The Making of a Cookbook & Rental Kitchen Tips
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
Welcome to my messy kitchen! Iโve been so busy living and breathing recipe development for my cookbook that Iโve done a lousy job sharing the process. So today, I thought Iโd give you an update and a very real look at my kitchen while weโre at it.
On the cookbook front, Iโve created and worked through about half of the recipes for the book so far (thatโs fifty recipes, with fifty more to go!), with the help of my lovely and talented assistant, Mara. The chaos is always more organized when Mara is here.
I make the most progress on Fridays, when Mara comes to help. Sheโs in nursing school and has Fridays off. To prepare, I clean my house, try to get most of the groceries weโll need and edit and print all the recipes weโll be making. Some days, Iโm more prepared than others. She picks up any remaining groceries on the way over.
Sometimes, weโre making a recipe for the first time; other times, weโre making it for the fifth time. We can usually knock out ten recipes in one day, although we might only be finalizing a few. Imagine Mara as the busy worker bee and me as the mad scientist/absent-minded professor, wandering about and muttering ideas (โBut wait! What if weโฆ?โ). Thatโs us.
Mara is super helpful at providing feedback and asking questions about how to make the recipes, which helps me write them more clearly. Sometimes Iโll hand her a bowl of soup with five different garnishing options and ask her which one is best, because Iโm nuts like that. I send her home with tons of leftovers to share with her husband. Thatโs her, in the photo below!
On the days in between Fridays, I type up notes from our experiments, try more iterations myself, clean my kitchen one million times and make a lot of lists and trips to the grocery store. Sometimes, I park myself at my go-to coffee shop and type up head notes.
With all of that, plus about three days per week spent on the blog, Iโm working six or seven long days per week. Itโs hard. Iโm making a very purposeful effort to take Cookie on walks and attend yoga class three times a week, which is helping me maintain my sanity.
Iโm way overdue on happy hours with friends, which is ok only because this busy season has an end date. Iโm planning to finish the bulk of the recipe development by the end of the year, so I can then, a) get my life back, somewhat, and b) focus on the recipe testing phase and photography. Everything is due at the end of April.
By the time April rolls around, I hope to have a cookbook full of recipes that turn out wonderfully in your kitchens. You wonโt see the finished product, Love Real Food, until spring 2017, but Iโm already bursting with anticipation and hoping that you absolutely love it.
Now then, letโs talk kitchens! Iโve learned the hard way that an organized kitchen is critical to a pleasant cooking experience. Iโm making the most of a rental kitchen and Iโm sure a lot of you are, too, so I hope you find some helpful ideas here.
In summary, my rental kitchen is a far cry from my dream kitchens on Pinterest, but a million times better (and bigger) than my tiny old kitchen and the typical Manhattan kitchen. I try to remind myself of that every time I get frustrated.
On the upside, the appliances are new and work properly most of the time (looking at you, dishwasher). However, I still wish my landlord would let me paint the walls white to reflect more light, and I curse the ancient, Duct-taped drawers every time I have to yank them open. The tile flooring is literally disintegrating below my bare feet, too.
When I first moved in, the kitchen was really dark and offered tons of square footage, but not enough storage or counter space. Iโve supplemented with some easy solutions, which began with installing much brighter (100-watt equivalent) CFL light bulbs. You wouldnโt believe the difference that makes. My kitchen no longer feels like a dungeon.
The kitchen island helps a ton, too. It provides both storage space for kitchen equipment and additional counter space. Mine is actually two Stenstorp kitchen carts from Ikea (one purchased on Craigslist) placed side by side, which works great.
My six-tier wire shelf (also from Ikea, $50) offers a ton of new storage space and looks pretty nice, albeit industrial. I finally bought it after watching Mara struggle to find the flour wayyyyyy back in my lower cabinets.
As you can see, Iโve transferred all of my dried grains, fruits and nuts to affordable, quart-sized mason jars so theyโre easy to grab from my shelves. (Headโs up: that link, along with my other links to Amazon and Target, are affiliate links.)
I also made a home for my blender, food processor and toaster on a super cheap three-tiered shelf (similar to this). Theyโre all connected to the same power strip, which is neatly hidden behind the shelves.
Beyond the big pieces, Iโve cleared up some additional counter space by installing this $10 hanging basket and this hanging paper towel dispenser. Sometimes only a paper towel will do, and now the roll doesnโt take up space on my counter.
I also installed a long shelf above my oven, which should have been two smaller shelves installed side-by-side since the shelf is bowing in the middle. Oops.
I should mention my stainless steel step trash can from Target, which is easy to open even when my hands are messy. I also love these spice drawer liners, which help me keep my spice drawer organized. It was a hot mess before I added those liners.
