BLACK TRUMPET: A Chef’s Journey Through Eight New England Seasons
Evan Mallett
Chelsea Green Publishing
October 12, 2016
$40/Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-1603586504
Chef Evan Mallett’s path to professional cooking was a sinuous one, winding its way from Washington, D.C. up the coast to Boston, and ultimately to the small seaport city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In 2007 Evan and his wife Denise bought what would become the Black Trumpet, becoming stewards of an historic restaurant location—an old ship’s chandlery that in 1970 first opened as the legendary Blue Strawbery, a pioneer of New American cuisine. Evan is a three-time James Beard semi-finalist for Best Chef, Northeast. He is actively involved and sits on the boards of Chef’s Collaborative, Slow Food Seacoast, and the Heirloom Harvest Project, an initiative that brings together farmers, chefs, and educators to identify and restore a food system native to the greater New England Seacoast region.
At the renowned Black Trumpet restaurant, located in the historic old seacoast city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Chef Evan Mallett and his staff reflect New England’s many seasons, celebrating the unique flavors of each one through the fished, farmed, and foraged foods on a menu that continually changes throughout the year.
From deep winter’s comforting stews and savory roasts to the first flush of greens in early spring, to high summer’s bounty and fall’s final harvest, BLACK TRUMPET revives and redefines New England cuisine, offering more than 250 creative recipes that blend regional ingredients with a modern sensibility and a global spice palette—drawn from the author’s personal experiences with Mediterranean, Mexican, and other classic world cuisines. Recipes include inspired and delicious dishes such as:
- Quail Adobado with Quince Hash
- Scallops with Couscous and Cider Cream
- Lobster and Kelp Tamales
- Chanterelle Corn Bisque
- Delicata Squash Terrine
- Peach Brioche Bread Pudding
Included are a wide range of creative soups, salads, small plates, main dishes, desserts, sauces, and condiments—even cocktails.
BLACK TRUMPET is more than just a celebration of great seasonal foods. Mallett urges a new generation of adventurous home cooks to rethink local ingredients and flavors, while at the same time rekindling interest in the kind of local food production that existed before the modern commodification of our food system. The book serves as a model for community food activists: supporting local farmers and producers, preserving heritage foods, and advocating for a sustainable, fair, and delicious food ethic.