Holly Erickson and Natalie Mortimer met in the early 2000s, when their husbands — a drummer and a painter — embarked on an eight-week band tour from their homes in the Pacific Northwest. During that time, the women discovered their own common interests. For both, “food was always top of mind and tip of tongue,” they write in the introduction to “The Modern Proper: Simple Dinners for Every Day” (Simon Element, $32).
Each discovered a “passion for the culinary” early in life. Mortimer’s grandmother taught her the “proper” way to dice an onion and pack a pierogi; Erickson learned the “correct” techniques for making a recipe in a church-basement cooking class she signed up for in fourth grade. Both pushed beyond those rigid rules as they refined their palates and their love for cooking and entertaining grew.
As young moms, they started food blogs, and eventually realized how much more fun it would be to work together. In 2013, they joined forces in creating The Modern Proper, with the premise of redefining “proper” and “hospitality” as it pertained to modern homemakers like themselves. Initially they focused not only on food, but also decor and DIY crafts. As their kids grew older and their lives busier, they gradually phased out the glue guns and elaborate party menus in favor of simpler weeknight fare.
They present the best of those creations in their debut cookbook, whose chapters include “all day eggs,” meatless dishes, chicken, pork and beef, seafood, soup, meatballs and “things for dipping, spreading, and dressing.”
Weeknight Sort-of-Cassoulet — a one-skillet mélange of Italian sausages, canned white beans, crushed tomatoes and fresh herbs — fully lived up to its promises of deliciousness and ease. I plan to follow up soon with Roasted Honey Mustard Salmon with Citrus Salad, Chicken Strips with Za’atar Ranch, and Ricotta-Stuffed Peppers with Roasted Tomatoes.
The authors include enough detail to ensure success with each recipe, while encouraging us to follow their only rule: “Never allow someone else’s definition of ‘proper’ keep you from creating elevated meals your own way.”
Susan Puckett is a cookbook author and former food editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow her at susanpuckett.com.
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