A Huge Announcement (I Never Thought I’d Make)
UPDATE: Pre-orders are finally live!! Order your cookbook here. 🎉
You guys, I swore I would never, ever publish a cookbook. But it’s happening.
EEEK! It’s happening!
And I am so, so excited to tell you more about it.
The Quick Back Story
As you know, I’ve been food blogging for over 15 years. Many, many, many of my fellow food bloggers published cookbooks by the droves years (even decades) ago. Many are still publishing them.
Even though having my own cookbook has been a filed away bucket list item, I always said I would never write or publish a cookbook. Because a) lack of time and b) lack of time.
Over the years, I’ve declined offers from small publishers and fielded hundreds of questions from readers asking if I’ll ever do a cookbook. It never felt like the right time – especially with the sheer amount of work that goes into writing and publishing a cookbook.
Fast forward to earlier this year.
Brian’s position at work was eliminated and we found ourselves facing an unemployment situation we didn’t see coming. Around this time, we also had several other pretty overwhelming issues on our plate.
I was surprised in the midst of all this chaos to get a feeling that I should write a cookbook (this feeling came after talking to a dear blogging friend, Si from A Bountiful Kitchen). As I sat on that thought for a while, I realized that maybe for the first time in 15 years, despite the current stress I was feeling, it really WAS the right time.
Brian has always worked a traditional corporate job with long hours at the office, but with him unexpectedly being home more, we decided to capitalize on the extra help and time he had available to assist with kid/family life so I could take the plunge on the cookbook front, which would a) fulfill a dream of mine and b) have the cookbook sales hopefully help a bit with the loss of income (giving Brian some breathing room to figure out his next steps career-wise).
And here we are!! Seven months later, the cookbook is *almost* ready to go to print, and it is hard to believe it has actually become a reality.
It has been so much more work than I anticipated. Like, if I had known how much writing and editing and recipe testing and dirty dishes (!!) would be involved, I would have shoved that little random cookbook thought to the side and gone on my merry, stressy way.
But…it is going to be incredible. And so worth it! I know I’m biased, but it is one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever beheld. Cover-to-cover, every detail is intentional and meticulously placed.
Do you want to see a sneak peek of the cover?? I just got the cover samples mailed to me this week! (It’s hard to see it in the photo, but the cover and spine have this amazing debossed effect – it in the photo – it gives the book such a unique look and feel 😍)
I promise to give a lot more details in the next few weeks and months about what the process has been like and information on what’s to come! If you are on Instagram, I’ll be sharing a lot of info in the stories there.
I also pre-emptively answered a few questions below that might help!
Mostly, I want you to know that it’s because of you that this cookbook is happening. If it weren’t for all of your support for so.many.years, I wouldn’t even have this opportunity. And for all of you who have patiently asked and asked and asked when I’ll write a cookbook, this book is *finally* for you!
Thank you for being here and for supporting me. It means more than you know. 💗💗💗
UPDATE: I’ve updated some of the information below as I get new details on the timeline!
Pre-sale will happen in November! Make sure you are subscribed to my email list – I’ll announce all the details there first!
Books will ship April 22!
Over 140 recipes! This book is solid!
Well…it definitely has a few pictures of cute pigs and farm life! 🤣
But it is mostly loaded with tons of tried-and-true recipes. Because the book is meant to be a timeless anthem to my most-loved and most-made recipes, it includes many existing recipes. But there are also brand, new recipes in the book that I cannot wait for you to try (it’s been so hard not telling you about them already – spoiler alert: the most amazing chicken tacos you’ll ever meet and a new brownie recipe that is wow, wow, wow!).
Yes, there is a photo with every single recipe! And many of the photos are brand new, updated, and (I don’t want to toot my own horn here) really quite lovely. Additionally, there are photos of farm life, kitchen life, and maybe even one of me hiding in the pantry eating chocolate chips. 😬
Unless the book tour consists of me wearing sweatpants and a hoodie and greeting everyone in my back pasture with the cows and pigs, likely, no. I’m too much of a homebody for a book tour (also: what if no one came??), BUT, I will have some special advanced, signed copies available. More details to come on that!
