Welcome to Cook & Tell, a foodletter about cooking, family and life on a Maine island.
Almost half a century ago, my mom, Karyl Bannister, started writing Cook & Tell as a weekly column in the local newspaper. A few years later, she launched a monthly cooking newsletter by the same name which she wrote, illustrated and published, working her way into the hearts and kitchens of thousands of home, hobby and professional cooks all over the world.
Would you believe she did this for nearly 40 years, all without the internet?
Face it, we all like food. Some of us actually like making it. And some of us might even like whimsical sketches and entertaining stories.
My mom passed away from Alzheimer’s during the pandemic. Here, where our words and stories intersect—where cooking is immortal and timeless as love itself—I keep her spirit alive. I’m doing this by rebooting Cook & Tell in small bites: excerpts from her original newsletters and an occasional “ort” from me, with recipes and sketches thrown in for good measure.
What you’ll get:
Small Bites: stories from a tiny Maine kitchen, complete with Karyl’s whimsical illustrations
Printable Recipes
Orts & Reports: food trends, cooking stories and recipes from me
Meals Across the Miles: community chats and reader recipe swaps
Chocolate Chit Chat: throwback recipes focusing on—you guessed it—chocolate!
Shot in the Kitchen: interviews and photos from the kitchens of featured readers
Guest Posts and Videos from chefs and food bloggers
Extra Helping: bonus printable issues from the Cook & Tell archives
Is it free?
Yes! These bi-monthly stories and recipes are free to all readers—all in a space free of ads, algorithms and pop-ups.
Here’s a little more about me.
And you can always email me: amie.mcgraham@gmail.com
