Maine Classics: More Than 150 Delicious Recipes from Downeast (Running Press) was published in April, 2011. I worked with James Beard Award Winning Chefs Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier for almost a year on this project.   We began in Fall, travelling with photographer Ron Manville around Maine. I project managed the process and set up the interview sessions with cheesemakers, bakers, and farmers. 

We then spent four months in the kitchen at Arrows Restaurant cooking all of the recipes. On most days, there were four chefs cooking the recipes and I'd run around writing down what they were doing. Many of the dishes weren't recorded as recipes yet so we had to make sure the ingredients and amounts were correct. I then edited the recipes and they were tested  again. And again.

For the main intro, chapter intros, head notes, and sidebars, I interviewed Mark and Clark over many months. I also researched culinary history and interviewed local artisan food producers. The narrative aspects are in Mark and Clark's "voice". 

 

Read more about the experience.