Fresh and Honest : Food from the Farms of New England and the Kitchen of Henrietta's Table

by Davis, Peter; Robbins, Heath

• ISBN13: 9780976727606
• ISBN10: 0976727609
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-01-15
• Publisher: Three Bean Pr

Summary

A cookbook of New England recipes from award-winning chef Peter Davis of the restaurant Henrietta's Table (The Charles Hotel, Cambridge, MA). Fresh & Honest is centered around Davis's belief in sustainable dining and the use of local, farm-fresh foods. The full-color cookbook is energized by the spectacular photography of recipes, farms, and coastlines by Heath Robbins. Sidebars scattered throughout the book highlight New England farmers and purveyors, bringing the story of New England cuisine to life.

Author Biography

Chef Peter Davis Honored by the James Beard Foundation as one of ôThe Best Hotel Chefs in America,ö Executive Chef Peter Davis has created a popular, beloved culinary destination and a cult following with Henrietta's Table, located in The Charles Hotel, Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Named one of America's ôBest Farm-to-Tableö restaurants by Gourmet magazine, the eatery is a perfect complement to The Charles Hotel's hybrid culture of contemporary energy and awareness blended with traditional New England style.Chef Davis, whose motto is ôfresh and honest,ö as in ôfresh from the farm and honest-to-goodness New England cooking,ö came to The Charles Hotel with impressive credentials from around the world. After working in highly-ranked international hotels including the Hyatt Regency Singapore, the Bali Hyatt, the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, and The Peninsula Beverly Hills, he returned to his native city of Boston to become Executive Chef at The Charles Hotel in 1995. An avid conservationist with close ties to the fishing and farming communities of New England, Chef Davis was also one of the first proponents of local products. He will not use any genetically engineered foods or products at Henrietta's Table. A true ôworking chef,ö heavily involved in the daily operations of the restaurant, the opening of Henrietta's Table was a lifelong ambition.Chef Davis uses organic and native ingredients from local producers throughout and beyond Massachusetts, creating an original and simple approach to classic New England cuisine. ôOur main priority is the taste of food,ö says Davis, ôso we try not to put more than three or four ingredients on a plate.ö Davis's keen awareness of the integrity of food in its natural state, eye for color, and instinct for balance of tastes have earned him critical acclaim from Travel & Leisure, USA Today and the Food Network.Chef Davis is married with two children and currently lives close to the ocean in his native town of Nahant, Massachusetts.Alexandra Hall-coauthor Alexandra Hall has been a Boston-based food writer for more than 15 years, serving as a writer, editor, and critic for various food, travel, and lifestyle publications along the way. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris, France, she has covered the dining scene in New England and beyond for publications including Travel & Leisure, Food & Wine, The Boston Globe, and The New York Times. She was a senior lifestyle editor and oversaw the food and dining section at Boston magazine for four years, and is currently editor-in-chief of several lifestyle magazines produced by The Boston Globe. She writes regularly for Bon AppTtit and Town & Country Travel magazines, and with her husband Michael Blanding, she recently co-wrote two guidebooks, Moon New England and Moon Vermont.