Everything Cookbooks

Kristin and Kate discuss author Michelle Braxton's turbulent publishing journey for her new book, Supper with Love. She shares the story behind the "organic" growth of her food career, how she balances social media creation, blogging and book writing with a separate full time career and how the book idea came about. She talks about committing firmly to the book's concept, why she chose her publisher and the tumultuous publishing process that include her editor leaving and the imprint closing. Finally, she discuses who her audience is, why she creates the sorts of recipes she does and her tips and advice for aspiring authors. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Michelle Braxton WebsiteInstagram Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Supper with Love

Kate and Kristin speak with Kathleen Schmidt, an industry veteran with years of experience in editing, publishing, marketing and public relations and now author of the newsletter Publishing Confidential. Kathleen shares her extensive career path, what her focus is as a freelancer and the origins of her newsletter along with what keeps her writing. She talks about the differences between marketing and PR, her dedication to an author centric approach and walks listeners through a hypothetical scenario of book promotion. Finally, she discusses what authors should focus on, thoughts on Authors Equity, the idea of a digital surrogate and her current course offerings dedicating to help author demystify their publishing experience. - Please excuse the audio quality in this one! Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Kathleen Schmidt Public Relations ConsultingPublishing Confidential NewsletterPublishing Confidential University "Book Publishing is Broken" post "Why Authors Equity Will Work" post Episode 31: Catch an Agent's Attention with Sally Ekus grossypelosi The Department of Salad Substack Authors Equity Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show

Kate and Molly speak with Lelani Lewis, a London born food stylist and culinary activist of Grenadian and Irish heritage now based in Amsterdam. Lelani shares how homesickness spurred her into a culinary career through pop-ups, where the idea for her debut cookbook came from as well as why she chose this title. She speaks about her desire to share the colorful, diverse nature of Caribbean food alongside its dark history and what she hopes readers will get from reading her book. She talks about working with a Dutch publisher, the unique editing and translation process, how she settled on her final recipe list and her ambitious new project. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Lelani Lewis WebsiteInstagram Using food as a tool to reconcile history | Lelani Lewis | TEDxAmsterdamSalon Jessica B Harris Nijgh Publishing, Amsterdam Tra Publishing Episode 25: Inside a Ukrainian Kitchen with Anna Voloshyna Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Code Noir: Afro-Caribbean Stories and RecipesYou and I Eat the SameIron Pots & Wooden Spoons

Molly and Kristin dive into the territory of kid-lit in this talk with Alliah Agostini and Taffy Elrod, authors of The Juneteenth Cookbook. Alliah and Taffy discuss how they both got involved with the project, how they worked together and the goal they had of bringing the celebration of Juneteenth to life with food, history and family activities. They talk about the family representation in the book, the recipe development process and what went into all the extras inside. Alliah and Taffy both speak about tapping into their inner child while writing, what it was like working with their illustrator and the plans they have for the upcoming book tour. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Alliah L. Agostini Taffy Elrod The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Highlights Foundation Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show The Juneteenth Cookbook The Juneteenth Story

Molly, Kristin, Andrea and Kate tackle the topic of cookbook criticism, spurred on by recent online conversations. They discuss what it could look like, its importance and what the lack of rigorous criticism means for cookbook publishing. They talk about the unique obstacles to reviewing cookbooks, the elements reviews should highlight and why we need to be wary of echo chambers. Our hosts speak on the idea that this genre isn't taken as seriously as others, what that means for cookbook quality and share what they specifically want to see in a good cookbook. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Cookbooks And Criticism by Tim Mazurek Cooks Without Borders by Leslie Brenner Where the Heck Is All the Cookbook Criticism? by Paula Forbes A Wine Guide for a Changing World (for Better and for Worse) in NYT Episode 19: Do Cookbook Awards Matter? | Charlotte Druckman Episode 49: Cookbook Media Coverage with Bonnie Benwick Kitchen Bookshelf on Instagram Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Modern ProperPlenty

Kristin and Molly speak with author and blogger Shelly Worcel about breaking into speciality markets and writing niche, single subject cookbooks. Shelly speaks about growing her skills while blogging, how she was tapped to write her highly successful second book, and how her open mindset allowed a natural escalation of her brand and career. She shares the pitching process, how photography and styling fits into her workflow and how she is able to keep each new project fresh. She talks about marketing her books as "gifts", how she keeps merchandising in mind during the writing and the upcoming project she is concentrating on now. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Shelly Worcel WebsiteInstagram Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Every Season is Soup SeasonPlatters and Boards Tables & Spreads Vegetarian Heartland

