The Book of Food — Why I’m Writing My Own Cookbook

I’ve started writing a cookbook. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and I’m finally putting together a collection of recipes, old favourites, kitchen knowledge, and things I’ve learned along the way.

I’m calling it The Book of Food — Real Recipes for Everyday Living.

This isn’t going to be another diet book filled with complicated recipes or specialty ingredients that you’ll use once and never touch again. It’s about real food, cooking from scratch, and bringing a little common sense back into the kitchen.

Getting Back to Real Food

Somewhere along the way, we made food far more complicated than it needs to be.

We’ve become accustomed to buying things in bottles, packets, jars, and boxes that our parents and grandparents would have simply made themselves. Salad dressings, seasonings, sauces, and everyday staples that take only minutes to prepare are now filled with ingredients most of us wouldn’t dream of keeping in our own kitchens.

And we’ve somehow been convinced that this is normal.

That’s a big part of why I’m writing this book.

I’ve always preferred knowing what goes into my food. Making my own dressings, sauces, and seasonings isn’t particularly difficult, and often the homemade version is better than anything sitting on a grocery store shelf.

My fresh Pico de Gallo is a perfect example. A handful of ingredients, a little chopping, and you’ve made something fresh and delicious. No mystery ingredients, no complicated instructions.

What You’ll Find in The Book of Food

I’m including recipes for keto, low-carb, carnivore, gluten-free, and other ways of eating, but the book isn’t built around any one diet.

Some recipes are traditional, some are adaptations, and others are simply the way I prefer to make things.

There will be homemade condiments, spice blends, dressings, appetizers, everyday dinners, breads, desserts, and heritage recipes worth keeping.

I also want the book to be useful beyond the recipes themselves. I’m including notes, substitutions, practical cooking advice, and little bits of information that I think are worth knowing.

Sometimes I’ll explain why I use a particular ingredient, what I’ve learned from experimenting, or why I make something differently.

I think understanding what goes into our food is just as important as knowing how to prepare it.

A Cookbook for Everyday Living

I’m not interested in making cooking complicated, expensive, or intimidating.

Good food doesn’t require a cupboard full of specialty ingredients or hours in the kitchen. It requires a little knowledge, basic ingredients, and a willingness to make things yourself.

And this isn’t about giving up the foods we enjoy. There will be plenty of desserts and traditional favourites, too.

My hope is that The Book of Food becomes the sort of cookbook people actually use. One that gets pulled off the shelf, opened on the kitchen counter, and referred to again and again.

I’m planning a printed, ring-bound book that lies flat while you’re cooking, with photographs of my own food throughout.

The book is still a work in progress. I’m gathering recipes, adding photographs, and putting everything together the way I want it.

A Look Inside the Book

Here’s a look at the introduction page I’ve been working on for the cookbook.

I’ll be sharing more as it develops, including a few recipes along the way.

Real recipes for everyday living.

Camille