In keeping with coastal traditions of Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, these cookbooks celebrate far more than recipes. Each was shaped by a love of community, local food and treasured recipes. These are the cookbooks that wind up so well-loved they have dog-eared pages and post-it-notes in between the pages. Enjoy!

A New Cookbook for the Next Generation

For their third cookbook—and in celebration of their 50th anniversary—the Woods Hole Historical Museum shares Woods Hole Cooks Something Up For the 21st Century – More Recipes from a Cape Cod Village, once again celebrating the history and character that makes Woods Hole one of the Cape’s most unique and storied villages. 

All proceeds from the sale of the cookbook go directly toward continuing the museum’s efforts to fund their archives, education programs and exhibits. The contributions range from locals to visiting scientists to longtime summer residents. Many entries are introduced with a heartfelt note, a reminder that the most memorable dishes tell more than the ingredients that go into them—they share a story that draws the reader into their heart. A recipe for a walnut pie starts off, “I started baking pies for the Fishmonger Café in Woods Hole when my children were young. I eventually bought and ran the restaurant. This recipe was published in our cookbook, The Bread Also Rises, published in 1981 and is one of my favorites,” shares local Frances Buehler.