my cookbook, maple, is available for pre-order

You guys, I can barely see the keyboard to write these words, as tears are unexpectedly bursting from my eyes. My cookbook, Maple, 100 Sweet and Savory Recipes Featuring Pure Maple Syrup is available for pre-order!

Photo Credit: Kristy Dooley

I remember clearly the day, two and a half years ago, when my older daughter got on the school bus for her first day of kindergarten. The simple act of watching her cross the street and climb up onto the big yellow bus brought on so many emotions: Excitement, fear, trepidation, joy and mostly pride. This week, I can’t help but recall that moment, as my cookbook, Maple, 100 Sweet and Savory Recipes Featuring Pure Maple Syrup, goes off to the printer.

It seems so long already that I have worked on this book. It’s been more than a year already, from deciding on a topic, to researching and writing the proposal and then finding an agent. To waiting for months while the proposal was sent to publishing houses for review. To landing a deal with Quirk Books. Then there was the race to develop recipes, testing and retesting Salted Maple Penuche Fudge a hundred and seventy trillion times, taking photographs and then actually writing the book by January first.

In the four months since I submitted the manuscript, the book has been at Quirk, getting honed and perfected by their awesome editorial team and laid out on the pages with the images. There were many drafts and reviews, and finally a few days ago it was ready to be shipped to the printers. And there I was again, at the end of the driveway watching my child go off into the world without me. I feel so scared and proud and excited and all of those same first day of school feelings.

To compound all of these emotions today, not only is the book available for pre-order but I get to share with you, my peeps, the cover and a little peek into it. #holdingmybreathiamsonervous

Pre-Order Now: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

What you’ll find inside:

Snickerdoodle French Toast

Like the name implies there are a hundred recipes with pure maple syrup in them. But there is a ton more too. I did the photography for the book, and also included are some great images of my family and me backyard sugaring taken by my friend Kristy Dooley.

Maple Bananas Foster Bundt Cake

The recipes range from the expected, Perfect Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes (they really are perfect) and the requisite Maple Glazed Carrots to the unexpected like Skewered Seared Duck with Tabasco Plum Sauce (oh my gosh it is so good!) and Maple Bacon Peanut Brittle (oh yes I did!) I really can’t wait for you guys to try these recipes. I had a team of testers helping me, and there was so much great feedback and enthusiasm for these recipes.

Maple Peach Old Fashioned

In addition to the recipes, some of the topics I cover in the book are the history of maple sugar making, how to set up your own backyard DIY maple syrup operation and probably more than you want to know about sugar science.

Maple Glazed Carrots

And if you weren’t already totally in love with maple and needed a reason, I explain why you should choose pure maple syrup. Oh, and guess who wrote the foreword? My cookbook idol Molly Stevens!

Maple Ginger Chicken Thighs

Place your pre-order here: Amazon