Bookish Cook

08/31/2026

08/24/2026

Hi everyone! My Substack “experiment” is finally gathering traction, after weeks of crickets. I’m gaining subscribers, connecting with other food writers and it’s all good. I’m not putting too much stock in it, because I think it’s a fad, and all fads fade after awhile. But right now it’s a good marketing tool for my upcoming book. And by the way, here’s my latest post. The title, “Fried Clams and the Tartar Relation” is a riff on the old Vinland Map forgery of the 1960s. But you all knew that, didn’t you! 😉

The classic (but puzzling) dipping sauce for a summertime snack

08/19/2026

By now, you all know I’m a fried-clam fanatic. Or I was…somehow my old childhood beach snack is not as wonderful as I remember. But I did find an interesting recipe for making them…from the Southern Hemisphere! You can read my piece for free at Substack

plus, a recipe clue to their origins

08/10/2026

Now on Substack

08/02/2026

Hello Bookish Facebookians! You can read this article for free and I’ll continue to post occasional free content, but as of today I’m switching to a paid subscription model for most of my Substack work, which will include exclusive content and snippets from my upcoming book. Please don’t feel you have to subscribe: I’ll keep in touch here on Facebook! But it’s just something I have to try, especially since this writing business just gets harder and harder. Thanks for sticking with me this far!

"Cocktail hour" takes on a whole new meaning

07/28/2026

New article on Substack! Check it out!

https://substack.com//note/p-208766973?r=zfnvy&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web

07/20/2026

https://open.substack.com/pub/bookishcook1/p/beach-reading?r=zfnvy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

...but not just for artists

07/16/2026

We managed to get into Boston on the last night the Tall Ships were in town. And since we were in North Boston, of course, we had to pick up cannolis! These are from Mike’s Pastry Shop, because the line at Modern Pastry Shop (at 10:30 pm!) was too long and we had a train to catch. But they were delicious! Amaretto and chocolate. And yes, we ate them on the train, all the way back to Wachusett Station!

07/14/2026

https://open.substack.com/pub/bookishcook1/p/adventures-in-food-part-2?r=zfnvy&utm_medium=ios

Including appetizers for the cyclospora era

07/12/2026

Can’t get enough of the Tall ships coverage in Boston!! Couldn’t make it down to the city to see them up close, but the crowds and traffic would have done me in. Happy to watch them on TV, up here in the Monadnocks!