Getting Closer to Book Release Time….Finally

Remember the scene towards the end of the movie Julie and Julia where Julia Child is sitting in her kitchen holding her cookbook in her hands?

That triumphant scene resonates in my mind; for at that time in my life the idea of holding my own published cookbook in my hands was something I could only dream about.  You see, as I sat in that movie theater I  had a cookbook idea and  manuscript out for pitch to several publishers. There were rejections (and lots of them) that had me wondering if my book would ever be published.  With each decline I held back tears (well, most of them), grew thicker skin and held fast to my belief in my project, and that someday, I would hear the words I had imagined in my head so many times “We love your book and would like to offer you a contract for publication”.

I have learned a lot through this very long project, and can tell you that when I saw the Fedex man driving up my street on the day he delivered the first advanced copies of my book, I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning. Elated with happiness and joy, I almost jumped up and hugged that Fedex guy when I opened my front door (thankfully I held it together). He had no idea what he was delivering. To him it was just a big box that required my signature for release. But to me, it was a whole lot more than just a package. It was years of time, commitment, and hard work all bound together in one book with my picture on the cover and my words inside.

I sat down with my book and poured through the pages as though they were brand new to my eyes.  Up to this point I had only seen PDF versions of my book on the computer screen. My journey had finally come to the moment I had dreamed about. I know now the incredible feeling of holding my own book in my hands and feel excited to finally be able to share it with you.

Friends at the Table: The Ultimate Supper Club  Cookbook will hit shelves at the end of April. You may order it early on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble.

My book takes a nostalgic look  supper clubs of the 1930s and 1940′s  filled with patrons sipping martinis and enjoying live musical entertainment by some of the big band era’s best: Desi Arnaz, Benny Goodman, and Glenn Miller. It was a time when people made time for one another.

Friends at the Table shows how to take the elements of supper clubs gone by and re-create them in an evening of fine dining at home, without the expense of a restaurant. Included are ready-made grocery lists and plan-ahead tips to ease the stress of entertaining, as well as full menus with a variety of themes to help execute a gorgeous meal, making the experience as enjoyable for the hostess as it is for the guest. The planning has already been done, from shopping lists to easy-to-follow recipes and from selecting music to creating a beautiful tablescape.

I was fortunate to work with Ron Manville, the photographer who brought my food to life in his beautiful photographs.  We shot all of the photos for my book in one week, which was an amazing experience. We shot the cover of my book on the day of our photo shoot wrap party, which made for a very meaningful experience.  Pictured along with me on the cover are my dear friends who have been an amazing support for me through the trials and tribulations of this whole process. And it is a process, believe me. My friends and family have been the very best guinea pigs and recipe testers, along with my loyal following of cooking class students here in Richmond. Without all of you, this book would not be a reality. Thank you to all who inspired me and believed I could do it.

I am getting ready to head out on a book tour, and will fill you in on where I am headed…stay tuned!

For now, I will leave you with a glimpse of what you will find in my new book.

~Debi