The New Chesapeake Kitchen
BY JOHN SHIELDS
WITH PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID W. HARP
Chosen by OpenTable as one of
"John Shields has done an amazing job showing us how to preserve the traditions of the region while also respecting the environment around us—he understands how important it is to maintain our local food economies so that future generations can also know the beauty and the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay."
—José Andrés, Chef/Owner, ThinkFoodGroup
& minibar by José Andrés
In The New Chesapeake Kitchen John takes the best of what grows, swims, or grazes in the Chesapeake Bay’s watershed and prepares it simply and memorably. Page after page, over 140 new recipes for delicious “Bay and body-friendly food” — like Hutzler’s Cheese Bread or Blue Cat Seafood Hash — delineate a new plant-forward and sustainable diet, one that considers how food consumption affects both your health and the environment.
There are innovative new takes on Chesapeake classics, as well as many vegan and vegetarian-friendly options: from Aunt Bessie’s Crab Pudding, to “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Crab” Cakes, and an array of savory soups, braised meats, luscious desserts, and green smoothies—even recipes for a locavore cocktail party!
Inspired by the beautiful full-color images by former Baltimore Sun Magazine photographer David W. Harp, readers can learn how to choose and prepare local, seasonal ingredients. Approachable and clear directions on homesteading practices like canning, preserving, and fermenting are also included.
The richly worded headnotes honor the farmers, watermen, butchers, cheese makers, and foragers who make the local food movement possible — and shine a needed spotlight on the many environmental and food organizations working to restore the Bay, the surrounding land, and improve food security for the region. Drawing on his long and storied career, in this seminal work John makes a strong case for a healthy locavore diet and
champions a holistic view of community foodways.
What People are Saying
"John Shields is the greatest chef of the Chesapeake, and he’s also the wisest—demonstrating that you don’t have to be a killjoy to be an environmentalist. This gorgeously-illustrated book mixes Bay-friendly culinary advice—such as the endorsement of farmed oysters and smaller portions of meat—with local recipes so rich with flavor they feel decadent. You can save the Bay without losing your taste."
Tom Pelton, author of The Chesapeake in Focus: Transforming the Natural World
"To eat a John Shields meal is to truly taste the Chesapeake. He understands how the food we grow here shapes us, from the verdant fields around the Baltimore suburbs to the soft-crab delicacies and flaky rockfish caught on the Eastern Shore. His words are beautiful and heartfelt; his food even more so."
Rona Kobell, Chesapeake Bay Writer
"The Chesapeake Bay is huge, but John Shields brings it right to your tongue! His recipes are distinctive and delicious, and remind us how our food choices relate to the environment. Think globally, eat locally and sustainably! Doing right by the Bay has never tasted better."
