Northern Comfort

The New England Baking Tradition

by Keith Stavely and Kathleen Fitzgerald

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Pub Date Nov 3 2026 | Archive Date Nov 3 2026

NYU Press

Cooking, Food & Wine | History | Nonfiction (Adult)

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Description

Traces New England’s rich baking tradition with historic recipes, carefully adapted for the modern kitchen

In the wake of the American Revolution, a culinary style formed that would set the standard for American cooking. In Northern Comfort, acclaimed food historians Keith Stavely and Kathleen Fitzgerald draw history lovers and home cooks alike into the kitchen with fifty-two recipes for breads, pies, cookies, and cakes. Readers will bake alongside the abolitionist kneading dough for her immensely popular white bread, the teacher frosting one of the world's first layer cakes, and the housewife cutting through the thick crust of a meat pie. The result is a delicious, intimate journey through the lives of everyday people who built our nation.

From comparing the meals of patriots and loyalists to mediating long-running disputes over the best way to make Johnny cakes, Northern Comfort offers a taste of life in historic New England that is as enticing as the baked goods themselves.

Available Editions

EDITION	Other Format
ISBN	9781479849703
PRICE	$29.99 (USD)
PAGES	288

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Additional Information

Average rating from 15 members

Featured Reviews

Rachel F, Reviewer

Northern Comfort: The New England Baking Tradition
by Keith Stavely and Kathleen Fitzgerald is an interesting and informative book that highlights the rich history of New England sustenance.

I started reading this thinking it would be just a cookbook,but I ended up receiving so much more. This does have historical recipes, but it also delves deep into the history, culture, and evolution of many aspects of the cuisine, agricultural practices, life, and society within New England and how this all ties into what we perceive as “New England fare”.

There was a lot of information, so it is not a quick read, but it is an informative and enjoyable read nevertheless. I definitely learned a lot.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you NG and NYU Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/3/26.