I am working out the details for this, but it is proving to be quite tricky to get reasonable rates for international shipping as a small business. If you are interested in international shipping, I’ll set up a way for you to contact me directly for a custom quote!
Thank you so much for your genuine kindness and support! 💗
Since my birthday is in February, I’ll just consider this an extra special gift
We’ve been enjoying your recipes forever (so how can it only be 15 years?!). Also, with four adult daughters (and their brothers.. and all their friends..), I may *need* multiple copies. A case might do.
Congratulations, Mel! 🙂
Always a fan in any form. You have us free content and delicious food for so long…we are happy to support you! Can’t wait to order.
I can’t wait! A dream come true!
Congratulations!!! So excited for you and so happy those of us who have been cooking from your blog for years!! I was just thinking the other day that I need to print and assemble all our favorites, so I love this announcement! The book looks so beautiful already! I will definitely be pre-ordering for myself and gifts for others!!
No one coming, lol. ROTFL. Everyone would come. And probably more people would
Come to your pasture with you in your joggers. LOL, no one coming.
I thought you were either dying or up to something special…glad to hear it the later. We’ve missed you around your blog.
YES! The news I was hoping for! So excited for this! Congratulations! What a labor of love your blog and now cookbook are! Thank you!
This makes me so happy and YAY for you!!!
I know you don’t want to do a signing tour…but it will really drive sales! Think about it! And yes, we would all line up to meet you and say “thank you” for being our go-to recipe gal for years and years.
YES YES YES YES YES THIS IS THE DAY I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!!!!
It’s adorable. You know my love for cookbooks, I’ll be the first to preorder. It’s darling! Also, how could you keep it a secret for that long?!!?
You are the only food blog that I still follow after all these years…this news is exactly what I never knew I always wanted ☺️ keep keeping it real, Mel! Can’t wait
Yay! So excited!
I am absolutely thrilled and so excited for you and us! Your recipes have blessed and enriched our family meal time for many, many years. I can’t wait to place an order and to order more for gifts!
I get tons of recipes from bloggers but you are the OG to me! It started over a decade ago with your lasagna soup, cheesy potatoes, and slow cooker beef stew. I’m very happy for you and your family. Planning on ordering your cookbook for myself and two daughters. Oh, and of course, I was planning on your Shepard’s pie recipe for dinner this week! So many family favorites. Thanks for all your effort in creating/testing/posting yumminess.
As one of your biggest fans since almost the beginning, I am so excited for you!! Congratulations and I can’t wait!!
Yay!! So proud of you. Congratulations. I can’t wait to send them as gifts.
I am so excited for you…for me…for my family to eat these new recipes! I recently went through my stack of printed recipes from the internet and put them in a binder…so many of my family’s favorites are from you. Thank you so much for the time and effort that you put into everything you do. And if you did a book tour, I’d totally be there!
Congratulations on your upcoming book! I can’t wait to purchase it and like one of the other reviewes noted, I will still use your digital recipes. I love your recipes. You are always spot on with your assessments and over time I can trust my family will enjoy each recipe. Thanks.
Mary Jane
So so so cool Mel!!! I hope it is a smashing success!!! You absolutely deserve it! And everyone I know loves you website at this point, and those who don’t know about it yet soon hear about it, since they say, “ooh, can I get this recipe?” And I always point them in your direction. I hope this book sells in a “never before see or imagined” kind of way
I am so excited for you!! What an awesome accomplishment!! Can’t wait to see it. Looking for a personalized copy. Love to support you anyway I can. Best Kathy
Your impact on my life has lived on in the BEST of ways over these past couple years of separation. I. Just. Adore. You!!! Sign me up for 3…. No, 4…. Probably 5 COPIES in the presale!! I just can’t wait!!
When you said there would be a special announcement I didn’t want to get my hopes up that it would be a cookbook, but HALLELUJAH!! So glad you were willing to take the plunge and I really cannot wait to get my hands on it! I have been cooking your recipes for the past 13 years when I first discovered your blog and “Mel” is a household name around here because of all the goodness you have put on our table each week. Seriously, when I learned we would be moving to Idaho 8 years ago my first thought was, “maybe I’ll get to run into Mel’s Kitchen Cafe!!” Thankfully I have had that privilege a couple of times!