Last but not least, I find great joy in my matching hand soap and dishwashing soap from Target, which go nicely with my glass spray bottle of diluted Branch Basics Cleaning solution (c/o). Itโs the little things.
If youโre curious about anything else you see in my kitchen, check out my kitchen essentials shop here or ask in the comments! Donโt mind my four-legged assistantโs silly Halloween costume, below.
Thank you for providing an inside look into the cookbook making process! I hope to make one some day. Iโm not as meticulous as you are so Iโll definitely be take notes!
Thanks, Carly! Best of luck with your future cookbook!
Itโs lovely to see where the magic happens. I have made many of your delicious recipes! Looking forward to buying the book too :)
Thank you very much, Nicola!
Add your Apple Oatmeal Pancakes and Mango Lassi Frozen Yogurt in the book along with your photos and I am quite convinced you will be famous. :)
Are you looking for testers? I have a friend in KC who has been in food service and loves cooking that might be interested.
Thank you, Julie! Iโm taking down names and contact info for testers now. I canโt pay for their help, but if your friend is looking for extra work, do let me know!
I am so looking forward to your cookbook. Canโt wait to see what creative dishes youโve dreamed up. Hope you include photos of Cookie too!
Thanks, Karen! The book will have lots of Cookie pics in it, for sure! Just took some more today.
I love this post! I canโt imagine how draining it must be to knock out TEN recipes in one day- good grief! Canโt wait for Spring 2017!!
Thank you, Emma!
10 recipes a day?? Wow โ thatโs impressive! Love all of your behind-the-scenes pics. Thanks for sharing them!
Itโs fun to see how it all happens behind the scenes. Thanks for taking the time to post this update. Looking forward to your cookbook!
Thank you, Katie! :)
Bookmarking for when Iโm writing my first cookbook ;)
What a fun, inside look at the cookbook making process! I just love โday in the lifeโ posts, and am so excited for you AND for the cookbook to come out! Keep up the good work :)
More of Cookieโs costume please! In all seriousness, it sounds like youโre tackling this whole cookbook thing wonderfully. Iโm frankly amazed at how youโre managing to post as often as you do. Stay sane, stay healthy, and keep on going- I canโt wait to see what you put out.
Thank you, Allyson!
I love getting a behind the scenes look into your kitchen! And how awesome that you have Mara to help you one day per week. Iโm sure having someone to help you eat all of that food is a big relief!
It looks like you did a great job making good use of the space in your rental too. I have a rental kitchen as well (also with drawers that are falling apartโฆWTF) and Iโve found Ikea and The Container Store to be two of my saving graces!
Thanks, Sarah! I would be losing my mind without Maraโs help. I really would. We just got a Container Store in KC and Iโm afraid to walk inโฆ pretty sure Iโll want the whole kitchen section!
I love that girl to pieces! And the Porter family is happy to try any of your recipes if it means I get to eat your yummy goodness AND not cook one night ;)
Youโre welcome to our extras, Rachel! Maybe Mara can drop some by some Friday evening.
After years of enjoying my parentโs kitchen I moved in with my boyfriend and had to endure his grandmotherโs tiny 1940s kitchen. I seriously donโt know how women cooked for big families in such tiny spaces! When we bought our own townhouse I was so relieved. Our kitchen is completely white with a big, wide, white bench, and although there isnโt quite enough storage space (is there ever enough?) I am in LOVE with my new kitchen. Thanks for sharing your workplace and essentials Kate! And Cookie looks super cute :)
Your kitchen sounds great, Amy! I donโt think thereโs ever enough storage. Nope, never.
Iโm in awe. All I can say is you must be a miracle worker! 10 recipes in one day in that tiny kitchen. Impressive!! Looking forward to the finished product!
What fun! Would be happy to recipe test if you need helpers. Is that kale coconut stir fry going to be in it? Itโs my favourite of your past posts. Omg good.
Thanks, Amy! I just added you to my list. :) I think Iโm going to make a new riff on the kale coconut stir fry for the book. I havenโt gotten to that chapter yet. Weโll see if I can top the kale version!
What fun to come into your kitchen and see what youโve done. Maybe you can prop that long, bowing shelf up with something in the middle. I agree white walls are good, my whole house is white (not very creative however). The lights sure help. I do like lots of light. Good luck on that cookbook. I hope it all turns out beautifully.
I probably should prop it up, before it collapses! I love all-white walls with lots of light. Your house sounds lovely.
