Since 2005, Sarah’s Cucina Bella by Sarah Walker Caron has been sharing quick and easy recipes for busy people who love good food. This reliable, established food blog has helped countless home cooks make better, easier foods for nearly two decades. Written by an award-winning food writer, columnist and cookbook author, you’ll also find food travel tips, reading recommendations and more.
A Word to Readers from Sarah Walker Caron
There’s something bewitching about using fresh whole foods to craft a luscious dish to feed others. Food is evocative and nourishing. It joins people in shared experience. As they say, food is love.
My earliest memories are tightly interwoven with the scents and flavors of my childhood kitchen. The sweet muskiness of warm apples boiling on the stove for applesauce takes me back to when my aunt and I would peel, core, slice and cook apples to go with homemade potato pancakes. The sultry robust flavor of sweet Italian sausage stirs memories of swiping bits of sausage from my grandmother as she whipped up sausage and peppers for the whole family. Steamy lobsters remind me of our massive family reunions on Cape Cod, filled with laughter, volleyball and the happy din of close bonds.
These days, my kids are too old to dragging chairs to the counter but they still like to help imagine, prepare and cook delicious family meals. My oldest is Will. He’s 18-years-old and loves good food. His favorites? Sushi, lobster, pasta, burgers, fancy ramen and anything wings. My daughter, Paige, is 15. Like her older brother, she appreciates good food. She adores sushi, salmon, ribs and really creative sandwiches.
My name is Sarah Walker Caron and I am a freelance writer, editor and recipe developer. I teach journalism at the University of Maine and professional blogging at Husson University. I was previously a senior editor for The Bangor Daily News, the editor of Bangor Metro magazine and the founding editor of HelloHomestead.com.
Additionally, I am the author of nine books including Classic Diners of Maine, The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook, The Disney Princess Tea Parties Cookbook and One-Pot Pasta. My latest, Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts: Official Wizarding World Cookbook, was released in October 2024.
I also write The Lunch Box Ladies, a food blog dedicated to all things packed lunches, and share essays and posts about being a writer at SarahCaron.com.
Honors
Sarah’s Cucina Bella was named one of the Top 25 Foodie Blogs by FriendsEat in 2009 and was also named one of the “Sites We Love” by Saveur Magazine. One of my recipes and tips for getting kids to eat well was featured in the 2010 cookbook No Whine with Dinner by Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex.
I love judging food competitions and have done a few. In 2011, I was a judge for the National Mango Board’s Mango Hometown Tour in Hartford, Connecticut. I’ve also judged the Maine Chef Challenge in 2015, the NewsFEED cooking competition in 2016 in Bangor, Maine, and the Bangor Firefighters Chili/Chowder Cookoff in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Post-pandemic, I am easing back into events with appearances to support my newer books.
Clips
My food writing and recipes have appeared in Fine Cooking, BELLA Magazine, Yum for Kids Magazine and on websites including Betty Crocker, iVillage, Pillsbury and SheKnows. Here are a few of my favorite clips:
- Grilled Steak Skewers with Arugula Chimichurri Sauce – Fine Cooking Magazine, Issue 135
- Lesson to My Kids: Read Beyond the Fancy Menu Language, Paste Magazine
- Cook Like a Thin, French Woman, FabulousFoods.com
- Cream-Filled Cannoli Cupcakes, Betty Crocker. (Also featured in Betty Crocker Cupcakes magazine in 2012)
- Recession-Proof Cooking: This savvy mom hooks us all up! Glamour.com.
You can see more of my writing clips on SarahCaron.com.
F.A.Q.
How long have you been writing Sarah’s Cucina Bella?
I started Sarah’s Cucina Bella in 2005, after attending a writing conference at Barnard College. A food writer called blogging the wave of the future — so I decided to give it a go. I never expected to love it as much as I do.
Are your kids really not picky?
They really aren’t, and I know that makes me super lucky. My kids love good food and will try just about anything once. They’ve been raised with the expectation that they would eat everything, and it’s worked.
Are you a chef?
No. I’m a home cook and cookbook author with a passion for good, wholesome food. I learned to cook through trial and error. While I’ve taken a cooking class or two, I largely learned to cook well as an adult. But I have been cooking on some level — whether it was helping my family in the kitchen as a child, baking as a teen or experimenting in college — my whole life.
Who do you develop recipes for?
In addition to the recipes that I develop for Sarah’s Cucina Bella, my recipes have appeared in my former newspaper food column, Maine Course, in the Bangor Daily News. In the past, I also developed recipes for BettyCrocker.com, Pillsbury.com, allParenting.com and other sites. They’ve also appeared in BELLA NYC Magazine and First for Women Magazine. You can read more about my writing and recipe development experience on my portfolio website, SarahCaron.com.
Do you take your own photos?
Sure do! I usually shoot with a Canon Rebel T6 and a Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 lens. My photos are processed in Photoshop.
I’d love to hire you for a project. Are you available?
Really? I’m flattered! I am passionate about food writing and recipe development. Check out my Work with Me page for details, then email me at sarah@sarahcaron.com — Let’s chat!
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