Are You Coming to Say Hi ? Veg-Table things and More.
New Recipes From Veg-Table, Book Tour Updates, and More.
We’re officially a week from book launch day, and I have plenty to share.
Later this week, there’ll be a bonus newsletter going out. Stay tuned!
I'm on CNN talking about AI and books. My book, Season, was one of the books used without my or my publisher’s permission.
Over at Radio New Zealand, I spoke with Jessie Mulligan about the impact of AI on cookbooks and why it matters.
The New York Magazine’s The Strategist listed Veg-Table as one of their best fall cookbooks! Check the list out because there are some excellent recommendations that you might want to read and cook from.
I’ve written about cookie dough resting here at The Flavor Files and how it affects texture. This week, I’ve been working on a new chocolate chip cookie recipe, and these two photos prove the dramatic difference it makes to the height and texture in this recipe. The unrested ones on the left are flat with no pretty cracks on top. The rested ones are taller and show nice “cookiequake” lines. The moral of the story is- rest your cookie dough.
Left: Without Resting, Right: Rested Overnight in the Refrigerator I just received the French edition of The Flavor Equation and added it to my bookshelf this week! (I can read but can’t speak French anymore).
I'm excited but admittedly nervous with almost one week to pub day for Veg-Table. It turns out that even after writing two previous books, it is still highly possible to get butterflies in your stomach. I think every author goes through this emotional rollercoaster, or maybe it’s just me. Questions start to pop into your mind: Will people get the book? Will they like the book? Book launch time is nerve-wracking, especially in an era where social media is the mass marketing tool for everything. You’re constantly thinking about preorders, people attending book events, and the number of views on your book-related photos and videos on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
If you haven’t preordered Veg-Table yet, please consider doing so. Preorders are one of the most important markers for the success of a cookbook. Not only does it give the publisher a good sense of how a book will perform and how many copies to print and keep in stock and market, but it also helps online, and physical bookstores order books and keep them on their shelves. Preorders are a significant marker of the book's and the author’s success. I appreciate your support. Those of you who have preordered the book already, thank you so much, and I can’t wait to see you later today at our first live online cooking class. If you can’t attend today, we have another one in November. All details are on my site; use the form to sign up. Thank you!
I’ve updated all my book tour dates; you can sign up for the events in your city using the links on this page. The dinner tickets for the events at Caldo Verde in L.A. and Jikoni in London are not yet up, and as soon as I have them, I will give you a heads-up. Stay tuned for those and some new events I will add later this month. We’re also adding another event in London at one of my favorite spots, Fortnum and Mason; more on that soon.
I’ve only been on one book tour for Season. The Flavor Equation came out during the pandemic, so everything was moved to virtual or canceled. Now that I can go on the road for Veg-Table, it’s exhilarating, and I’m eager to meet all of you in person.
Typically, I’m in a city for a day or two, events begin early, and there are multiple events in the day. My energy and adrenalin are high because I’m thrilled to meet everyone and can chat plenty about topics I’m interested in. I’ve learned that staying hydrated and eating cherry tomatoes (in my case) as a snack are my strength boosters on a tour. I always keep a zip-top bag filled with cherry or grape tomatoes. Squeezing meals between events is tricky; the tomatoes keep me going, and I’ll try to grab a quick bite at some of the events if food is served. A sweatshirt or sweater is always in tow because I get cold quickly, and sometimes event spaces are kept very cool, like the Arctic.
This week, I want to give a special thank you to two fellow Substack writers who’ve very generously not only included Veg-Table in their newsletters but also cooked extensively from the book. The Salad Queen, Emily Nunn of The Department of Salad, made a few salads, including the Roasted Fruit + Arugula Salad, while
, my patron saint of vegetables, cooked The Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato Miso Sauce. If you aren’t following their newsletters already, I highly recommend you start because they are both excellent writers and experienced cooks who impart kitchen wisdom in their newsletters.
I’ve also got a few new recipes for you to try from Veg-Table this week. It wasn’t planned, but coincidentally, both recipes are from Chapter 1 of the book, which is all about the Allium family of plants. Once you get your copy of the book, I highly recommend pairing the onion rings with the veggie burger recipe (also in the book). (The last two photos are the recipes in Emily and Hetty’s newsletters that I linked to earlier.)
I hope to see all of you on the tour next week!
Thanks, and congratulations on your most recent book - I look forward to adding it to my collection. And about those onion rings...those are definitely on my list of things to make when I need soothing food - thanks for sharing them!