Cathy Whims’ cookbook has something most don’t

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Cathy Whims has 40 years of restaurant experience, including 20 years at her Southeast Portland eatery Nostrana, along with her other spots, Enoteca Nostrana and Oven and Shaker.

But she recently did something she’s never done before. She put a cookbook together.

Nostrana co-owner Cathy Whims released a cookbook, September 2025 (KOIN)

“It’s called the Italian Summer Kitchen. And I was at a point in my career where I have so many great managers that I had the time to step away and write a cookbook,” she told KOIN 6 News. “It was a great project and I wanted it to be the kind of cooking book that would really encourage the people that read it to cook at home.”

The key to Nostrana’s success: ‘We’re a real team’

This cookbook has something most others don’t.

“I chose to have the book illustrated with watercolor because I think sometimes beautiful food photographs can be kind of intimidating to someone that isn’t sort of new to cooking,” she said.

Included in the cookbook are items that are always on the Nostrana menu, regularly on the menu and sometimes on the menu.

“The one that’s always on the menu is called Insalata Nostrana, which means Nostrana salad, and it’s a version of a Caesar salad replacing romaine lettuce with radicchio,” she said.

The Italian restaurant Nostrana has been a success for 20 years at 1401 SE Morrison in Portland, September 2025 (KOIN)

Readers will also find herbed croutons made from focaccia parmesano regianno, spaghetti with prawns or cherry tomatoes, yellow summer squash, zucchini and fresh basil served with burrata cheese.

Need a spicy marinade for chicken that’s grilled on a wood-fired grill? Try the Alla Diavola chicken. And there’s a butterscotch budino, with the recipe provided by LA chef Nancy Silverton.

On the next Northwest Grown, Cathy Whims provides tips on how she gets the radicchio crispy and less bitter.

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