Rustic Joyful Food “My hearts Table” THE BOOK

If you know me you know that I have been working on this cookbook for 2 1/2 years.  I am finally so proud to share that it is just about ready to order!  I am very private about my personal life unless we are good friends, or you’re the checker at the grocery store just when something big has happened, ha, at that point you know pretty much everything.  Rustic Joyful food is Recipe book, designed to WORK for you, main dishes, sweet treats, cocktails, appetizers, and show stopping soups.  The focus is on whole food and simple preparations that make you look like the Rock star in the kitchen you were meant to be!   Michael and I owned a small bistro that closed just four days after our son Noah was born.  You see, Noah was our miracle baby and I was very sick on bed rest and removed from being the chef at Minoela.  It took those 7 months after 3 years, to lose it all.  But we didn’t lose each other.   Minoela was cutting edge at the time we opened and we were the ONLY restaurant in our area serving farm fresh local organic foods. Scratch made everything.  Over these past 3 years we’ve been moving on and into new dreams.  Michael has become a talented photographer and I have moved into the field of Food Styling!  If you had asked us five years ago where we’d be we might have told you all these grand plans that had little or no meaning.  Today when you ask us where we will be in 5 years I am confident we would say, happy.    I can remember the day we hired Jeff Hobson to join the cookbook project, I had the privilege of going to High School with Jeff, and he had become this local celebrity of sorts in the photography world, working for  magazines and celebrities like Wolf Gang Puck and countless restaurants.  We sat in a Starbucks and I had all my favorite cookbooks in tow, a sweet baby and my heart on my sleeve.  I didn’t know what we were setting out to do at that point I just knew it was time.  Last summer I was sure this book was finished we put in to bed so to speak and I submitted it to two publishers.  After 2 rejections my mom began her battle with late stage breast cancer and I thought my whole world was coming to a crash again.  That was simply not the case.  God used her trial to draw our family together, yet again, and we have been in this fight 200% from day one, she is winning her battle, she is my inspiration.  Shortly after my mom’s diagnosis, Jeff now one our best friends began his fight with Leukemia and for this year I put the book down.  We rallied and he is winning.  Gods timing is everything.  Sometimes we don’t understand but we don’t have too.  I recently got in contact with Christy Feltman, genius graphic designer, and told her about the project over Thai food and we instantly connected.  She has been tirelessly taking my jumble of a dream and turned it into the most beautiful cookbook I have ever seen!  Ok, I’m partial but you will see, its REDICULOUS!  Rustic Joyful Food “My hearts table” is really exactly what the title states!  It’s the story of our loss and growth and immense love, coupled with over 150 heirloom AMAZING recipes.  My style is easy and comfortable, kind of the slub knit tee and perfect jeans of the cooking world.  I believe in Organic food.  I believe in sustainability, whole food & seasonal fresh ingredients.  I want you to get this book in your hot little hands and make your own memories!  Love the book as much as I do and use it until the binding breaks!  Get in your kitchen and create your own story.  Thank you for all the love and support!  

Danielle-