Julia Blanter, author of The Martha's Vineyard Cookbook, in conversation with Elle Simone Scott
When:
Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 7:00p -
8:00p
Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 7:00p -
8:00p
Where:
Porter Square Books
1815 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02140
Admission:
FREE
Hosted by:
Categories:
Food, Lectures & Conferences
Event website:
https://www.portersquarebooks.com/event/julia-blanter-author-marthas-vineyard-cookbook-conversation-elle-simone-scott
Porter Square Books is excited to welcome Julia Blanter for the release of The Martha's Vineyard Cookbook. Elle Simone Scott will join Blanter in conversation. This event will take place on Thursday, June 12 at 7pm at Porter Square Books (1815 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140).
Our Cambridge store offers validated parking in the lot on Roseland St. behind Lesley's University Hall. See parking details below.
RSVP to let us know you're coming and to receive event updates!*
*Please note that you will not receive a confirmation email. However, we will send a reminder email one day before the event. Please check your spam folder if you do not see the pre-event email reminder. Better yet, add [email protected] to your safe sender list to avoid PSB event emails going to spam!
ABOUT THE MARTHA'S VINEYARD COOKBOOK
Celebrate summer any time and wherever you are through the flavors of 100 island recipes and stunning, immersive photographs from America’s summer home destination.
Seven miles off the coast of Massachusetts, this charming island is home to over one hundred restaurants and cafés, fifty farms, six bakeries, five fish markets, four coffee roasters, two breweries, and one (very popular) farmers’ market. It is a world-class cooking and eating destination, with something new and exciting to discover around every corner.
This cookbook is an edible tour across the island’s six towns, with signature appetizers, entrées, desserts, and drinks from each locale. Start the day with warm Cranberry Maple Oat Scones, then transport yourself to the seaside with Brown-Butter Lobster Rolls, Roasted Clams with Hot Sauce Butter, and Bloody Mary Tuna with a side of Corn and Heirloom Tomato Salad with Honey Herb Vinaigrette. Cool off with an Agricultural Fair–favorite Espresso Float while exploring the island through the eyes of summer residents and well-loved locals who share their perfect days on the Vineyard. Beyond New England’s culinary treasures, Martha’s Vineyard is also home to a diverse year-round community that brings their own flavors to the table, from Jamaican fried chicken to wobbly Brazilian flan, just as deserving an exploration as the hunt for the best chowder.
Told through 100 recipes with stories and photographs, The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook is more than a cookbook—it is a portrait and a love letter to the places and people that make this island so vibrant and unique and utterly delicious.
PRAISE FOR THE MARTHA'S VINEYARD COOKBOOK
“Adult Books for Spring 2025 Selection. The Massachusetts island’s reputation as a culinary destination comes into focus in this compendium of recipes from the Black Dog Tavern, Orange Peel Bakery, and other local institutions.” — Publishers Weekly
“The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook invites readers into the world of food on this much-storied island. Farmers and caterers, oyster farmers and cookbook authors, those working on making the island more sustainable and those selling vegan ice cream at the farmers market all show up between these pages, alongside recipes, vignettes, and town by town tales. Whether you are a longtime lover of the island or someone only dreaming of it, this book will take you into the wonderful and complex world of food on the island, where I have been a seasonal resident for more than half a century.” — Jessica B. Harris, PhD, author of High on the Hog, food historian, and lecturer
“When I go to the Vineyard, there are always more things that I want to cook and eat than I have time for. Thanks to this beautiful and varied compilation of recipes, I can enjoy the island’s bounty all year. This book will transport you to the Vineyard no matter where you are and deepen your appreciation of this special place.” — Dan Pashman, best-selling author and James Beard Award–winning podcaster, The Sporkful
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Julia Blanter is a marketing director, culinary adventurer, and passionate home cook with extensive experience across the food industry. Julia’s love of food has taken her into kitchens and restaurants all around the world. Born in the colorful, multicultural landscape of Sydney, Australia, Julia has lived in New Caledonia, the Netherlands, London, Brooklyn, and most recently, her island home of Martha’s Vineyard.
Food-styling guru Elle Simone Scott is a trailblazer who manages to make food both stunning and approachable. She shapes the visual aesthetic for the Cook’s Country brand and her work appears across ATK media platforms. Elle was recently a judge on America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation, which aired on Amazon Freevee, and is an on-screen test cook for America’s Test Kitchen. Elle is the star of a new show currently in production—Entertaining with Elle showcases her skills as a cook, a teacher, and a stylist and will premiere in 2024.
Elle provided food styling and expert advice for Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings (2022), a best-selling, highly regarded cookbook, as well as her newest release, Food Gifts: 150+ Irresistible Recipes for Crafting Personalized Presents.
In addition to her role as an executive editor at America’s Test Kitchen, Elle also uses her platform and her organization SheChef to advocate, mentor, and inspire other women of color in the food space.
Elle has appeared on Good Morning America, The Food Network, Food Network Magazine, The Cooking Channel, The Katie Couric Show, The Chew, and Bravo’s Chef Roble and Co. Elle has also been the subject of feature stories in the Boston Globe, Forbes, and Eater and on the Tom Joyner Morning Show and National Public Radio.
PARKING
Porter Square Books: Cambridge Edition offers validated parking in the lot on Roseland St. behind Lesley's University Hall. Roseland Street is accessible by Beacon Street and Mass Ave. When you arrive at the lot, use the screen on the kiosk to get a ticket.
When you're ready to leave, ask for a validation barcode at the cash register. (No purchase necessary.) Parking is free on weekends and weekday evenings from 6PM-7AM. From 7AM-6PM on weekdays the first 45 minutes are free.
Upon exiting the lot, scan your ticket and choose "validation." Then scan the barcode your received from us. If you have an additional charge, you will be prompted to pay after scanning your barcode.
RSVP Form:
-
Sponsored -
Sponsored -
Sponsored -
SponsoredClimb to the Roof of Crane Estate & Explore Historic Ipswich | Save 15% with Code BOSCAL15
Saturday, Jul 18, 2026 9:30a
Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
