Hey there! I’m Carey. Ex–picky eater. Ex-vegetarian. Book maker and author wrangler by trade. Gardener / over-enthusiastic caterer / researcher at heart. Lover of cats, autumn, and runny eggs.
I was born and raised in rural upstate NY, just a short distance from the gorgeous and bountiful Schoharie Valley. After spending nearly a decade in the Capital District, I relocated to Burlington, VT. Living in Vermont has allowed me to reconnect with local agriculture, with an appreciation that I was not capable of in my youth.
My culinary interests run the gamut from simple and healthy to sweet and indulgent, with an ambitious project every now and then. I find great satisfaction in learning how to make the most basic of things from scratch, and I enjoy nothing more than food that is intertwined with memory and tradition — cultural, personal, or otherwise. Of all the enjoyment that running a blog has brought me, the sharing of experiences and foods deeply rooted in nostalgia between myself and readers is by far the most rewarding.
(For a far-too comprehensive history of my take on and relationship with food, see this post.)
What’s with the name?
I began this blog in the fall of 2010 under the name Petite Kitchenesse. As I gradually developed my focus, I was also becoming enamored with the local farm and food culture. In the late summer of 2012, I decided to relaunch the site under a name that spoke to these interests. As I brainstormed new handles, I found myself repeatedly drawn to the word “provincial,” lamenting its negative connotations. One day, in a fit of irritation, I decided to research the etymology of the word. What I found was a word that once meant “pertaining to a province” or “of the small towns and countryside,” but eventually picked up the negative “unsophisticated/narrow/rude” definitions around the mid-18th century, when urban/city-living was just beginning to be fueled by the growth of modern industry. This, to me, seemed both unfair and unfitting, as some of the most capable people I have ever met have been “country folk.” With the growing momentum of the local movement leading many to seek out goods and food close to home, perhaps we can eventually rethink what it means to be “provincial” as well.
What you’ll find here . . .
Plenty of seasonal recipes and baked goods, along with the occasional beverage, homemade candy, and whoops-I-messed-up post. While I no longer restrict myself to a vegetarian diet, much of what I eat and make remains meat-free. And although I have overcome most of the food neurosis of my youth, the one thing I still avoid like the plague is the onion. I like scallions and I love ramps, so I realize this is a nonsensical aversion (which would more accurately be described as an enduring childhood phobia). I’m working on it!
Regular appearances by . . .
J : Boyfriend. Ex-vegetarian turned meat enthusiast. Quite handy in the kitchen himself.
W : Friend. Fellow blogger and food lover. An amazing source of support and inspiration.
E : Brother. Coffee snob.
I shoot with . . .
Canon 60D + Canon 50mm f/1.8. In natural light whenever possible.
Unless otherwise noted, all content and images found on this site are my own. Please feel free to pin my photos or reblog them on Tumblr, as long as you credit/link back to the original post. If you would like to republish any images or text to another site or your own blog, please credit Carey Nershi with a link back to this site or the specific post, or contact me directly for permission.
Hi Carey…no surprise you found a creative outlet!!
Hi Paula! It’s great being able to combine my love and writing and food, AND experiment with photography. I love it!
As a foodie and also a published author and editor of 2 publications, I admire your style and the photography you provide along with your recipes is invaluable. I am anxious to see your contributions in the future. Happy Holidays!
Thank you, Paula! Your kind words make these endeavors all the more rewarding.
TOTALLY BRILLANT
Thank you, Jan! It’s nice to see my mother is spreading the word about my blog. :) (Part of me thinks she is trying to live vicariously through friends with high-speed internet, since she can’t actually keep up with it at home!)
Lovely blog, great job!
Congrats!
Thank you, Noêmia! :)
Wow, this is such a nice blog, I found it today, and am going to make your German Flag cake for my mother in law’s 75th birthday (she is from Germany). Thank you so much, I look forward to reading more.
Thank you, Cynthia! Oooo, that will be such a great birthday cake—hurray!! :)
Hi Carey!
One of my favourite parts of a blog is the ‘about’ page, it’s s nice to be able to read about who the author/owner is. I don’t like onions much either, especially if they’re raw, cooked ones I can tolerate. I love the chocolate cookies pictured on top, what’s their name and did you make them?
Great blog!
Thank you Sumaiyyah! I’ve been considering trying to make myself like onions recently. I have tasted pizza with caramelized onions and didn’t mind it so much, so maybe sweet cooked onions covered with cheese is a good place to start. :)
I did make those cookies, and they are sooo good! You can find the recipe here: http://www.petitekitchenesse.com/2011/03/04/chocolate-espresso-cookies/. Enjoy! :)
Hi Carey! I just found your blog through Pinterest because someone pinned your quinoa recipe. I love, love, LOVE quinoa (hence my blog title :) ) and it’s so exciting when I find new and yummy sounding recipes. Your blog is just fabulous, I love the design and you have some awesome recipes! I will definitely be exploring here more!!
Thank you, Alyssa! I will definitely be exploring your blog as well, because I’m always in search of new things to do with quinoa. I’m really big on homemade pasta as well, and I’ve been looking into recipes for quinoa pasta dough. (I love quinoa pasta!)
I just discovered your blog and am in “foodie” heaven! It was brought to my attention recently that I am definitely a foodie when I was extolling the virtues of the using the Calphalon immersion blender I recently won in a giveaway in making homemade mayonaisse… I was met with blank stares by my friends. It was a sad day as I discovered they had no idea what an immersion blender was, let alone “who” Calphalon is and had never tried homemade mayo!!