Kate talks with Kristin, Molly and Andrea about the challenges faced when beginning a writing career and the resources they use to help improve their writing skills. They discuss which interest came first, the writing or the food, how reading with a critical eye can help one move beyond the basics and why it is vital to always keep the reader at the forefront. They each share the specific books and tools they turn to for guidance, inspiration and exploration as they constantly look to advance their craft. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions The Complete Recipe Writing Guide Recipes Into Type (Out of Print) Grammarphobia website Episode 69: Writing a Menu Cookbook with Amy Thielen Episode 15: Will Write for Food with Dianne Jacob Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Dyrer’s EnglishSeveral Short Sentences About Writing Smart BrevityRefuse To Be DoneFlavoramaThe Flavor Thesaurus - Volume OneThe Flavor Thesaurus - Volume TwoThe Flavor BibleHow To Write AnythingBird By BirdThe Copy BookWhen in French Love in a Second LanguageI Dream of Dinner so You Don't Have ToNative American EthnobotanyOn Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen

To mark our 2 year anniversary, we're re-releasing our very first episode! Kate leads today's discussion on the most important question to ask before you sit down to write your cookbook: Should you write a cookbook? Molly, Andrea and Kristin share their individual journeys as authors and provide some insights into what goes on behind the decision to move forward with a project. They chat about the importance of hustle, platform and studying the elements in your favorite cookbooks as well as some of the books they decided against creating. Finally, Molly shares a Tip of the Week and Andrea lets us know which cookbook has captured her attention lately. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Andrea Nguyen + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions: Jane Friedman.com Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks website Susan Chang's Podcast: The Level Teaspoon The New York Times Magazine article about why dictionaries are valuable Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Taste & Technique Mister Jiu's in Chinatown: Recipes and Stories from the Birthplace of Chinese American Food

Andrea, Molly, Kristin and Kate sit down to wrap up another incredible season of the show: taking listener questions, highlighting our top takeaways and hinting at the upcoming Season 5. They discuss how they individually approach recipe testing, what they learned about community this season and take time to celebrate the recent World Central Kitchen fundraiser and the evolution of our Insider Series. Thank you for your support and stay tuned for future episodes in the coming weeks! Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Follow EVCB on Instagram Heidi Swanson Episode 16: Listener Questions: Recipe Testing, Family Cookbooks, Agents, and Should I Use a Scale? Episode 72: Nichole Accettola and Malena Watrous on Co-Authoring Scandinavian From Scratch Episode 36: Celebrating Colombia with Mariana Velásquez Episode 74: Crafting a Drinks Book with Danny Childs Episode 79: Collaborating with Family on a Cookbook with the Wang Sisters Episode 73: Writing For the Culture with Klancy Miller Episode 77: Politics, Food and Cooking with Clarissa Wei Episode 76: Totally Achievable Zero Waste Cooking with Irene and Mei Li Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show

Kristin and Kate speak with cookbook author Adeena Sussman about her career, her new book and what its like working with Chrissy Teigen. A self described "late bloomer" Adeena shares her experience collaborating on over a dozen books, how she got her start and what she learned on the job as she hustled her way into food media. She talks about how she sees herself and her audience, what shabbat means to her and how she views social media recipe development. Finally, she discusses the value she sees in book events, how she stays organized and what her next book is about. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Adeena Sussman Websitenstagram The Little Rituals That Keep Us Going - The New York Times Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show SababaShabbatCravingsCravings: Hungry for MoreCravings: All Together

Molly and Kristin speak with the Wang sisters, Stéphanie, Patricia Ho-Yi and Caroline, about their new cookbook, Asian Vegetables and its recently released English edition. They discuss how the idea for the book came about and how they decided to tackle it as a team using their various skill sets as a gardener, dietician and musician. They share their collaboration process, how they divided the labor and what themes they were passionate about including in this all-in-one gardening guide, memoir and cookbook. They talk about crafting one voice, the translation process and design choices including a special connection with their photographer as well as how working on this during the height of the pandemic brought them closer as sisters. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions The Wang Sisters Asian Vegetables (French Version) Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Asian Vegetables

Molly and Kate discuss serialized cookbooks with author and professor, Darra Goldstein. Darra explains how the idea for the series came about, how the writing team was assembled and the inspirations behind the project. She shares the obstacles that arose as they released two books at once, as well as the relentless schedule this involved. Finally, she speaks on the necessity of switching up her writing voice from academic to author, the hurdles of the design process and where the next installments are in the pipeline. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Darra Goldstein WebsiteInstagramZarela Martinez Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show PreservedPreservedKirsten ShockeyFood52Modernist Cuisine

