I'm Sydney, aka The Stew Lady and the writer, cook, and chief bottle washer behind “The Stew Lady.”
If you’ve come to The Stew Lady looking for my small-batch recipes, you can find those tasty morsels on A Weekend Cook and view the recipes by clicking the link to aweekendcook.com.
I’m a spontaneous cook, and having a well-stocked pantry is crucial. I don’t think I’ve ever made a recipe from a cookbook that I didn’t alter in some fashion, what does Bay Leaf do for a recipe anyway?
My fridge always has cream cheese, butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream, and the pantry has vanilla paste, flour, and sugar. The freezer always has ground beef, chicken thighs, spicy sausage, a steak or two, chopped celery, and caramelized onions.
One of the things I love about stews is they are mostly one-pot meals and so easy to make in a kitchen with limited space. Soups and Stews simmer in one of my slow cookers while I sleep.
One important thing I learned while living in Italy and later in England was the importance of small rituals and how we should try to make even the most minor thing beautiful. Try serving cooking on a beautiful vintage dish, use real napkins, and place a small vase with one perfect flower on the dinner table.
How often do I cook?
Another plus with stews is that they can taste even better the next day so cooking every night isn't required.
Honestly, even if I didn't have a full-time job, I wouldn’t want to cook seven nights a week. Another reason to love stews, they are great made ahead meals and often taste even better the next day!
What’s your favorite cookbook?
For me it’s impossible to answer, it’s like asking a parent who is their favorite child.
Cookbooks are akin to traveling to a different time or place, each has its own flavor if you will. I own cookbooks from the turn of the century, homemade cookbooks, modern ones written last year, and all types in between for a total of about 40. When I open the pages, it always brings back a pleasant memory or two.
Why did I start this blog?
I always dreamed of opening a small bed and breakfast in Vermont and serving up hot bowls of stew on a chilly evening and this is my way of serving you.
How to Contact me
- reach me on most social media: @thestewlady
- email: [email protected]