Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook cover reveal!

Dear readers. If you forgot about that cookbook I told you over sixteen months ago that I was writing, I wouldn’t blame you one bit.

I imagine it has felt like radio silence since the announcement from your perspective, but believe me when I say I’ve been steadily pouring my heart and soul into the recipes, tutorials, sidebars, essays, headnotes, photographs and cover of Brown Eggs and Jam Jars. At this point there are decisions made nearly every day, heaps of emails, final edits galore, and lists like you wouldn’t believe.

I can’t wait to share the book with you. We have a release date: February 10, 2015. February could use a little something special, don’t you think? It’s a dark, cold month here in Montreal; an ideal time to warm up the kitchen with something new and inspiring.

For now though, I am so very excited to reveal my first cookbook cover.

Behind the scenes of a cookbook cover shoot

Shooting the cover for the cookbook was heaps and heaps of fun – and there were heaps and heaps of pancakes. Wait. Did you think I would put anything else on the cover of my book? Pancakes are my children’s absolute favourite food. They also lend themselves very well to the cookbook title’s tie-ins: eggs and jam.

Just the photographer, Tim, and I were on ‘set’ that hot July day. We shot in Clara’s bedroom on the second floor of the house, where I have a primitive little photography space set up next to a window. I was chief food + prop stylist, in addition to keeping the three kids out of trouble. When I think back, it’s a small miracle we were successful.

First, let’s look at what didn’t work.

Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook cover reveal | Simple Bites

One has to start somewhere, and apparently my beginning included a flamboyant orange coffee pot that stood out like a fire hydrant and totally stole the show from my (stand in) stack of pancakes. The blues and browns were working for me, though, as was the wood on my ‘tabletop’. But the background? Too flat and too cool. And that orange coffee pot? Bye-bye.

The cover needed to have a warmth to it, yet feel winter-y too – considering the February release date. It needed to embody family food, in a slightly rustic way, as a nod to the book’s strong urban homesteading themes.

We kept working.

Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook cover reveal | Simple Bites

I swapped out the ‘tabletop’ and stood it up as a background instead. That beautiful wood? It’s really the back of an old door that someone had put out for garbage. The props needed softening somewhat, so I played around with linen napkins, settling on a white one tucked under the plates. Oh, and of course those are our own brown eggs, collected that morning and served up on a small wooden plate from Crate and Barrel.

I added my favourite jug for maple syrup, an indigo coloured pottery piece that I brought with me from home when I moved to Quebec over 14 years ago. It’s one of my most cherished kitchen possessions, made by a humble homesteading couple of potters in Northern British Columbia’s Kispiox Valley. As a teen I swam, fished and inner-tubed down the river where Huel Pottery digs their clay; now one of their pieces is on the cover of my cookbook as a little reminder of my country roots.

Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook cover reveal | Simple Bites

When Tim and I were finally happy with the background, props and lighting for the shot (probably 2-3 hours), I prepared the “hero” pancakes. One stack to rule them all…

I  measured out the batter in exact 1/4 cup measurements and fried the pancakes on two, well-oiled cast iron skillets. My maple syrup was in the freezer, because ice cold syrup is how you get those slow drips down the side of the stack.

I rinsed and refilled the enamelware coffee cup, placed a dollop of blueberry butter onto the top of the stack and Tim went to town behind the lens.

Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook cover  | Simple Bites

And a new cookbook cover was born. I absolutely adore it, because despite the work that went into styling it, it reminds me of a typical Saturday morning around our table every time I look at it. It’s an honest representation of my food, not overly fancy or gussied up.

We totally tore into that stack of pancakes immediately after the shot. I tossed the cold coffee, though.

The title has stayed steadfast, ever since I pitched it to Penguin. The tagline has changed, then changed back. My amazing team at Penguin.ca worked hard on the gorgeous font and cover layout and did an beautiful job. There will be a few final tweaks, but folks, we have a cookbook cover!

Preorder Brown Eggs & Jam Jars

I’m happy to say that the Brown Eggs & Jam Jars is on pre-order as of today!

Canadian readers! Find it at indigo.ca.

Find it on Amazon.ca.

Find it on Amazon.com.

Who else is excited for the Simple Bites cookbook?!

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66 Comments

  1. Beautiful! I’m so excited. I love our Huel pottery too. My morning coffee mug is a Huel. I am so stinkin excited for your book! Bravo, Aimee.

    1. Awesome!! Huel does amazing work. Thanks for all your support, Kimberley. Hopefully we can meet on my next trip to the BV. I’m talking about a book signing in Smithers in February. 🙂

  2. I love this, and hearing the story behind the photo is fantastic. I just know the book is going to be amazing, and I truly can’t wait to see it. Cheers!

