Harpswell’s Private Chef: A pasta salad for summer
For me, the perfect pasta salad must be colorful and include elements of crunch and sweetness. That's why this corn pesto pasta salad is just right for the beginning of summer.
Harpswell’s Private Chef: Fluffy French toast
The secret to a fluffy French toast is not only the bread choice and custardy batter, but also a pinch of semolina flour to help create a golden crust. Pairing sweet Hawaiian rolls with caramelized bananas and freshly whipped cream, this French toast is so soft and fluffy, you'll want to make it every Sunday.
Harpswell’s Private Chef: A practical April dinner
April is our in-between month. We're not sure if we should wear a coat over our sweatshirt or finally ditch the boots for socks and sandals. Personally, I'm a socks-and-sandals-all-year-round kind of person, typical of many young adults in Maine. It's practical, but not always pretty. And honestly, that's kind of the theme of life and cooking this time of year.
Harpswell’s Private Chef: Seeing green before it’s here
Every time March comes around, I think about what I might do for St. Patrick's Day. Typically that's nothing — no big celebrations, no elaborate get-togethers. Maybe I'll wear green. Maybe I'll make a matcha latte instead of coffee, just because it fits the mood. But most years, the day sneaks up and then passes just as quickly. What always stands out to me isn't the holiday itself, it's how much green we start seeing before there's any outside
Harpswell’s Private Chef: Convenience vs. quality
During a recent trip to Las Vegas to visit family, one thing stood out to me: convenience. Food is available at all hours of the day: coffee, snacks, full meals — all ready for your consumption and rarely more than a short walk or drive away.
Harpswell’s Private Chef: Trusting the process
In the past few years, it has become tradition to build a vision board with my friends. Together, we cut out pictures from magazines, organize them in a meaningful way, then glue them to poster board. This creation represents how we want our lives to look for the upcoming year.
Harpswell’s Private Chef: Somewhere in between
When you mention that the holidays are around the corner, people tend to fall into one of two categories. There's the bright-eyed bunch who exclaim, "Yes! I'm so excited for the snow and seeing family!" Then there are those who sigh, "I can't believe it's here already. I just want it to be over."
Harpswell’s Private Chef: Delayed gratification
By November, everything in Maine slows down except the people. The air turns sharp, the markets thin out and daylight shrinks to a few usable hours. But our pace doesn't match the season. We still expect everything instantly: answers, deliveries, notifications, results.
Harpswell’s Private Chef: Fall baking
October in Harpswell brings a noticeable shift in pace. Fishing boats return to shore earlier in the day. The coastal landscape transitions into muted golds, reds and browns. Kitchens become spaces for more thoughtful preparation as the weather cools. It's a great time to focus on recipes that are a bit more involved, recipes that highlight local ingredients and reward the time you spend on them — like maple pecan sticky buns.
Harpswell’s Private Chef: Simple cooking
I often try to categorize my cooking style. At first I think about my love for Middle Eastern food and decide that must be my style, but then I remember my love for seafood, which doesn't exactly fit. So I shift to calling my style Mediterranean, but then I think about how much I enjoy cooking venison and beef, and they don't belong in that category. I could say my style reflects my Italian and Chinese heritage, but then I look at my pastry work and realize that doesn't fit neatly into those boxes.
