What a weekend! My time at this year’s 2025 Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas, was absolutely fantastic. I was scheduled to be on the Preserving Our Health: Modern Wisdom from the Pantry to the Plate panel to talk about my new cookbook, The Modern Pioneer Pantry, followed by a book signing.
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Table of Contents
- A Panel That Became a Conversation Among Friends
- Inspiring a New Generation of Traditional Food Lovers
- Your Encouragement Means the World to Me
- The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
- The Modern Pioneer Pantry
- Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List
- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
- Kitchen Academy Videos
- Shop for My Favorite Items
A Panel That Became a Conversation Among Friends
Even though my fellow panelist, Kylie Sakaida, cancelled her appearance, the event turned into one of the most heartwarming experiences I’ve ever had.
After a brief introduction by our session moderator, Shelly, I started talking about how to create a Four Corners Pantry and the different ways to preserve food by using the techniques and recipes in my new cookbook, The Modern Pioneer Pantry. Shelly, who grew up in Fredericksburg, Texas, shared how her grandparents made all the traditional foods I talked about—sauerkraut, pickles, cultured dairy, and good old-fashioned bone broth—so it truly felt like chatting among friends.
What touched me most was meeting so many of you bright young women who originally came to hear Kylie, but stayed to listen to me—and what a joy that was!
Inspiring a New Generation of Traditional Food Lovers
Many of you in the audience told me afterward how excited you are to begin your traditional foods journey:
- Roasting meats on the bone
- Making bone broth
- Fermenting vegetables
- Baking sourdough bread, and
- Even rendering fats into wholesome cooking tallow (and turning a bit of it into the most soothing skin moisturizer!).
Your enthusiasm for traditional foods and recipes was music to my ears!
Your Encouragement Means the World to Me
When some of you said I was the highlight of your day, I’ll admit my heart just overflowed with joy. You reminded me of why I do what I do. As I approach seventy, seeing a new generation embrace the wisdom of traditional food preparation warms me to my very core. You are the future, my sweet friends, and I’m so proud of you all!
Thank you for your hugs, your kind words, and for supporting both of my books, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook and The Modern Pioneer Pantry, and adding them to your kitchen bookshelf. It was such a blessing to meet you—and I can’t wait to see where your own kitchen adventures take you next!
Order YOUR COPY Now!
The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
Seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and nourishing recipes. Over 85 traditional, from-scratch recipes! Discover for yourself how you can use simple ingredients and traditional techniques to cook the modern pioneer way.
Order YOUR COPY Now!
The Modern Pioneer Pantry
Simple ingredients, timeless techniques, and a well-stocked pantry. Discover over 100 nourishing recipes to preserve food and turn pantry staples into homemade meals. Build a wholesome, traditional pantry—just like a modern pioneer!
Start Your Traditional Foods Journey
Sharing my passion for traditional cooking goes beyond my YouTube cooking school—it also comes to life in the pages of my cookbooks. Both of my books, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook and The Modern Pioneer Pantry, are proudly published by Penguin Random House.
The first is filled with time-honored recipes to help you create a traditional foods kitchen, while the second is your complete guide to home food preservation. Order both books today to start or continue your traditional foods journey.
Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List
For an extensive list of the traditional foods you can make and purchase to stock your pantry, be sure to download my free 36-page Traditional Foods Pantry List. This comprehensive eBook is full of links to recipe videos, helpful articles, and more!
Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
Are you looking for more traditional foods videos? If so, I invite you to join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy. Members of this optional paid YouTube community get access to exclusive videos and other members-only perks. Plus, your YouTube comments include a special members-only badge.
Kitchen Academy Videos
How to Make Oatmeal Higher in Protein (The Old-Fashioned Way)
Turn simple oats into a hearty, protein-rich porridge.
The Only Traditional Recipes You’ll Ever Need!
Focus on traditional recipes with real food. Don’t chase trends.
Let’s Talk Akkermansia: A Tiny Helper for Big Gut Health
Discover how Akkermansia muciniphila supports gut and immune health—and how traditional foods help this mighty microbe thrive.
Stay in Touch with Mary’s Nest
- Subscribe to My YouTube Channel for Traditional Foods Videos (Free) - When you subscribe, be sure to click on the notification bell that will let you know each time I upload a new video.
- Subscribe to Mary’s Traditional Foods Newsletter (Free) - Get a free 36-page eBook for signing up: How to Stock Your Essential Traditional Foods Four-Corners Pantry.
- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy - For more detailed videos and exclusive members-only perks, join my YouTube membership community.
- Order The Modern Pioneer Cookbook - Get a hardcover book of Mary's nourishing recipes from a Traditional Foods Kitchen. This bestselling cookbook is published by Penguin Random House with their DK imprint.
- Order The Modern Pioneer Pantry - Get Mary's latest hardcover cookbook about preserving food and making delicious meals from your Four Corners Pantry. Mary's second cookbook is also published by Penguin Random House.
I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!
Shop for My Favorite Items
Favorite Kitchen Supplies
- Favorite Aprons
- Spice Grinder
- Countertop Burner (On my kitchen island in many recipe videos.)
- Handheld Vacuum Sealing System
- Vacuum Lids
- Whisk
- Silica Gel Packets (Helps keep moisture from building up in your mix)
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- 8-Quart Slow-Cooker
- Fat Separator (Clever kitchen device to help you decant bone broth)
- Flour Sack Towels
- pH Strips (Helps you check on the acidity of your vinegar)
Amazon Shop and Shopping Guide
- Visit Mary’s Nest Amazon Shop
- Get a 30-day Audible trial with a free audiobook
- Visit my Shopping Guide page
Get up to 15% off for stocking your Traditional Foods Pantry and equipping your Modern Pioneer Kitchen, including discounts from US Wellness Meats, Farmhouse Teas, Backwoods Home, Masontops, Cultures for Health, Survival Garden Seeds, Redmond Real Salt, and More!
