Nahant chef serves up cookbook

NAHANT-An award winning chef from Nahant is sharing his recipes in his first cookbook, which hit the market in late November.Peter Davis, who is a chef at Henrietta’s Table at The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, said he has had a lot of request for recipes over the years, so he decided to write a cookbook.The cookbook is entitled “Fresh & Honest: Food from the Farms of New England and the Kitchen of Henrietta’s Table.”Davis, 52, said writing the cookbook was an 18 month process, but it was worth the effort.?It was a lot of work,” he said. “But the book is getting a great reception. The feedback has been very positive and it is a great public relations tool for the restaurant.”Davis, who has been the executive chef at Henrietta’s Table since 1995, said he has received a lot of requests over the years for his pot roast recipe from patrons but he would be hard pressed to pick a personal favorite from his cookbook.?We get a lot of requests for our recipes,” he said. “All the recipes in the book are favorites. If they weren’t they wouldn’t be in there.”After cooking in the kitchens of the Hyatt Singapore, the Bali Hyatt, the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong, and the Beverly Hills Peninsula, Davis helped the owner of The Charles Hotel develop the concept of Henrietta’s Table, which is named after the 1,000-pound pet pig kept in Martha’s Vineyard by Charles Hotel owner Dick Friedman.Davis grew up in Nahant where he used to help tend chickens and the family farm. He said he always loved being outside and when he was in high school he used to take his boat out lobstering in the morning before he went to school.He said his approach to food has always been “fresh and honest.”Befitting his motto, “fresh from the farm and honest to goodness New England home cooking,” Davis said he uses fresh fruits, vegetables and grains grown using sustainable agriculture methods.?My belief is people need to start paying attention to where their food comes from,” he said. “I buy food at farmers markets and from local farmers whenever possible,” he said. “When you go to the supermarket, ask where the food came from and how it was raised. Most grocery stores offer healthy options like free range chicken.”Sprinkled throughout the cookbook, readers will find references to some of his favorite New England farms, most of which he said he still visits a couple of times a year.Davis said the cookbook, which was published by Three Bean Press, runs the gamut from drinks to entrees and desserts. The hardcover cookbook has a list price of $35 and is available at Henrietta’s Table, Lynnway Liquors, most major bookstores and online at www.amazon.com. Any bookstore or other establishment interested in carrying the cookbook should contact Davis at [email protected].