As I page through the eclectic collage of flavors and food styles presented in Country Comfort: Cooking Across America, I am reminded of the years that I had spent in Europe honing my culinary career and my time spent back in the United States—a true melting pot of history, steeped in tradition. The gathering of recipes in this book has created a festival of flavor, introducing a fabulous collection of regional foods throughout our nation. Mary Elizabeth and Chef Nicole have brought together some of the culinary world’s most influential recipes, each a representation of the diverse cuisines of America.
As a child of Italian and Cuban parents, I grew up in a home centered around ethnic food. We spent most of my youth in Montauk, New York, on the east end of Long Island, a seafood wonderland surrounded by the freshest of catch from the Atlantic Ocean. This made for an awakening of my young palate. I remember, as a child, purchasing calamari in a bait store, far before it was considered “haute cuisine.” In this book, you will find many other recipes that arose from humble beginnings as peasant dishes, and have now been reinvented with a new look at dining, while still maintaining their roots from various cultures. It is this transformation of culinary style that gives each region of the United States a unique combination of flavors. It is so refreshing for me to be a part of this national awakening of innovative food styles and culinary culture.
I find Country Comfort: Cooking Across America to be a fabulous culinary tour, and I know that these recipes will offer you a culinary awakening, opening your senses to such a distinct variety of styles, techniques, and flavor combinations.
In these pages, you will have the pleasure of finding some culinary styles that you may never have explored. Mary Elizabeth and Chef Nicole have painstakingly sifted through so many recipes, making this collection of national talent an obvious labor of love. Although these recipes highlight the unique flavors of each region, nearly all of the ingredients for these recipes are readily available throughout the United States, creating an exciting adventure that anyone can embark on. I am honored to have contributed some of my own recipes highlighting the flavors of the Northeast, including my parent’s heritage, which I hope you will enjoy.
So, let yourself go, and try some new things as you explore the diverse culinary styles found throughout the United States.
Congratulations, Mary Elizabeth and Chef Nicole: my chef’s toque is off to you both with much appreciation for your time and devotion to this quest toward better living, and your discovery of the grand diversity of food styles across America.
—Executive Chef Frank Tramontano
Ever So Saucy Foods, LLC