Sandra L. Oliver
Back When Fat Was Fabulous
Back in the days of sail, fat was a valuable commodity.
Pouring Sweetness
Cooks in the past were comfortable about adapting recipes to ingredients at hand, including finding sweet substitutes for white sugar such as maple sugar, molasses, and even thickened apple cider.
Saltwater Foodways: That Old Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a tough perennial; along with some humans, deer and woodchucks don’t eat it. It is one of the first edibles to appear in May, with long red stalks ready for use in desserts and, increasingly, in the 21st century, in savory dishes, too.
Saltwater Foodways: Martha’s June Jottings
Martha Ballard, a midwife who lived in the Hallowell area of Maine at the turn of the eighteenth century, kept a journal of her daily life for 27 years. Looking back at the entries is a wonderful way to learn about early gardening and food preparation. Food writer and Contributing Editor Sandy Oliver takes a look at what Martha was doing in June.
Saltwater Foodways: Don’t Scrap With the Cook
The terrible and wonderful power of sea cooks.