Andrea and Molly talk with Taipei-based journalist and author, Clarissa Wei about her debut cookbook, Made in Taiwan and the inclusion of politics in food writing. Clarissa speaks about her career's origins and how her frustration with the outdated coverage of Taiwanese food in media compelled her to write this book. She shares how her journalistic background informed the project, how she worked with the various members of her team and her strategy for weaving in the history with the technical side of cooking. She discusses how she used her writing voice in this format and what she hopes to work on in the future. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Clarissa Wei WebsiteInstagram Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Made in Taiwan

Kate and Kristin speak with sisters Margaret and Irene Li about their new book, Perfectly Good Food, and the concepts of shopping your kitchen and foraging your fridge. They discuss the idea behind the book, how they approached its unique structure and landed on its fun, friendly tone and created its flexible recipes. They share how they divided the work of writing and what is next for them. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Food Waste Feast Food Waste Feast on Instagram Mei Mei Dumplings Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home CookingDouble Awesome Chinese FoodHome ComfortsSeeing Science: An Illustrated Guide to the Wonders of the Universe

In our last episode of 2023, Kate, Kristin and Molly discuss food trends and how they apply to the cookbook world. Whether it's butter boards, nacho tables, "girl dinner" or baked potato bars these stunt foods can loom large yet die quickly in the public consciousness. They discuss ideas on identifying trends, how to capitalize on them and the importance of keeping a variety of demographics in mind when working on "trendy" topics. Finally, we list some things we're looking forward to in 2024. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Kristin Donnelly's Cookbook Proposal Class Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Beautiful BoardsEveryday Snack BoardKoreatown

Kristin and Molly speak with Danny Childs about his new beverage book, Slow Drinks; its origination, proposal stages and how the pandemic affected its creation. Danny shares his background in ethnobotany, how he altered his writing voice from academic to narrative and the process of making these recipes adaptable to non-local foraging readers. He talks about the book's photography, illustration and design process, the books that inspire him and the new business venture he is starting. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Danny Childs / Slow Drinks Instagram The Farm and Fisherman Slow Food International Edible Magazine Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Slow Drinks Meehan's Bartender ManualThe Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual The PDT Cocktail Book Death & CoBitters AmaroThe Art of FermentationWildcrafted FermentationThe River Cottage Preserves HandbookJerry ThomasImbibe MagazineSalt Fat Acid Heat

Kate and Kristin speak with Klancy Miller about her magazine and upcoming book: For the Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food. She speaks about writing the book she wanted to read when she was younger, how the idea came about and how events in 2020 influenced it. She shares how it evolved from proposal to book, why she included recipes and the ups and downs of its interview format. Finally, she talks about the decision to use illustrations, her self-funded book tour and what is next for her personally and professionally. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Klancy Miller WebsiteInstagramFor the Culture Magazine Mona Creative Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show For the CultureCooking Solo

Kate and Molly get into the nitty gritty of collaborations with Nichole Accettola and Malena Watrous as they discuss their new book, Scandinavian From Scratch. They share how the book came about, how they began to work together and the process they followed so each could bring their own strengths to the project. They talk about the book's unique organization, creating a writing voice, the on-location photography shoot and the most difficult part of the entire process before sharing a few final words of advice for anyone looking to establish their own successful writing partnership. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Nichole Accettola Malena Watrous Kantine Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Scandinavian from Scratch by Nichole Accettola My Mexico City Kitchen by Gabriela Camara and Malena Watrous If You Follow Me by Malena Watrous

Kate and Kristin speak with Ara Zada all about content creation and becoming a social media influencer. Ara shares his decision to pursue a large following and grow his platform as well as how a health scare motivated this choice. He describes a day in his life and the full time requirements of this work as well as the mental toll it can take due to its instant nature, algorithm changes, comments, trolls, monetization strategies and banned content. He talks about the inter-relatedness of his book to his online presence, how he evolves his content over time and a sneak peek into what he is working on next. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Ara Zada WebsiteInstagramTikTokYouTube LA Times Article A journey to Armenia through food: The Armenian bread that’s at the heart of every meal Practical Kitchen Instagram

Kristin and Molly speak with Sara Calvosa Olsen about her new cookbook, Chími Nu’am and its inspiration, creation and message. Sara shares her food writing journey, thoughts on the title and cover and how the pandemic altered the book's approach and voice. She discusses why she calls it "an inconvenient cookbook" and what it was like working with her publisher and learning photography for its images. Finally, she talks about the best advice she received, the concept she returns to in times of doubt and the themes she wants to communicate with this work. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea Nguyen Editor: Abby Cerquitella Mentions Sara Calvosa Olson WebsiteInstagramHeyDay Edible Magazine Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the show Chími Nu’am