Marcus Mack Dawson

This ex-line cook turned urban homesteader knows his way around both a chef's knife and a chainsaw. Mack's writing smells like freshly turned earth and sizzling garlic - whether he's comparing ceramic vs. stainless steel garden shears or testing blender-powered pesto recipes. His Brooklyn rooftop garden (featuring 27 varieties of heirloom tomatoes) serves as his testing lab. Readers love his "Tool Shed Confessions" series where tools accidentally get used very wrong before getting used right.