Frequently Asked Questions
What Camera Do You Use?
I use a Nikon D800 camera body with 3 different lenses to take my photographs. The main lens I use is a Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4G to take most of my food photos and portraits. It’s great for low lighting and has a large range of depth of field.
I’m coming to Nantucket, do you want to meet up?
I would love to meet you. If you’re coming in the summer, the best way to find me is to come to the weekly farmer’s market on Saturdays on Cambridge St. You can also email me to plan something.
Do you have any recommendations for what to do and see while I visit Nantucket?
Outdoor Fun:
I always suggest to people to bring their bikes and ride the bike paths to see the island. My favorite swimming spots are Steps and Fishermans beaches. Look for beach treasures at Pocomo and Quaise. plan a day to Great Point and Coatue, you’ll need an over-sand permitted vehicle, to watch the seals and explore this beautiful nature preserve. My favorite historical site is The Oldest House-I love the historically correct kitchen garden and walking trail on the property. Another must see is the tiny village of Siasconet, or ‘Sconset for short, on the eastern side of the island. Pack a picnic and ride your bikes out there on Milestone bike path and grab some of the famous cookies at ‘Sconset Market, then walk down to the beach or along the ‘Sconset bluff trail. I’m keeping my favorite sunset spot a secret, sorry (not sorry), but Madaket beach is well known for its dazzling sunsets. Favorite walking trails: Squam Swamp, the state forest, Quaise Pasture, Millbrook (but watch out for Lyme ticks in the summer!!!).
Eat/Drink:
You can find vegan options at these restaurants: Lemon Press, The Green, Pi Pizzeria, Shangri-La Kitchen, Sushi by Yoshi. But most restaurants are very accommodating and you can call ahead and ask if they can prepare a vegan meal for you. Grab a good cup of jo or tea from The Bean, the Handlebar Cafe or the new Roast’d General Store, or sit down at the new cozy Corner Table Cafe at the Nantucket Culinary Center for a light lunch and coffee/tea.
Shop:
On Saturday mornings head downtown to the Cambridge St. and Union St. intersection for the Sustainable Nantucket Farmers and Artisans Market (you might see us there!).
Home: Nantucket Looms, Space, Bodega, Atlantic
Women: Vis-a-Vis, Clay Twombly’s studio, Isobel & Cleo, Jessica Hicks, The Lovely, Milly & Grace, Nalu, Salt
Kids: Pinwheels, upstairs at Peachtrees,
Books/Gifts: Head to Mitchell’s Corner Books or Nantucket Bookworks for books and gifts and story time on Saturday mornings.
Play:
My son loves the playgrounds at Children’s Beach, Sconset and Jetties Beach. On rainy days head to the Whaling Museum or Maria Mitchell foundation sites-also great activities to do with kids. The Weezie Library for Children at the historical Nantucket Atheneum is also fun for kids and there is a small outdoor play area on the site. Catch a movie at the Dreamland Theater or Starlight Theater or one of the wonderful theater productions put on by the Theater Workshop of nantucket or the White Heron Theater Company.
Seasonal:
Check the weekly calendar in the local paper for events and activities and find many free seasonal guides with listings at the Visitor Services office on Federal St.
Many of your recipes contain Rapadura instead of regular sugar, What is Rapadura and where can I purchase it?
Rapadura sugar is a traditionally produced whole cane sugar, in which raw cane juice is heated on low low heat to naturally evaporate the water content, and is then poured into brick molds, and hardens as it cools. The sugar bricks are then passed through a sieve to granulate the sugar. The molasses is never separated and removed, therefore the final product retains much of the high mineral content naturally found in sugar cane.
Raw sugar cane is one of the healthiest foods you can eat on this planet. It’s raw juice is very high in minerals and vitamins. Chewing on the peeled cane is great for your teeth and overall oral health. What we’ve done over hundreds of years of over processing sugar cane into white sugar has turned it into one of the worst foods you can eat. To me, rapadura is a compromise between the healthy raw cane juice and the deadly white sugar. When used in moderation, rapadura is a great alternative to white sugar when it is called for in recipes .
Other names for rapadura include panela and jaggery and it may be sold in brick form, depending on the part of the world your in. Here in the states you can find organic rapadura at most health/specialty food stores. Rapunzel brand sells it in 24oz bags. I order in it bulk from our local supplier.
What are your must have kitchen tools & Equipment?
My number one rule for kitchen tools and equipment: Buy quality items. Instead of buying a set of mid or low grade pots or knives, buy 1 or 2 well made items that will last for years (generations). Save up for a high powered blender (it will change your life). Don’t get caught up on fancy new gadgets and trendy gizmos, you can really do amazing things with a good knife and pot alone.
Tools/Prep/Storage:
A well made chef’s knife, paring knife, serrated bread knife, 2 cutting boards: one designated for savory and the other for fruits, a whisk, metal spatula, tongs, wooden stirring spoons, ladle, slotted spoon, rubber spatula, rubber scraper, metal bench scraper, set of measuring spoons, set of dry measuring cups, a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, rolling pin, microplane grater, box grater, hand held wooden juicer (or a even just a fork), mortar and pestle, mason jars (for making yogurt and water kefir, shaking dressings and as storage containers), a thermometer, fine cheesecloth or a nut-milk bag, several strainers, a wide mouth funnel and a bottle funnel, 2-4 stainless steel/glass/ceramic mixing bowls in a variety of sizes, colander, tempered glass storage containers with lids, such as Pyrex brand, parchment paper, a 2″ and 1″ round cutter.
Cookware:
Well built stainless steel pans with an aluminum core or copper cookware. I suggest 2 lidded sauce pans: a 3 quart and a 4 quart, a 10″ skillet, an 8-12 quart stock pot (depending on the size of your family) as a basis then you can build from there. I highly recommend an 8″ or 10″ cast iron skillet for tofu scrambles, pan frying plantains, and for baking pizzas, pies and cornbread. A cast iron, clay flameware or enameled Dutch/French oven is handy for baking crusty loaves of bread. If you go with and enameled Dutch/French oven it can also be used for stews and soups. Avoid liquids with cast iron, especially acid food like tomatoes.
Bakeware:
Two 8″ aluminum cakes pans, two aluminum half sheet pans, a glass pie plate, a glass 13″ x 9″ pan for lasagnes, cobblers, crisps, and bars, two loaf pans, a spring-form pan for raw desserts.
Equipment:
A high powered blender like a Blendtec, food processor, a spice grinder (coffee grinder works perfectly but have a separate one just for spices, unless you want spiced coffee, hehe).
Extras (Nice but not Necessary):
A mandolin slicer, tortilla press, vegetable spiralizer (to make veggie noodles), pasta roller, stand mixer, emersion blender, zester, specialty bakeware like bundt pans, tart pans, mini sizes, etc., silicone baking mats, shaped cookie cutters, piping bag and piping tips, cherry pitter, apple corer,