“Everyone has a childhood memory of a special recipe eaten at home, at grandma’s house or at a restaurant, that made a lasting and permanent impression. Forever after, the thought of that one dish lingers, ready to be triggered by a related sight, smell, or taste, long after we enjoyed the original preparation. The point is, we all have special recipes we’ve loved and lost,” says Monica Kass Rogers, a longtime journalist, writer, photographer and home cook. “How serendipitous to rediscover them. Coming around this Lost Recipes Found corner, I hope you do. It is a recipe revivalist site, where many food memories matter…”
Monica’s research into the revival of vintage recipes for the Chicago Tribune was so compelling that it became her blog, lostrecipesfound.com. Her work has appeared in Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, the Chicago Tribune and Newcity, as well as a book by Rizzoli. “My book collaboration with Chef John Coletta, Risotto & Beyond, was published by Rizzoli on March 13, 2018. I wrote the text for the book based on interviews with John and with rice experts while in Italy photographing some of the imagery. The book won 1st place in the Italian category and 2nd place in the rice category, Gourmand International Cookbook Awards. After testing all 100 recipes for the book, I learned more about Italian rice than I dreamed possible.”
She says, “Writing has given me the privilege to learn about food from the many chefs and restaurateurs who have made careers of this challenging work. In every instance, history, family and culture contributed to the dishes these professionals love most, giving each a lovely narrative – the story to the taste. You will find those stories, recipes, visuals, and hopefully, some connection to the food memories that matter too. Some of these recipes are my own. Some are adapted from vintage cookbooks. Others are creations based on vintage recipes they love. Before publishing to my site, I test, prepare and photograph each dish using natural light. I have collected dozens of recipes, photos and stories ready to go and will be posting them as I can each week.”
“Monica has photographed a broad range of food, from Spanakopita Triangles (Spinach Sorrel + Cheese Pies), Brown Derby Cobb Salad, Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup Brownies with Chocolate Frosting, and Lemony Olive Oil Tea Cakes (with Italian olive oil), to the reader’s requested Beef Bourguignon, first published in the Chicago Tribune in 1954, and both publishes the images on the web, and often makes custom prints for gallery walls.”
“Served with Israeli couscous (or Armenian rice pilaf), rich gravy and a sauce of preserved lemon, mint, garlic and Greek yogurt, these ancho-spiced lamb shanks make a meal full of bright flavors,” she adds.
