Orts & Reports: porch parties & a meatloaf origin story
All the News That’s Fit to Eat in 3 Small Bites
Small Bite #1: Porch Party Potluck
Cook & Tell hosted its first-ever porch party potluck last weekend. Friends, neighbors and readers old and new bearing finger foods and appetizers gathered on a lazy, hazy late Saturday afternoon under the blue awning. The cove across the street, as still as glass, provided the perfect backdrop. Recipes were exchanged, summer vacation stories were swapped, toasts were made.
Small Bite #2: What I’m Writing, Baking & Doing
Writing
Not Your Mother’s Meatloaf, a story I wrote about—you guessed it—was just published in HerStry. Read it here!
And I wrote a little piece about best friends and coffee and general stores in Downeast Maine for kerning: a space for words, a literary magazine you can order here.
Baking
Bessie’s Crumb Cake for the annual Book & Bake at the island library, using a recipe from reader and poet, Norma T.
Skillet Blueberry Cobbler, during my recent kitchen takeover at subscriber Julie F’s home. Also on our menu: the Lobster Corn & Potato Salad from last month’s issue.
Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins, using the recipe scrawled in my mother’s handwriting from back in the ‘80s when home bakers and homemakers were raving about this famous department store bakery hack.
Blueberry Lemon Loaf, Blueberry Fruit Fool and the Blueberry Molasses Cake featured last month (more about this below).
Non-food related Activities
Paddleboarding and kayaking; icy dives off the dock and the rocks; exploring coastal trails in the local preserve.
Small Bite #3: Readers, IRL
Cook & Tell’s open invitation last month for impromptu porch parties led to various visits from vacationing subscribers who scored big on blueberry treats because, yeah, it’s blueberry season all summer here in Maine.
Guest #1: Kathleen C. a long-time subscriber from the days when Cook & Tell was delivered by mail, popped over on a foggy July morning with her autographed copy of my mom’s cookbook, and I served her a slice of blueberry lemon loaf (see recipe above), topped with a warm blueberry glaze. We skipped the soggy porch, opting for an inside view.
Guest #2: Domenica Marchetti , author of the newsletter Buona Domenica and eight cookbooks—including the gorgeous “Preserving Italy” copy she gifted me with—stopped by with her hubby en route to Portland. Over molasses blueberry cake and iced tea on, yup, the porch, I heard all about their The Lost Kitchen dinner experience from the night before. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous…
In closing…
I have come to realize I may not have a kitchen with an island, but I do have a kitchen on an island. And that’s all I need.
Your Pantry Pal,
Amie
PS: The Cook & Tell kitchen is closed for a couple weeks to relax, recharge and catch up on the ever-growing summer reading stack. We’ll be back with more stories and recipes in September!
Enjoy your break, Amie!
Thank you for linking to your essay, Amie. You’re such a good writer. It was a great pleasure to meet you in person and spend a little time with you at your island home. looking forward to our next meeting!