soaked stews of Burgundy to the beer-battered fish of British pubs, from the sake-infused broths of Japan to the brandy-flambéed desserts of France, fermented beverages bring complexity, depth, and nuance that water or stock simply cannot replicate. […]
