Why We Cook at Granor Farm with Abra Berens

In a real dream-come-true scenario, I was invited to be part of Granor Farm’s Book + Supper Club series earlier this month with chef, cookbook author, Why We Cook contributor and friend, Abra Berens. It was an honor and a thrill to be able to share my book with guests who gathered for an evening of conversation and delicious food in this majestic setting.

The evening was a crystal clear reminder of the powerful ways books and food can bring people together. We began with a casual conversation and Q + A about the book and the bookmaking process, followed by an extraordinary seven course culinary experience. Abra, Erin, Jason and the rest of the Granor team transformed central themes from Why We Cook into a seven course menu infused with local specialties, vegetables grown just steps away from the dining room and a whole lot of thoughtful preparation. Together, they brought the book to life. It was serious magic.

The menu, pictured above, took inspiration from questions that I posed to both home cooks and professional chefs in my research such as “What season makes you most excited to cook?” and “How do you overcome creative ruts?” Each course presented a variety of answers through textures, ingredients, shapes, colors, and flavor and made clever nods to the recipes and their creators that are woven throughout the book. Enveloping the room the whole time was the care, integrity and palpable sense of place that detectible in every aspect of the meal under Abra’s creative and confident vision.

Here are a few more images from the evening, including the only picture of food that I took the entire time – Abra’s salad IRL and in the pages of the book. Thank you Abra, Granor Farm, and New Buffalo explored for composing this collaborative, wonderful evening and asking me to be part of it.