About

That's me--Kaitlyn Wessels!

Oh good, you're here! And by here, I mean the tiny kitchen of a 20-something woman who still doesn't know her way around a frying pan. Naturally.

Let's start with the basics. By trade, I'm a social worker and educator in Cincinnati, OH. I've been married to my husband Taylor for five years, and we have lived in our post-war Cape Cod for almost as long. In that time, I've learned how to paint, decorate, and landscape, but have never learned how to cook.

Sure, I can handle the basics--fried eggs, grilled cheese, pancakes--but cooking a complete, age-appropriate meal with real ingredients? Yeah, that's another story. It isn't that I can't read recipes. The 'reading' isn't the problem; it's the 'adhering to' and occasional 'improvising with' that's so daunting. Good recipes always seem to have complex steps, tiny pictures, and lots of obscure ingredients. Would you agree? To put it simply, cooking has always been overwhelming, and I've been too intimidated to try.

Until now! I've decided that enough is enough--it's time to roll up my sleeves, don my apron, and get my hands dirty. But where to begin?

Fortunately, inspiration came via Mid-Century recipe books found at area antique markets and thrift shops. In addition to featuring some brilliant wartime/post-war rhetoric, these booklets showcase simple, real advice to help folks do more with less. And you know what? I find that kind of ingenuity in the kitchen inspiring. For the first time, I believe it's possible to add to my cooking repertoire. I'm actually EAGER to cook something! 

So let's get started! Grab a fork and pull up a chair as we dig into some vintage recipes and uncover hidden treasures right here in my kitchen. Welcome!