Welcome to a space that is born out of loss. In it, I will cook my way through grief. My name is Becca. On May 19th, 2018 my best friend Abby died suddenly and unexpectedly leaving me forever changed.
This solo exercise is an expression of love and sorrow. It is a way to honor her, remember our connection and heal my way forward through the comfort of a kitchen, a physical space where I feel at home. I am a passionate cook with a knack for finding exceptional recipes. The kitchen I will post from is in a studio apartment in a grand 19th century house that I leased for one year starting in June 2019 and ending in May 2020. I do not live there. I cook and contemplate there.
I have chosen twelve cookbooks from my library. I will cook, bake, photograph and share my way through as many recipes as possible each month. The plan: each recipe will be a first trial. Like in life, no practice run. The idea is to work with the books I have collected over the years but somehow didn’t have enough time or focus to explore. Also, it has occurred to me in this process of grief, the importance of practicing presence with whatever I am feeling. Feel the feels, so to speak. I really don’t need anything more than a beginner’s mind and an open heart. That seems like an authentic launching point. Abby would have been pleased.
- June: My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss
- July: Purple Citrus Sweet Perfume by Silvena Rowe
- August: Tassajara Bread Book by Edward Espe Brown
- September: 660 Curries by Raghaven Iyer
- October: Market Cooking by David Tanis
- November: Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum
- December: Eat by Nigel Slater
- January: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
- February: Truly Mexican by Roberto Santibanez
- March: Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi
- April: Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat
- May: Together: Our Community Cookbook: The Hubb Community Kitchen
A Year at Portsmouth 