Local chef and author Leigh Belanger will discuss her new cookbook and menu planning guide!
Faced with the never-simple task of feeding her busy family every night, food writer Leigh Belanger turned to her kitchen chalkboard, planning out her weekly dinner menus in order to keep the chaos at bay. She quickly discovered the merits of modern menu planning: it saves time and money, produces better dishes, cuts down on waste, and returns creativity to the kitchen. Most importantly, she found that a good plan preserves sanity.
This stunning and approachable cookbook is an invaluable guide for families who want to eat locally and in season but know that getting dinner on the table requires a dash of reality. Sixteen seasonal menus lay out the strategy, starting with a “big cook” and clever tips on how to use that food in new and inventive dishes throughout the week. With over one hundred delicious and inspiring ideas for family meals, My Kitchen Chalkboard provides the wit, wisdom, and adaptable recipes you need to answer that nightly question: “What’s for dinner?”
Leigh Belan
ger is a food writer and editor, cookbook author, and freelance communications consultant and event producer. She is the food editor at Culture magazine and her work has been featured in Edible Boston, the Boston Globe, and other publications.
In 2012, Leigh authored The Boston Homegrown Cookbook, which told the stories of Boston’s chefs and restaurateurs and the local food producers they work with. She was on staff at Chefs Collaborative from 2006-2012, during which time she launched the organization’s annual conference and was lead producer for four years.
Leigh lives in Boston with her family. She is a graduate of The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, and attended the Gastronomy program at Boston University from 2002-2004.