And so it begins...

Welcome to The Sobremesa Cookbook blog!

Though the process of writing this book began many years ago in spirit, I am happy to announce that the ground work is now well underway. This book is happening, and I am so excited to share the steps with you through these updates.

Since quarantine began two and a half months ago, I have been working on making this happen, first by creating the crowdfunding campaign, and sitting down to actually write. I was blown away by everyone’s response to the campaign, though when it reached its halfway point, it kind of stuck there. I have never done any kind of fundraising before, so this is all new (and somewhat daunting). In any case, as we hope to reach our goal at some point, it was time to get started.

As many of you know, my original university degree was in literature, and I enjoy writing. So that part is entertaining, though also a lot of work. You can expect some long headnotes in these recipes; I have a story to tell.

Finding a photographer was a very important thing to me, as photos are such a huge part of a cookbook. I started reading novels on a Kindle years ago, which was a nice way to lighten a load of books. But cookbooks are the books I still like to buy in print, and that’s largely because of the photos. Also because I like to actually cook from them, and nothing would make me happier than to find my book someday in your kitchen, all stained with food; that would definitely be a sign of putting it to good use. In fact, I am planning the format so it will be comfortable to cook from, and not just a pretty coffee table book.

Eggs are on the menu, of course, it’s spring!

I am over the moon to announce that I have a photographer! And it’s none other than one of the most well-known food photographers in Barcelona (if not the most). Her name is Becky Lawton, she is amazing as a professional and surprisingly warm and lovely as a person. We had our first in-person meeting yesterday, which also meant for me going into downtown Barcelona for the first time in almost 3 months. A big deal, all of it. We spent hours connecting, brainstorming, planning, and starting to make some creative decisions that will determine the look and feel of this book of mine. Becky’s studio is a magical space filled with hundreds of my favorite kinds of props to play around with and choose from. I felt like a kid in a candy store. I could not be more excited to work with her. We have scheduled our first photo shoot for next week; we cannot wait any longer because my cooking is seasonal and there are some spring ingredients (artichokes! peas!) which happen to be some of my favorite vegetables; their brief season is fleeting as I write, so we need to get cooking. I also have a feeling I am going to enjoy the food styling part.

The photo here is not Becky’s, but it is illustrative of the style I like: with lots of empty space, minimalist, with props that are neutral in color so the food can stand out. Also, a tortilla or omelet recipe (not saying what kind) will be on the menu for our first photo shoot next week.

If anyone local would like to come lend a hand prepping artichokes or shelling peas, please holler. More soon!