Can’t wait to have your beautiful book on the shelf in my kitchen!!!
So great Mel! You know many of us have been wishing for a cookbook from you for a long time. Your recipes are on constant rotation in my kitchen!
This is just amazing Mel!!!!! You are a huge part of my life, you have no idea. Thank you for sharing your talent and passion – it will be so loved by so many!
Congratulations! I am so excited! I have appreciated how you have been so generous with your sharing of content for so many years. I would buy a book about anything you’d write!
I’m so thrilled about this and so happy for you! I’m a longtime visitor to your blog and so many of your recipes have become family favorites over the years. Congratulations on this tremendous accomplishment!!!
This is the best news! Congratulations, Mel! I can’t wait to have my own copy! ❤️
I was so hoping this would be the announcement!! Sign me up for pre-order!
Congrats on achieving this milestone!
This is amazing news. I can not wait to order it!!
Hip, hip, hooray!!! This is the best news!! Thank you so much for all of the work you’ve done to make this happen! I can’t wait to pre-order my copy!
This is such great news! I can’t wait to get it! Congratulations! ❤️
Oh this makes me so happy!! I guess this will replace my SIX binders of recipes I’ve printed from your site over the years. This i going to make the best gift!! What a huge accomplishment!
What a treasure this will be!! You really do have a talent in the way you prepare and share food and I hope it will then serve as a blessing for your family! Thanks for all your hard work; especially all those dirty dishes.
Congratulations – so very exciting….. and so exciting for all of us who can hardly wait to get a copy (or a few copies for friends, family).
So excited for your book Mel! I’ve been a long time follower (14 years!) and love your recipes.
I cannot wait to get your cookbook. We are die-hard fans of yours at our house & all 4 of my kids know to check your site first for recipes before going anywhere else! So happy about this!!! Congratulations!!!
Best news ever!!!! Congratulations!!! I am crying the happiest tears for you.
I AM SO happy happy happy for you. I have been a follower for so many years from my East Coast life to my now way way up in the Rocky Mountains life….I know it’s from your heart and cannot wait to treasure it in my house next year. Congratulations!!! Applauding from 9,270 ft!!!
Hearing this made me happy! You are truly with me in my kitchen feeding my family of 11 (currently 10 at home) every.single.day, multiple times a day. Never have I met a more consistent, tried and true, my style kind of gal. Well, we’ve never met but a girl can still pretend, right! On a more serious note, I have used your recipes for over a decade and I don’t know how my kitchen would be without you…and I definitely would NOT feel like a rock star. Best wishes as you journey through this♥️
Congratulations, Mel! I am so, so excited for you, and for myself, because it will definitely help with the constant what’s for dinner question! Can’t wait!
I am here for this! SO thrilled for you! I shall buy all the cookbooks!
Congrats Mel!! Looking forward to having it my hands.
Congratulations on your quest to publish your very own cookbook! I’m looking forward to your presale.
I’ve always enjoyed serving up your recipes to my family.
❤️Pennie
My reaction is that it’s never occurred to me that your name is Melanie and not just Mel. That’s my big take away. Congratulations on the book! ♥️
Ahhh!!! Huge congrats and thank you! I can’t wait to pre-order one or two or seven. Seriously I’m so excited. ❤️
Congratulations! Cannot wait to read!
Mel, you are amazing! What a cool adventure though I’m sorry for the job hunting stress. I’ll definitely buy your cookbook mostly to support YOU because I’ll still use your digital recipes anyway. YAY for your cookbook! Can’t wait to behold it in all its glory!
I will be first in line for the presale! Huge congrats to you, this is so exciting! I have loved your recipes since the 2009 my kitchen cafe days. I have no idea where my cooking life would be without your amazing recipes. Cannot even wait to get a cookbook.
Fantastico!!!
Hooray!!!! So exciting!!!! Congrats Mel!!!!
Congratulations! I’ve gotten some wonderful recipes from your site. Look forward to the. Cookbook