M E L I N D A   F A G E R

I have loved beautiful books since I was a child. This love led to my first job out of college which was as a book designer for a small New York graphic design studio.

Living Off The Sea was inspired by my participation in a photography workshop. I had a vast collection of photographs from raising our family of three as we explored the island camera in hand. Combining the photography and recipes we created from Jeff's daily catch was a natural fit. Jeff had figured out a lot of fishing tips and techniques, and together we have learned a lot about how to cook up all that fresh fish. A book seemed like a good way to share the bounty! 

One of my favorite jobs before taking on this book was as a featured photojournalist for New Canaan Patch, a local news site that allowed me to highlight a variety of interesting and talented people, and show off the beauty of our little New England town.

We moved to a property in our town with a small grove of apple trees which inspired me to revive my family’s applesauce recipe. From that I started a small business with a big name, The Great New England Apple Company, in which I produce a limited edition of seasonal applesauce made from apples from orchards all over New England.

And lastly, one of the most rewarding jobs, other than being a mom, was my time spent as president of A Better Chance of New Canaan. This organization offers minority youth the opportunity to learn in an outstanding educational environment while being a part of a local family. Jeff and I were host parents to a student who will always be a part of our family.