Do you mind if I “pin” your photos on Pinterest? I always make sure that the photos are linked back DIRECTLY to their original post (a pet peeve of mine…. trying to negotiate a trail of repins!!)
I has been a pleasure perusing your blog and I intend on spending more time here! Thank you and enjoy your day!!
Thank you, Peggy! I’ve definitely experienced the blank stare as well. :)
Please feel free to pin whatever photos you like (I love Pinterest!). I’m so glad you found my blog—I hope you find many yummy things here!
Hi,
Can’t believe I haven’t found you sooner. Incredible photography and recipes and narrative that are fresh and fun! Finding you and your recipes just made my day!
Thank you, Suzy! Your lovely comment made my day. :)
I just came across your blog (from foodgawker) and I guess I’ll be following you! I HATE onions and you described perfectly why I hate them in a way I never could have come up with on my own. (They really DO taste like sweat…DISGUSTING!) So I love being able to find recipes with no onion included. Thanks!
Welcome, Leah!
Omg. little carey has the exact same smile as big carey!
Lordy, it’s so true, isn’t it? Even as a kid I was a squinty smiler!
hello carey. i know this is ridiculous but have u ever thought about making recipes like epicmealtime (if u dont know who that is, look up “epicmealtime” on youtube). ur feedback would be appreciated.
Hi Alex. I had never heard of epicmealtime before, and apparently I’ve been missing out! I love stuff like this. I’ve actually toyed with the idea of trying to take things to a more extreme/hilarious level, but it’s something that I wouldn’t really know how to go about doing. Mainly because I’m lazy. :)
http://www.youtube.com/user/epicmealtime
one more thing. i saw http://www.petitekitchenesse.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/straightR1.jpg
and i thought that was pretty good.
Such a lovely, lovely site!
Thank you so much, Michelle!
This is the first time I visit your blog. I like your recipes and your photos. Is there anyway to know when you publish a every new post? I would really like to get your posts :).
Absolutely! You can enter your email address at the subscription page here: http://www.reclaimingprovincial.com/sign-me-up/. If you have any issues with it, just let me know and I’ll add your email manually. :)
Hello ✿
I just discover your blog (I can’t remember how I landed here), and it’s such a joy to read it, and to look to your pictures ♡
Thank you, Mély! Glad you found your way here. :)
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Hi, stumbled across your blog via TasteSpotting and love it! Your pictures are beautiful. Just out of curiosity, what made you and your boyfriend decide to stop being vegetarian?
Hi Sarah! Our reasons were a little different (and I can really only speak to my own in detail). He’d been a vegetarian for ages (I believe somewhere between 8–10 years, consistently), and I think hit a point where he just felt like making a major change. My decision happened once I moved to Vermont, and found myself surrounded by numerous options for high-quality, well-raised meat that came from nearby farms. I’d also had a long-standing debate with myself over self-imposed restrictions, and was becoming less enthused about cutting things like meat out of my diet entirely, without exception. I still don’t eat very much meat as it is (and if I lived in an with fewer locally-raised options it would likely be even less), but I like being free from fretting over what’s in my food, and instead just enjoying what I’m eating.
Hi Carey,
lovely to meet you. it’s funny to read that you think of yourself as an overly enthusiastic caterer. If put words to that tendency I have in catering, too. I’ll always freak out at the last minute about quantities and provide twice as much of something, or blow my budget on a French cheese because it’s just THAT good. Or other such overly enthusiastic tendencies…
Hi Angela! It’s funny — I had to think for a while to come up with a phrase that adequately described my crazy food tendencies, so I’m glad it struck a chord with you too. :) I always take on way too much projects, freak out when I’m halfway through doing everything, and then wind up running late with waaay too much food. (There was one Thanksgiving that I woke up really early, so I decided it would be a good idea to try out my new mandoline and make a bunch of different chips for my family to snack on. Fast forward an hour, and I have stacks and stacks of beautifully sliced things, but then I realize that actually cooking them is going to be SO much work, because the oven is occupied and my deep fryer is tiny. But I kept going, frying tiny batches of chips, until someone finally told me to stop.)
Hey I really love your pics.
Can i bring some of them to my Korean blog?
Thank you, Yura! I am happy to have my photos republished as long as I am credited by name (either my name or the blog name) and there is a link back to the blog or the post they were borrowed from. :)
I absolutely love your blog & all of your food! I’m definitely going to be making a lot of it this week! Never stop posting (:
Thank you so much, Danielle! I’m glad you found me. :) Definitely keep me posted on what you make!
Love your blog but i’m not on the computer too much! Do you have an instagram by chance where you post your things?
Thank you, Ella! I don’t have an instagram yet, unfortunately, but I do have Facebook and Pinterest pages, if you’re able to follow there via a smart phone. :)
AH ! Carey, I just stumbled upon your site while looking up a recipe for my breakfast in the morning of beets and eggs. I have spent the last hour swept away into your simply, stunning recipes and charming internet demeanor. You are a total inspiration to a kindred spirit who also adores the nostalgia of a provincial (I am sooo going to help revamp that word) whole foods community, photography, experimental self-expression, prosey type writings, and all things cooking.
Thank you for sharing! And I look forward to seeing more of your sophisticated and spirited and spunky stuff!
Sincerely,
Beks
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Beks! I’m so glad you found me site, and especially that you were brought here in search of one of my favorite breakfast combinations! :)