Hi everyone, let’s have a talk.
Over the past few months I’ve made several hints about the fact that I’m working on a new cookbook. I’ve been at it for over a year now, and I’m on track to release it in 2018. I’m not quite ready to go into details, but I will say it is by far the most thorough and important project I’ve ever worked on.
It’s always been a challenge to keep this blog up and running, between traveling for my job in the US Navy and the general busyness that comes with being a husband and father of two children. And I have always appreciated the challenge of maintaining my “new recipe every Tuesday” standard since 2011, as it helps me plan and organize my cooking life.
But that standard has been increasingly difficult to maintain over this past year, as I have to find ways to divide my limited time between blog recipes and recipes for the new cookbook. In truth, it’s really slowed my progress down, but at the same time, I don’t want to disappear for an extended period of time, only to reemerge with a new cookbook – to me, blogs should be a continuous conversation, and I like engaging with you, my readers. So I’ve been looking for ways to keep The Domestic Man running, and relevant, while I prioritize my new book.
So here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to devote myself full-time to developing recipes for the new cookbook, and each week I will share a new recipe that will later be included in the book, up until release date. Think of it like a year-long early access to parts of my new cookbook. I’ll also likely include recipes that I considered and developed for the book, but may not make it into the final cut.
And here is what I’m going to ask of you. First, I ask that you incorporate these recipes into your cooking lives, just as you always have, and please provide feedback in the comments – what worked, what didn’t, and so on. I’ll take your feedback onboard as I edit the recipes; consider yourself an official recipe tester! My hope is that you’ll find these recipes to be familiar friends by the time you see them in print form. Next, I ask you to bear in mind that some of these recipes will change as I go through the publication process, especially the photos. As with my previous two books, I’ll be teaming up with my dear friend Giang Cao for the book’s photography, and he will be taking on the majority of the photography duties this time around as I hunker down to research and write. The photos I share for each recipe here on the blog will be taken by me as I test each recipe, like the Boeuf Bourguignon photo you see above.
So what’s going to change for you? Not much, you’ll still get a new recipe every Tuesday. And you’ll also likely see that recipe again next year in my book, but with a new photo and some minor tweaks. Some of the ingredients might be a bit different from what you’ve come to expect on this blog; for example, if I’m sharing a traditional dish that calls for beans or corn, I will include those ingredients (albeit in the most thoughtful, healthful, and historically-appropriate way possible). Every recipe will continue to be gluten-free, and largely Paleo-friendly with appropriate substitutions provided.
And don’t worry, I’m not giving away the whole book using this method. Some back-of-the-envelope math shows me that by posting one new recipe from my upcoming book every week for a year, I’ll be sharing less than 20% of the book’s recipes – so you’ll still be 80% surprised with the new cookbook!
As we get closer to publication date I’ll definitely be sharing more info about the book, and will solicit for formal recipe testers, as I did for Paleo Takeout, sometime near the end of this year.
I appreciate your support, and understanding – I’m pretty excited to share this new food with you. We’ll start this new approach next week, with Boeuf Bourguignon. See you then!
That’s awesome news about your Cookbook Russ. I’ll be in line to buy it. All the best with your schedule and the process. :)
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Thank you! It’s a daunting process, even having written two books previously, so I appreciate the encouragement :)
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Love it! What a great work-around for your busy-ness. Always look forward to what you’ve got cooking so we’d really miss you, if were any other way.
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Donna, glad to hear it! I think it’s important to keep this conversation going as I write the blog, and I hope people will really enjoy being part of the process.
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Congratulations Russ! This sounds great, and I look forward to trying each recipe and providing feedback (as you know, I’m not shy!), and you’ve started off with one of my all-time favorites!
You must have ESP…I just booked a July trip to France, and actually my first time ever to Europe, so this is a great way to celebrate my upcoming journey!
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Haha, have a great time in France, I’m jealous!
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Congrats on the cookbook!
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Thank you!
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Looking forward to it. Your tuna stuffed baked potatoes are one of my family’s favorites. I will be happy to buy your cookbook. N.
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Thanks so much! I had forgotten about that recipe – I need to add it to our weekly dinner rotation again, I love the addition of pickles :)
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It’s a winner. And just as good the next day.
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Wait, what book is that in?
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It’s from here on the blog! https://thedomesticman.com/2014/07/22/tuna-stuffed-potatoes/
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oooh I’ll have to check that one out!
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Best of luck to you.
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Thank you!
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Very exciting news! I’m looking forward to seeing and trying out these new recipes as they come along – and of course buying the cookbook when it comes out :)
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Thanks Jackie, I think this next book will be really awesome, and not just because I’m writing it :)
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Russ I am so excited for you and for my family to have more of your recipes!!! I use your recipes more than any other and I reccomend your blog and cookbooks to everyone I know. Excited to see the amazing food you create and more excited to make it and eat it.
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Thanks Christy, I appreciate the comment!
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I will be pre-ordering for sure!
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Haha, yes! One sold, a million more to go! :)
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Sounds like a great plan- I look forward to your new recipes!
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Thank you! I’m excited to introduce a bit of the book every week leading up to release.
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Looking forward to your new cookbook. And I have always wanted to be a recipe tester. Thanks for the opportunity to actually do it.
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Laura, no problem! I’ll also be using my Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/PaleoTakeout/) for official recipe testing, so please join up if you haven’t already – you’ll get a chance to really help me tweak the book!
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As a reformed marketer, that is an awesome way to test your ideas! Good luck and I look forward to your recipes.
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Thanks! I thought it was a pretty neat idea :)
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Congrats…
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Thank you!
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Congratulations on your new cookbook!
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Thank you! I’ve been at it for a year already, and I have another year to go – quite an undertaking!
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I so appreciate the upfront explanation! I’m eagerly anticipating the new book, and getting a sneak peak at some of the recipes is going to be heaven. Even cooler that I get to be a “recipe tester”!
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Liz, happy to be of service! :)
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That’s a great idea, Russ! I love your blog and do look forward to your new cookbook! I have to say that my all-time favorite recipe is your Perfect Eye of Round. I’ve been making it for a while now, and every time I do I get raves! Looking forward to the new book. Congratulations!
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Thank you, Joy! It’s amazing how well my Eye of Round recipe has aged over these past 6 years – we still use the method often as well!
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New to your blog! I was hoping that your book was already released. That must be exciting to develop.
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This will be book #3 for me, the first two were a lot of work but nothing compared to this new one – I think everyone will really like it when it finally releases!
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That’s great news! Congratulations. Wishing you all sorts of success :)
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Thank you!
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I will look forward to trying your recipes!
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Thank you, I hope you enjoy them!
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Awesome news, Russ! I recently moved to a new apartment and haven’t got back to my regular cooking routine – so I’ll use your weekly recipe to get right back on track :)
By the way, staying in the UK to work on the cookbook or will you be visiting other places in Europe?
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Hi Dinis, great to hear from you! Unfortunately, my schedule is so tight that I’ll be limited to the UK for this trip :)
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I am looking forward to this! I will note, that even at my most Paleo, I never cut legumes out entirely. The harder beans do need soaking, certainly.
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I agree – I just spent all last weekend making about 20 different types of beans, and they were all delicious (but needed soaking!).
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I’m excited to check out some of your recipes. We have family that are gluten free and I never know what to cook for them when they visit!
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Cool! That’s a clever way of looking at it!
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that’s nice…
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