  3. I am so excited about this cookbook! I have had such success with all your recipes. I just went to order the book and it’s over $15 in shipping to the US! Yikes! Will it release in the US too?

    1. Jamie! Not to worry. It will be on pre-order in the USA very soon! Check Amazon.com on Monday, perhaps?
      Sorry for your trouble. This was an offer for local readers.
      PS> Thank you for your amazing support.

  4. Gorgeous! I’m so excited for you and this book! The cover looks totally inviting and warm (AND also wintery). Nailed it. Congrats!

    Also, awesome action shot of you adjusting the fabric. I love that!

  5. Love the cover! I’m an American reader though, and when I went to check the status on Amazon in the States, it had a totally different cover, complete with the orange teapot from the first shot. 😛 Will that be the cover for the copies sold in the States?

    1. Hi Jessica! That is just a place holder on Amazon.com. Sorry it it is a little confusing. The cookbook with have the same cover: the one in today’s post!

      That pretty shot with the orange teapot is IN the cookbook, though. 😉

      1. Oh good. I had the same question. That Amazon cover threw me off, but not enough to stop me from pre-ordering. Your book is going to be a lovely mid-winter surprise!

  6. Oh, wow! What a gorgeous cover! And I’m SO excited for you and also for me, because your blog is one that I have consistently cooked from (and learned from, been inspired by!) over the years and my family loves the results – so getting to hold your cookbook in my hands in February? Knowing it’s going to be on my shelf and your recipes will live in my kitchen? That’s going to be awesome!

    Congratulations, friend!

    1. Kara, friend, thank you for your sweet comment. Can you believe this space is almost five years old? Thanks for your lasting support. I appreciate it so much. xo

    2. What Kara said.
      I cannot tell you how many times I google a recipe or kitchen question like this: “Simple bites… XYZ” because I know I’m going to find my best option right here on your site. And now in print… happy dance! happy dance!

  7. I can’t wait! The cover is beautiful! I have already preordered 😀
    This is going to be a slow winter for me and your book will be perfect as I will be wanting to spend more time in the kitchen.

  8. This is so exciting for you, Aimee, and I love hearing all that went into the cover shot! I think the final product perfectly captures the warm and traditional feel of your blog and recipes! Putting this one on my Christmas wish list 🙂

  9. Hi Aimee,
    Congratulations on your book. My daughter and I enjoy your blog and recipes.
    Can’t wait to get the book.

  10. Beautiful cover and it was fascinating to experience the photoshoot with you. So looking forward to having your book in my hands and reading it cover to cover!

  11. I’m very excited! How fun!! I loved reading the behind the scenes of the cover photo shoot. I find that stuff really intriguing. I love the end result. That color of blue is my favorite. I can not wait to check out your cookbook!

  12. Just pre-ordered for my girlfriend who is a devoted reader. She’s so excited for it, and I’m sure I’ll enjoy the great meals as a result!

    1. You are the coolest boyfriend, Craig. And pretty smart, from the sounds of things. 😉 Thanks for ordering and supporting one more food writer!

  13. I’m so, so excited for you Aimée! I really enjoyed reading a bit about the process. Kind of neat to see that that my mom’s old orange teapot is still around. I must say, I believe you made the right decision in omitting it from the cover of your book. The cover is gorgeous!!! I know how hard you worked on this and I am certain it’s going to be a huge success. My only dilemma, how many copies am I’m going to order. Congratulations Aimée!

  14. How amazing and inspiring. Congratulations on such an accomplishment. I really appreciate the behind-the-scenes post. I would be interested in more details about your path to becoming a cookbook publisher.

  15. Oh my goodness! I am so absolutely, ridiculously thrilled for you! The cover is gorgeous, and I feel like it is so you. I cannot wait to see the book and, more importantly, cook from it. I wish I could give you a big hug to congratulate you!

  16. So excited! I really enjoyed reading about the behind the scenes story of the cover as well. You’re right, February is pretty dreary. Now I have something else to look forward to (in addition to one special boy’s birthday 😉 ).

  17. Such a fun story about how the cover was shot. So much work! But the result is precious. Perfect for you. I can’t wait to get my own copy. Congratulations!

  18. Absolutely LOVE the cover. It evokes some sort of emotion for me that I can’t quite put my finger on but it reminds me of home and comfort. Sounds like a lot of work but a huge payoff! Congrats Aimee 🙂

  19. Good job! Thanks for sharing this sneak peek in the shooting of your cover. I look forward to seeing the final project. A book is a huge undertaking. It’s like having another baby. 😉 I hope it’s all that you dreamed.

  20. Thanks so much for taking us behind the scenes of your cover shoot… the finished cover is perfect! I discovered your blog just this year, and have so enjoyed it… looking forward to following your culinary adventures in 2015 – including the new book!