Photo credit: Shawn Linehan Photography
Hello Cook With What You Have community,
This is Paige writing. As many of you know (apologies to those who are learning this for the first time), Katherine passed away July 12, 2022 from a breast cancer recurrence. Since then I have been keeping the website running and I officially purchased Cook With What You Have in December.
Katherine’s passing is a great loss for her family, for so many of you who knew her, and for me personally. For those who didn’t know Katherine well, here is her obituary and some reflections from her time at Slow Food USA. You can also look back on the countless beautiful blog posts written by Katherine going back to when she started Cook With What You Have in 2009.
Katherine meant so much to so many – she was a beloved family member, friend, businesswoman, community member, teacher. To me, she was my boss, a mentor, and a good friend. In 2018 she took me under her wing as an intern during my final year of graduate school for nutrition. I moved into a part-time position after I graduated, focusing on recipe testing and development and helping out with marketing and admin. From the very beginning, Katherine was open and trusting with me. She freely shared her passion and knowledge for cooking seasonally and locally. She enthusiastically welcomed my ideas and new recipes. She opened her home and never let me leave without a slice of freshly baked bread or a container of leftovers.
There are so many things that are now part of how I cook and live that came from Katherine. The bed of herbs I planted and cook with regularly, the CSA my family gets, storing produce in the leftover bags from my Grand Central Bakery bread, a pot of beans simmering on the stove, the way I chop garlic, and so much more… I feel incredibly grateful to have known and learned from Katherine. When she passed, the decision of the future of Cook With What You Have was not taken lightly. The website is a rich and valuable resource that many people depend on, and Katherine’s husband Brian and I wanted to see it continue.
I purchased Cook With What You Have to help ensure Katherine’s work lives on and continues to help people cook with flexibility and joy. I’m excited to continue Katherine’s vision for the website by creating more recipes, partnering with more farms, and helping more people cook with what they have.
A big thank you to Brian for facilitating this process and being so helpful. And thank all of you for bearing with me through the transition and the inevitable bumps along the way. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected] with any questions.
Britt Clarno says:
Katherine was incredibly special. I’m glad to see Cook With What You Have continue.
Judie Tull says:
Congratulations, Paige! Looking forward to following you – always ready to learn new ways to cook vibrantly!
Lynne F says:
So glad this little (!) piece of Katherine’s legacy will live on. Thank you and congrats!
Ingse says:
Thanks for update! Thinking of Katherine and her family❤
samjnickels says:
While I didn’t know Katherine, I have used this website for a few years now as it’s been offered through CSA membership of two different farms I’ve been a customer of. And, I must say, I love the service offered here. It feels personal, and it’s evident that Katherine invested a lot in making it useful for people. We love the seasonality and locality of what’s offered — and as a dad of two toddlers, I appreciate that I can usually whip up the recipes without too much prep. Thank you for picking it up and recognizing that many of us, like me, are pleased to see it live on.
Charlene Rollins says:
I just want to offer my appreciation for Katherine’s enthusiasm and kindness, care and generous spirit. I’m so sorry to learn of her passing. Charlene, New Sammy’s
Sarah says:
I was so hoping something like this would happen. It is great to see Katherine’s vision carried forward. Best wishes in your work, and I look forward to your blog posts and recipes.