Dishing Up Love

In late August, my family gathered at our home on Martha’s Vineyard. Twenty-six of us made the trek from around the globe to commemorate my father-in-law’s 98 years full of life. Plans had been generated for five months, though almost everything food-related came together in about a week.

Each day, new arrivals descended from the ferry. Headcounts for meals grew exponentially from 6 to 12 to 24 and beyond. While the siblings tended to details of accommodations and memorial services, I fell into hunter-gatherer mode. Saturday evening would be catered but all other repasts prepared at home. My goal: to nourish my family with the island’s height-of-summer bounty. Serving is my love language, and I communicate that through feeding others. Some days Zen-like, other times with militant fervor.

I spent most of the week happily ensconced in the bright kitchen, the heart of our home. The energy I normally pour into writing and farming in Vermont transferred to cooking family meals. When I wasn’t actively procuring, chopping and sautéing, I fantasized about what I would prepare next. My husband laughs at the dazed and dreamy look I get when in this trance. “You’re thinking about food again?” Yup.

We feasted for a week. Roasted eggplant with cumin-laced yogurt cucumber sauce. Beets with feta and arugula. Seared corn salad with peppers and squash. Carrots with mustard and herbs. Thick slices of heirloom tomatoes. Bluefish, swordfish, salmon and scallops. Blueberry crumble coffee cake. Veggie-centric breakfast casserole. BLTs, lobster rolls.

In between sips of summer fruit–infused sangria and Vineyard ales, we toasted my father-in-law’s long and rich life. Over formal meals around the dining room table and casual porch lunches, we shared stories and laughs that knit us even closer as an extended and diverse tribe. Plans are in the works for next year’s reunion, and I’m already dreaming of the dishes I’ll serve, heaped with love.

And that’s what this issue celebrates: cooking at home, feeding our near and dear. Ali Hartman and June Lupiani talk about the balancing act as working moms and co-owners of MKT: Grafton. Eric Warnstedt and Will McNeil, the duo behind Hen of the Wood, Doc Ponds and Prohibition Pig, reflect on how they developed these acclaimed venues. We also introduce a new voice: Katie Webster, the wizard behind HealthySeasonalRecipes.com, offers fresh takes on what to do with all that leftover turkey. And to help you prepare for the holiday season, we review Maggie Hoffman’s latest book, Batch Cocktails, which has opened my mind to a whole new way to reduce stress on a host and spark some fun at happy hour!

A heartfelt thank you to the faithful advertisers and loyal subscribers who make this magazine possible. To our readers, enjoy the months of holiday cooking ahead, and as you pour your soul into the process, remember Julia Child’s words of wisdom, “No matter what happens in the kitchen, never apologize.”

Here’s to the joy of cooking at home!

Maria Buteux Reade | Managing Editor