Former television-chef, food stylist for Martha Stewart, culinary producer for PBS’ Moveable Feast (etc…), Nora Singley knows a thing or two about sourcing great ingredients and creating original recipes. This month, she not only whipped up a vegetarian cassoulet using our organic Calypso beans, but sat down with us to share a bit of her story and journey in the world of food. Nora’s cooking exactly the way we like to eat - lots of fresh, bold ingredients and flavors and we’re thrilled that she can never have too many beans! Thanks Nora for jumping in here.
Beanstory: How did you get into the food world? And how did you start working for Martha Stewart?
NS: I’ve always loved food. I’ve always loved to cook. And I got really lucky getting my big break at Martha’s. I started as a grocery shopper and kind of just worked my way up. It was a culinary boot camp, of sorts and it was amazing. I thought I knew how to cook before that experience, but I really didn’t. I learned so much.
B: We can imagine. Any nuggets of wisdom that have stayed with you?
NS: Oh, there was so much. Martha is amazing and has had the success she’s had for a reason. She’s exacting - obviously a perfectionist. She wouldn’t just throw any recipe out there. It had to work and if it didn’t, she’d scrap it - even after rounds and rounds of work to get something right (i.e my brown sugar cookies). I guess that’s a lesson that’s stayed with me - put good work into the world!
B: How would you describe your cooking style?
NS: Herby. Briny. Punchy - kind of in your face in terms of flavor and seasoning. It’s rare that I don’t use an entire bunch of herbs in a recipe. I go for lots of fresh produce and balance and texture. There has to be a good bite. Some crunch.
B: You’re working on a new cookbook, which is super exciting. How do you go about developing new recipes?
NS: It depends. Sometimes I start a recipe like someone might choose an outfit. You’ll decide on a pair of shoes or a belt and go from there. So, I might start with, say, szechuan peppercorns and work around that. Sometimes I just sit and meditate on an idea. When I’m lucky, I’ll be inspired by what I eat out…but that happens less and less these days. We eat at home a lot.
B: Any favorite recipes that you’ve developed?
NS: Well, the one that’s gotten the most attention is my one-pot-pasta that I developed for Martha. That kind of blew up and now lots of people have done that…but I was lucky to come up with the recipe after learning how to cook this way in Italy.
Photo by James Ransom
B: You’ve got a fab substack, called Noodle. What do you think sets your newsletter apart?
NS: After I turned down a cookbook deal a few years ago, I started to wonder if I’d made the wrong decision. And then I realized I could just put what I wanted out there, right away, through substack. So the idea came about through that. It’s great because I can just do what I want to do and use all the ingredients I love - lots of fennel, cheeses, dishes like faux caesar’s, lots of olive oil-iness. Beans! You can never have too many beans!
B: Ha. 100%. And beyond food, you’ve got a pretty fab story about how you met your partner (shared on a recent appearance on the Drew Barrymore show and involves sending a call-to-action letter to 94 friends!). What do you think it says about you that you sent that letter?
NS: I don’t know. It didn’t feel scary to send out a letter to friends asking them to help me find someone. I was excited. I’m definitely not fearless - but for this one, I just felt this kind of spark. I love my friends and I like the idea of organic connections being made. Not sure what it says about me, but I’m just happy I did it since it worked out pretty well for me! So, stay tuned, I might be offering some Do’s and Don’t tips on Noodle since I’ve been fielding tons of questions, post-show.
From food to dating advice, it all comes from such a generous place. Thank you, Nora! It’s been a total treat to connect with you and and we know it won’t be until 2026 that your cookbook comes out…but we’ll definitely be pre-ordering this one!
In the meantime, to sign-up for Nora's Noodle newsletter on substack, click here.