ABOUT US – My husband Ron and I are now retired, but while we were working we had a serious restaurant habit that became more than just an indulgence.  It challenged and inspired us as cooks, and ultimately, as gardeners. It’s an ongoing cycle – we sow, tend, harvest, cook, and eat, and then we start over again.

ABOUT THIS BLOG – The inspiration for this collection was born of frustration – the frustration of failed memory. What made that meal special? Where did I get that recipe? How did I make it mine? How might I improve upon it next time? So I decided to compile it all. Rather than just maintaining a hierarchy of bookmarks, I set out to document all of our favorite dishes in Google Docs. Recipes called for pictures and pictures told stories, so I very quickly realized that I needed a more dynamic and sharable platform. Ron has been urging me for years to create a blog, to document our neo-homesteading efforts, but for the longest time I felt like we had nothing new to bring, that what we were doing had already been done and redone. But as I got further into the process of compiling the recipes, lost memories began resurfacing as I set about to capture what made each dish, and this wonderful life that we’re living, uniquely ours.

So melinmaccooks.com was created. It’s about much more than the recipes at this point. This collection documents not only the recipes and methods that have fueled our memories, but also the people, friends and family, who have participated in the experience.  It’s become a living memoir of sorts. I’m compiling the recipes that have become our tried and true favorites and I’m also peppering this collection with opinions, quotes, and stories that echo. I love this food and these people. I think you will too.