I’m
always delighted to read that New York Times mega-bestselling novelist
and "Beach Read Queen" (CNN), Mary Kay Andrews has a new book out …..
even if it is a cookbook.
The
author released her first ever cookbook, THE BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK: Easy,
Breezy Recipes with a Southern Accent, yesterday (May 2) from St.
Martin's Press.
Publishers
Weekly has called this gorgeous book, "a true primer on
Southern cuisine." You don't need to own a beach house to enjoy the author's
recipes. All you need is a year-round appetite for delicious, casual dishes
cooked with the best fresh, local ingredients. The book's 16 carefree,
crowd-pleasing menu plans are designed around holidays and occasions ("Low
Country Boil," "After a Day at the Beach," "Game Day
Dinner," "Lazy Weekend Brunch"), but the 90+ delectable recipes
can be mixed and matched to highlight your favorite apps, sides, mains,
desserts, and beverages.
The
author joins us today to answer some questions for me. Be sure to keep your
eyes open as in a few days or so I’ll have a review of this tantalizing
cookbook and a giveaway for you (thanks to Meg @ Tandem Literary).
Now join
me in welcoming the author. Mary Kay welcome to Thoughts in Progress.
I have to ask the age-old question, what
compelled you to write a cookbook?
Mary Kay:
My
husband and I love to cook and entertain, especially at our Tybee Island beach
house, which is a restored 1932 cottage on the ocean just outside Savannah.
I've always had foodie elements in the plots of my novels, and readers had been
asking for a cookbook, so it seemed like a natural transition.
What was the most fun element of writing this
cookbook? What was the worst part of the process?
Mary Kay:
It was
lots of fun--and definitely a learning experience, choosing, refining and
testing family favorites and new dishes. I hired a seasoned recipe tester/food
writer to help with the book, and boy did I learn a lot! The worst part was the
weight I gained testing all those desserts!
What was the first cookbook you ever owned?
Mary Kay:
As a
child, somebody gave me a Betty Crocker Kids Cook book. And as an adult, I
received two copies of Joy of Cooking when I got married in 1976. I still use
Joy as a reference.
Any advice to someone who is thinking about
writing a cookbook?
Mary Kay:
Really
think through what kind of a book you want to publish and work towards
achieving that vision. In my case, I wanted a cookbook that would reflect my
philosophy of life--fun, fresh, fast family favorite recipes that anybody could
tackle. Relatable recipes that feature ingredients easily sourced at a vacation
type grocery store, and yes--convenience foods like pre-made pie crust,
purchased ice cream sandwiches and cocktail sauce. Hire the best professionals
to help. The best decision I made was to hire the dream team--a food
photographer, recipe tester and food writer, and photo stylist/creative
director, all of whom had worked together on half a dozen other cookbook
projects.
What can readers look forward to next from
you?
Mary Kay:
I'm hard
at work on next summer's beach book, a novel featuring an intergenerational
cast of characters and an old, unsolved mystery set on a remote barrier island
off the coast of Georgia.
Mary Kay
thanks for joining us today and sharing this insight into how your cookbook
came about.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
 |
| Author Mary Kay Andrews |
A former
features writer for The Atlanta Journal Constitution, she finds an
outlet for her passion for cooking, entertaining, and decorating with vintage
finds at the homes she shares in Atlanta and Tybee Island, Georgia, with her
husband, Tom, and their two grown children, Katie and Andy, as well as
grandchildren Molly and Griffin. THE BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK is her
first cookbook.
For more
on Mary Kay and her writing, visit her website
and connect with her on Facebook,
Instagram, and Twitter.
Thanks
for stopping by today during Mary Kay’s visit. Don’t forgot to keep an eye out
for my review and the giveaway coming soon. What was the first cookbook you
ever owned?
To be fair, can you really trust a skinny cook? This sound like something my niece would enjoy. She like cooking; the rest of us sit with forks at ready.
ReplyDeleteDolorah, I agree about skinny cooks. You have to wonder if they ever really eat any of their cooking.
DeleteCongratulations Mary Kay. I am hugely in favour of recipes which don't require 'special equipment, ingredients or talents'.
ReplyDeleteE.C., I'm with you on recipes that don't call for special pans or ingredients that I can never find.
DeleteI've been to Tybee Island.
ReplyDeleteI imagine one would gain weight testing all that food.
Alex, taste testing about have to weigh on you. Me, I look at food and gain weight. :)
DeleteMary Kay, thanks for joining us today. It's always fun to learn about a book's beginning and it's no different when that book is a cookbook. I love the book's layout and all those yummy recipes.
ReplyDeleteI think this looks pretty good! Fun interview too. My first cookbook was a copy of the Betty Crocker Cooky Book that my grandma gave me!
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds like a great cookbook. I'm always happy to find recipes that are 'restaurant quality,' but don't require a whole lot of time and expert knowledge. Thanks for sharing, both.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like the perfect summer cookbook.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great cookbook. I'm always on the lookout for easy, fresh, and good recipes. My first cookbook was the one with the red and white squares on it. I think it was Better Homes and Gardens.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me think I need to spend more time in kitchen. =) And goodness, I could definitely use a new group of recipes.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Now I'm not only intrigued by the Beach House Cookbook (love that title) but want to look for more of Mary Kay's work. I had that Betty Crocker for Kids cookbook too, passed on to our children as well.
ReplyDeleteLOVE the concept for this book, sounds right up my alley! catchatwithcarenandcody
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great cookbook.
ReplyDelete