I am wondering is Cookie taking a well deserved nap, or is she not impressed with her costume? Love this post, thanks for sharing the whole process. I must say you seem calm. I canโt wait for your book, and hope it will be available in South Africa. Hugs to Cookie :-)
Haha. She was taking a little snooze in between crumb hunting, Iโm sure. Sheโs worn the same costume for a few years now, so maybe I should get her another? Iโll try to get copies to South Africa for you!
hmmm, maybe Cookie needs another costume heyโฆ. she is so cute :-) .
My brother lives in Connecticut, so I am sure he will be able to get me your book, should they not be available to South Africa. Thanks so much and have a great weekend.
Hi Kate,
I love your blog and will definitely look for your cookbook when it comes out in the USโฆ.it will be transported back with me to Italy where I will share your creative recipes with my friends and family here. It was great to see that your kitchen is composed of cookware many of us already useโฆmeaning recipes that are accessible to any home cook. Keep up the great work! Susan
Susan, thatโs so wonderful to hear! Thank you!
This is so interesting to see! I canโt believe you manage to make ten (TEN) recipes in one day, thatโs ridiculous! And so excited for your cookbook, it surprises me the thing is โdoneโ by April but then takes another year before it lands in the stores. Please keep us updated about the process, your recipes are lovely but these posts are so nice to read too. I hope you keep your sanity (or whatโs left of it by now) for the remaining of the time, and am glad to read you have such a wonderful help!
Thank you very much, Evelyn! Working on the book has been quite an adjustment. I am accustomed to the instant gratification of posting recipes on my blog once theyโre ready, but the book is a much slower, longer process! Iโll be sure to share a couple more posts about the process along the way. :)
Iโve followed your blog for such a long time Kate! I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of your cookbook.
Iโve made some of your dishes and theyโve always been successful.
Your blog was one of the first I read before I started my own and I love the photography and style that you have.
Thank you so much, Angela! I really appreciate your kind words. Your blog looks lovely. Now Iโm craving one of those chocolate chunk cookies!
Hi there Kate, Iโve been following your blog for quite a while now and love it! Just thought Iโd let you know I spotted something on your kitchen shop page that you may want to change: the cookie scoop description sounds like it was intended for a spatulaโฆ
Cecilia in London, UK
Hi Cecilia! Belated thank you for pointing out that issue. I just fixed it.
every post, your recipes excite and inspire me. and this little download of your process made my heart sparkle. thank you so much for sharing your gift. <3
Thank you, Kate! :D
I love how you use the mason jars for storage! Iโve been thinking of doing something similar for awhile, but havenโt bitten the bullet yet. This just might be the push I need!
Thanks, Heather! They work great!
All your hard work will pay offโฆ.you have incredible recipes and beautiful photos. Your โfirstโ cookbook will be a huge hit โ and I canโt wait to order my copy!! The next time around (follow-up cookbook) will be a piece of cake! Thanks for the peek inside your world right now.
Thank you so much, Deborah!
Despite the chaos, this looks SO fun!! Where is your rental kitchen? My NYC kitchen looks VERY similar to yoursโฆSo tiny! Congrats on the cookbookโฆI canโt wait to get my hands on it!
Thanks, Chelsey! Iโm half the country away, in Kansas City. My kitchen is bigger than it looks in these photos, I thinkโฆ itโs just not the most functional of designs!
I love you Cookie and Kate
All that you do!
Here in Western Pa. Enjoying this latest story.
Of course I love all your recipes!
The peak into your kitchen is great fun ,
Fondly , Patricia and Belle ( Great Pyrenees ) official taster , and Doc Sam
Whom Iโm weaning away from eating animals.
Hi Patricia (and Belle and Doc Sam)! Thank you for saying hello! So glad youโre enjoying my recipes. :)
My hubby just transferred to a mostly vegetarian diet after winning a bout with cancer. Your site has been my go-to when looking for more recipes to try on him. Even our two year old loves your recipes! I cannot wait for your cookbook, it will be requested as an essential investment in my kitchen!
Much love,
Onyxโs Mom
(Our much loved pit-lab mix)
Hi Kristy, so glad to hear that your husband is doing well. Also glad to hear that youโre all enjoying my recipes! Yay!
I love reading about the behind the scenes of cookbook making! I hope to start the process of having one published at some point in the next year or so. Thanks for sharing! Canโt wait for your book!
Thanks, Abby! Good luck with your book-making process!
I love your blog, I think itโs so great seeing and hearing about how the behind the scenes work! I canโt believe you do 10 recipes in one day, how do you do it?!
Thatโs all my assistant! Sheโs a champ!
Wow!! Iโm so impressed that you can make up to 10 recipes in a single day. Iโm burned out after 2 or 3โฆ But then again, my only assistant is my little 15-pound pup, who canโt really offer her opinion or wash any dishes for me. ;) Good luck with the cookbook, and hang in there โ itโll all be over before you know it!!
