Hello! It’s been a minute, but Smart Cooks is back, in a slightly different format. If you’re thinking “Catherine, I’m just here for the food!”, then I’m afraid you’ll have to hang tight until tomorrow, when I send out a new recipe. If you’re wondering what I’ve been up to, and what’s going on with this newsletter, read on.
The last couple of months I’ve been quiet here, doing a lot of private cheffing to pay the bills, and taking a minute to really think about what I wanted to do next professionally. As soon as it became clear that we had to wind down not just co., I dove into writing recipes, and podcasting, and putting out this newsletter, and honestly, it was the therapy my soul needed.
While there was no doubt I wanted to return to this creative work, I knew I needed time to process, do a bit of strategizing, and ponder: What exactly did I have to offer a food media landscape that has changed tremendously since I filed my last recipe for The Boston Globe? Filmed my last episode of Milk Street (5?!) years ago? I knew in my bones that I wanted to get back in the game, but I needed some time to find clarity on what that would look and feel like.
Eventually, I got here.
It’s a newsletter, yes! But that’s just one spoke in a wheel of food-related media projects that are in varying stages of development, with some really incredible partners. I cannot wait to share more with you over the coming weeks, and this seems like an appropriate time to deploy one of those subscribe buttons…
So, what is Not From Concentrate?
As anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes with me can attest, I have ADHD. I was diagnosed in 3rd grade, quite rare for a girl in the 90s, and they just called it ADD back then. For much of my life, it was something I was deeply ashamed of, and spent a lot of time trying (ineffectively) to hide. But over the last several years, as stigma around ADHD has decreased, awareness has skyrocketed, and neurodivergence has become a real part of the cultural zeitgeist, I’ve come to embrace the benefits of my busy brain: creativity, energy, emotional intelligence, grit. And face the challenges: disorganization, distraction, overwhelm, a total inability to keep track of my wallet, or dates on a calendar.
In this new chapter, I’m thinking about how I can take everything I’ve learned, and continue to learn — as a cook, an entrepreneur, a writer, and a mom — and use it help other busy-brained people make the most of every meal. That looks like easy to follow, distraction-proof recipes. Tips and strategies from experts, chefs, and authors. And a focus on the creativity of cooking, which inspires us, lights up our pre-frontal cortex, and allows us to engage deeply with preparing our food, and enjoying every bite
Whether you are diagnosed with ADHD, or just feel overwhelmed by the never-ending distractions and demands of modern life, it’s my hope that Not From Concentrate is a place to spark your creativity, calm the chaos, and help you find joy in the kitchen.
And Smart Cooks? That will live on as a recipe column and video series in the Not From Concentrate ecosystem. I’ve accepted that with all the projects I have going, that a weekly original recipe might not be in the cards right now — classic ADHD biting-off-more-than-I-can-chew situation — but it will be a part of the content you’ll get in your inbox, something you can expect at least once or twice a month.
If you are still reading, thank you so much for being here! And check your inbox tomorrow for a cold noodle salad recipe you’re going to want to make all summer.
Hugs!
C
Cannot wait. You are amazing ❤️
THRILLED for you. Love this so much. <3