Abbie Cornish & Jacqueline King Schiller
These best friends began their culinary journey at the farmers market. The weekly ritual of bringing home fresh goods and turning them into delicious recipes brought them closer than ever, and from there, Pescan: A Feel Good
Cookbook was born. Here, they talk about the healthy outlook on cooking that inspired the book they co-authored.
What made you decide to write a cookbook together?
We both learned to cook as adults. We talked about how learning to cook changed our lives so much for the better and decided we want to share what we’ve learned with as many people as possible. We set out to write a book that is both inspiring and helpful to our readers, so we focus not only on delicious recipes but also on techniques that will be useful again and again.
What is a pescan diet, and what does it look like to you?
The pescan lifestyle means eating a whole-food, plantbased diet supplemented with seafood. From a nutritional standpoint, it’s absolutely ideal. It’s also easy in the sense that you don’t have to count calories, macronutrients or anything else. The best part of this lifestyle is feeling good, nourished and energized.
What ingredients do you keep on hand at all times?
We have a whole section in our book about how to stock your kitchen. Fresh, in-season fruits and veggies are always the stars. In the pantry we keep beans, lentils, grains, dried fruit, nut butters, and flavor-building condiments like mustard, vinegars, soy sauce and Sriracha. Olive, coconut and sesame oils are also must-haves.
What do you love most about cooking?
We love spending time with family and friends, and food brings people together in a way nothing else can. Those faceto-face connections are more important than ever in the digital age. Good home cooking makes people happy. There’s no easier way to spread joy and love than with a good meal.