When Maraโs not here, Iโm usually burned out after two or three. Itโs too bad our little dogs canโt do the dishes!
Kate, I noticed you have an electric stove. I canโt imagine cooking with anything other then gasโฆ How do you like electric?
Itโs fine! I missed my gas stove when I moved here. The gas stove brought my water to boil quicker. Since I cook almost exclusively in cast iron and itโs not the best at distributing heat, sometimes I think that the electric burners might be better suited since they evenly heat the whole bottom of the pans. Just a personal theory. Itโs nice to be able to wipe off the flat surface, but I have a bad habit of using the stove for storage, so I have to remind myself not to place anything on a hot burner.
Dear Kate,
I must say that I am so glad that I found you when I was doing a search for vegetarian recipes. And everyday I try one of your recipes I get a WOW from my entire family. I try to plan every week what I must cook for lunch and dinner not a week goes by without at least half of the meals from cookieandkate. I must say you are really a great cook. I am so happy that your cook book is going well and I can assure you I would be the first one to go buy one when it gets released. But todayโs post gave me a small worry. Does it mean that you might not post any recipes after that?
Hi Gayathri! Iโm sorry for my delay. So glad you all are enjoying my recipes so much! Donโt worry, I wonโt quit posting new recipes on the blog!
Oh my gosh! I canโt wait :) I seriously searched all over for your cookbook when I suddenly realized โ maybe she hasnโt made one yet! #soexcited
Yay! Thanks, Kristin. Canโt wait for you to see what Iโve been working on!
Thanks for the behind the scenes โ it is great to see how different the process is for everyone!
Hello Kate! Thanks for sharing the behind the scenes in the making / writing of a cookbook! I find it so interesting looking at the process behind the product especially since we have to wait till 2017 to get the book. Also itโs nice to see that I am not the only one working with a less than optimal kitchen in my rental apartment.
Thank you, Jeannette! You are absolutely not the only one! :)
Darn it! My husband just asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said your cookbook. I just read your post that it wonโt be available for a tad. Oh well, Iโll look forward to it as a birthday present from my husband then :)
Aw, shucks! Thank you, Trish! :)
I can only imagine how insanely busy you must be! I have so much respect for people like you who work on EVERY ASPECT of your cookbook. And yet, youโre still keeping up with this space. Props to you, woman! I canโt wait to see the final result of all of this hard work.
Thank you, Sara! I am sure trying! :)
Such a fun post to read, Kate! I totally get a sense of the craziness and your hard-working spirit. :) Looking forward to your book!
Thank you very much, Emily!
Hi Kate,
Itโs lovely to read an update on how itโs all going :)
This might sound like a silly question, but why the long wait from April next year til spring the year afterโฆ?
Itโs just such a long wait and Iโm dying to try your new recipes ;)
Hi Jadzia! Thatโs not a silly question. Publishers need about a year to turn a manuscript into a book. They take all of my written pieces and photographs, edit them, design the book, print the books and distribute them. Itโs quite a project! Iโm accustomed to publishing recipes right when theyโre ready, so keeping them to myself for this long is hard!
This post totally speaks to me, you captured this experience so well. Iโm still in the throws also of recipe testing for a book and happy to know Iโm not the only one who feels the right garnish can make or break a dish:) Canโt wait for your book!
You are not the only one! Good luck with all those recipes! I know I need it. :)
Congrats on the cookbook! Looking forward to Spring 2017. Who are you publishing with?
Thanks, Melissa! Iโm working with Rodale.
So so excited youโre making a cookbook!!
Your cookbook canโt come soon enough. I have so many print outs of your recipes in my binder in the kitchen. HURRY up Kate! : ) xoxo
Yayyyyy, thank you, Christie! You just made my day. Iโm trying to get it to you as soon as I can!
When I ask my 9 and 6 year old boys what they would like for dinner the most common answer is โkale saladโ LOL.
I love your recipes and canโt wait for your cookbook
That is amazing! Thank you, Cherie. :)
Iโve just discovered your blog and love everything about it! Could I ask about where you purchased the beautiful copper cooling rack featured in the banana bread video and Blueberry Baked Oatmeal recipe page? Many thanks!
Hi Kate and Cookie!
I simply want to leave a comment about how much I love your blog and cookbook and Cookie :) Iโm honestly not a groupie kind of girl but if you were to go on tour Iโd buy tickets for every show haha! Everything is so easy to make yet complex in flavor and the recipes are hard to mess up! They just always work! Amazing :) Sending much love for your cooking all the way from BC, Canada! Sima
Youโre so sweet, Sima! Thank you so mcuh.