The title of John Shield’s latest book, The New Chesapeake Kitchen, refers to more than just the cuisine. The book, much like my conversation with Shields as chronicled in these past five posts, captures the changes in the Chesapeake region, including a shift in demographics. The rise of Latinos in the community can be felt in … Continue reading The New Chesapeake Kitchen
“Odd as I am sure it will appear to some, I can think of no better form of personal involvement in the cure of the environment than that of gardening. A person who is growing a garden, if he is growing it organically, is improving a piece of the world. He is producing something to … Continue reading Plant forward
Midway through my hour-long interview with John Shields, we turned our discussion to the Chesapeake region—the environment and the food popularized by the people. Growing up in Maryland, but in the Washington, DC suburbs, I never realized that the Chesapeake region extended in Virginia and parts of Pennsylvania. In fact I learned a number of … Continue reading Chesapeake cuisine
Unlike the cadre of celebrity chefs that make-up the Food Network line-up, Shields did not attend culinary school. His training began as boy cooking alongside his beloved grandmother, Gertie. Later, as a young man, he found himself in a restaurant kitchen pitching in as needed. With his first restaurant, Gertie’s in Berkeley, Calif., Shields pays tribute to the woman who introduced him to cooking and his beloved Chesapeake Bay. Continue reading “You’re the chef now”
Last fall I attended a happy hour at Cuba Libre hosted by DC Food Bloggers. While the opportunity to hobnob with fellow bloggers and eat Cuban food was a big draw for me, the real treat of the evening was chef and restaurateur John Shields. You may remember Shields from one of his two PBS series, Chesapeake Bay … Continue reading Champion for the Chesapeake
Buen Provecho Amigos 