Judson Kniffen
I was born in Manhattan and raised an omnivore, spending lots of time on Long Island and Cape Cod, where my mother’s love of food and cooking and our proximity to the Atlantic Ocean inspired me. I live in Brooklyn now, where the farmers markets, restaurants, and cocktail bars inspire me today.
My thirteenth birthday started before sunrise on a fishing boat off Montauk, where my friends and I hauled in dozens of bluefish in the rainy and turbulent October weather. My mother took me clamming in Shinnecock Bay, teaching me to spot the bubbles in the sand at low tide. We’d wander out to the large rocks and collect mussels, small and jet black when wet. Huckleberries and raspberries grew wild in the woods behind our house and purslane grew everywhere. I can now get these same Shinnecock Bay mussels at my farmers market, where they taste just as sweet as I remember.
Eating and drinking well has been a priority for my whole life. From my Food & Wine subscription as a teenager, obsession with the Food Network, and ultimately my job at the International Culinary Center as the Associate Director of Education. My omnivorous lifestyle hit a few speedbumps along the way, however. First, a lactose intolerant man came into my life. Luckily, he’s very tolerant of everything else. Second, I developed an allergy to gluten. In my late thirties my body started having physical reactions that I couldn’t explain. After several doctor visits and acupuncture treatments, a wellness coach told me to stop eating gluten. I followed her direction and within 3 weeks I saw and felt a dramatic improvement. I have avoided gluten ever since, and the few times when I mistakenly eat something with gluten, my body revolts.
Pivoting from being a proud omnivore to not eating gluten and eating limited dairy has been a challenge. My health improved drastically, but I missed so much. The market for gluten-free products has exploded in the past few years and it’s easier than ever to find quality products. However, it still takes work and practice to cook and bake at home without gluten and dairy.
kniffenskitchen will document the delicious meals and drinks I don’t want to forget and my experimentation with gluten-free (and mostly dairy-free) cooking, baking, and cocktailing.