Why This Cookbook Doesn't Suck.

How I became a Cookbook Doula and made the book of my dreams, exactly the way I dreamt it. (After failing the first time).

It takes as long as it takes.

Whatever it is, it takes that long. In my case IT took me long enough to raise a kid from zero to 21 to get it right. (The book, not the kid). If you’ve read my One Ugly Cookbook post, you know the plot: Budding food stylist moves from L.A. to N.Y., lands a miracle book deal despite knowing nothing and no-one, and the real miracle was that it sold at all. (The September 10, 2001 pub date was a warning I did not heed.) The book was called Sweet Sicily, and it had a cover only a mother could love -yet I didn’t.

It was my first pancake.

Anyone who ever got a compliment on their lemon bars or mini meatballs thinks they have a great cookbook idea. And…. having 0% to do with anything I’ve just said, I’d like you to look at this picture of (allegedly) a side of broccoli rabe that just arrived with my pizza order.

Substack famiglia, please listen when I tell you that not despite its bright green color but because of it, I know before the fork hits the foil that this is all wrong. Some things are the way they are because that’s the way they should be.

To properly cook broccoli rabe:

Wash and shake the broccoli rabe dry. Snap off or cut off the tough ends like you do asparagus. Now break the spears in half. Don’t chop. Blanch them for a minute or two in boiling salted water and drain. Slice some garlic, heat a good glug of olive oil in a skillet until hot, and in it fry the garlic until it begins to brown and become fragrant. (If you don’t think garlic is fragrant, you shouldn’t be eating it.) Add the broccoli rabe and stir it around for a few seconds, add salt and chili flakes, turn the heat down, cover it and let it cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until soft and army-green.

As I was saying, if you’re a nice normal person who cooks or bakes - even professionally, with moderate social media engagement, no meaningful point of difference and no viral TikToks, you may want to consider self-publishing and if you do, let’s talk; I can help you make that happen.

If what you say, do and cook matters to tens of thousands of people and you’re doing it differently than anyone else and/or you can otherwise move tens of thousands of books, you may be one of the lucky ones to get yourself a book deal. If you aren’t Nara Smith, Chrissy Teigen or a food influencer with a ridiculous number of devotees, you’ll have to go to the publisher because the publisher won’t come to you.

If you have chutzpah, you can write a proposal and pitch it directly to publishers. Your proposal should include an overview/working title, an in-depth description of the concept, why it’s timely, your target audience and why they should/would buy it and where, your bio with your relevant education, experience, and expertise, media appearances, contacts and accomplishments within the food world; sample chapter with 8-10 fully tested recipes, expanded list of recipes, table of contents with chapter summaries, a list of competing titles, and your vision for the book’s design with sample images to convey your book’s look and feel. If all this seems overwhelming, let’s talk. I can help you with this too.

And let it be known that you are prepared to adapt and compromise, if you are. If you aren’t, prepare to self-publish - or walk away.

With my first book, I was prepared to compromise and I got an ugly book, which is not to say you will. It was just that I had no vision for the look and feel of it, no sense of where or why the compromises could/should be made, and no experience or standing within the food or publishing industries to influence it even if I had had a vision.

This time I did, and it was as sharp as a santoku knife.

It took me twenty years to go back and make a book that looked exactly the way I knew it should. I was willing to walk away rather than compromise, and not because I’m a diva, but because after all that time honing my own craft and developing a discerning eye and the wisdom to know how to use it, I was ready.

Listen to me tell the story - and a few more - on this episode of the EverythingCookbooks podcast. And if you’re interested, here is the evolution of the cover design, by Evi-O Studios in Sydney, Australia, from first to last. Comments are from my publisher.

Below is the final result. What do you think?

As a Cookbook Doula, I help deliver cookbooks into the world. I would love to help you make the cookbook of your dreams. I can help craft a proposal and find an agent, conceptualize an idea, design the look and feel of your book, ghostwrite or write all or part of it, food and prop style it, and guide you through self-publishing, if that’s the route for you.

When you’re ready, let’s talk!

PS: Doing anything special next Saturday? How about joining me for lunch and a brain pick? (mine, not yours) I started a monthly, “Cool Kids Table” when I launched the newsletter because people often ask me out for coffee to “pick my brain”. As much as I’d love to, I can’t meet with everyone. So join me at the virtual cool kids’ table, pick my brain for knowledge, inspiration or whatever you have in mind - and be in community, every month. - Saturday, June 14th, from 12:00 to 1:30 PM EST. Zoom will go out Wednesday for paid subscribers, along with the recipe for what I’ll have made for lunch. I’m saving you a seat!

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