Introducing Brown Eggs and Jam Jars {giveaway}
In the beginning there were a thousand little ideas, two notebooks filed with scribbled recipes, and a title I just couldn’t get out of my mind. Now, after nearly two years of writing, recipe developing, food styling, photographing, editing, and designing…we have a cookbook.
In the early stages, it felt like Brown Eggs and Jam Jars was writing itself in my head. Memories from my past intertwined with experiences in the present and fused themselves into headnotes and essays. It’s not that writing over seventy thousand words was easy, but they flowed naturally. I had a string of recipes to share and a story to go with almost every one.
Fortunately Penguin Random House Canada gave me an opportunity to write this book. They embraced everything from the title to the theme, and even made room for a collection of my father’s original illustrations. The end result is a cookbook I am immensely proud of and thrilled to present to you, all jitters aside.
Today, Brown Eggs and Jam Jars: Family Recipes from the Kitchen of Simple Bites is released into the world. In a nutshell, it follows a year of seasonal eating on my urban homestead — with family at the centre of it all. I share more than one hundred of our favourite recipes that have a touch of nostalgia, feature natural ingredients, and boast plenty of love.
And because I love practicality as much as storytelling, each chapter offers two extra features: one on urban homesteading and one on kids in the kitchen. This book is packed, let me tell you.
My hope is that in between the covers of this cookbook you will connect with the stories shared, discover a host of new favourite recipes, and be inspired to take your first steps into homesteading – no matter where you live.
You can head to my book page to see what people are already saying about the cookbook, as well as follow the #BrownEggsJamJars hashtag on Instagram to read the first feedback from home cooks around North America.
About the photography
Brown Eggs and Jam Jars features a blend of lifestyle and food photography, all with family at the center.
I brought in friends and local photographers Tim & Angela Chin to shoot my food and it was the best decision ever. I’m such an amateur behind the camera and I loved being able to focus on the food preparation and styling exclusively. It was immensely fun to cook every piece of food and style each image. My goal was to make this a waste-free project, so the crew also ate well – and Tim took home dinner most nights.
It was amazing to have two photographers around to document our family through the seasons, from the sugaring off in the forest to apple picking in the orchard. They did an outstanding job.
Here are several of my favourite images from the book, with a few outtakes thrown in for good measure.
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Brown Eggs and Jam Jars book tour!
The rumours are true. I will be making a book tour of sorts, beginning in Canada and eventually getting all the way down to Texas.
- TORONTO: All the Best Fine Foods. 1101 Yonge Street. Thursday, February 12, 5-7PM.
- VANCOUVER: Barbara-Jo’s Books for Cooks, Saturday, February 14, 2-4PM
- SMITHERS, BC (my hometown): Two Sisters Cafe, Sunday, February 15, 2-4PM
- AUSTIN, TX: Métier Cook’s Supply, Saturday, February 21, 1-3 PM.
- MONTREAL: Appetite for Books: Saturday, February 28, 1-3PM.
- BROOKLYN: BookCourt, Tuesday, March 3, 7-9 PM.
- OTTAWA: TBA (weekend of March 21, tentatively)
I’ll try to post updates on Instagram, so follow me there @aimeebourque for the latest.
Giveaway!
Thanks to my publishers at Penguin Random House, I have FIVE copies of Brown Eggs and Jam Jars to giveaway to you, dear readers.
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This giveaway has ended. Thank you for all your beautiful comments!
We have 5 winners to announce!
They are:
1) Wendy
2) Laura
3) Julia
4) Jen
5) Rebecca N
Friends, I’ll be in touch via email soon. Before you know it my cookbook will be in your kitchens!
A BIG thank you to all who participated. I appreciate your support!
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To enter: Please leave a comment. That’s it!
Bonus entry #1: Follow @aimeebourque on Instagram (and say hi if you want!).
Bonus entry #2: Tweet about this giveaway using the hashtag #browneggsjamjars. Example:
“I want to win one of five copies of #browneggsjamjars by @simplebites from @PenguinCanada: http://bit.ly/1uzw3JB ”
Please leave an additional comment saying you tweeted.
Winners will be announced on the Simple Bites Facebook page, as well as here on this post.
Giveaway ends Friday, February 13 at 11:59PM PST. Good luck to all!
Looking forward to the book – you should stop and promote your book at Cookbook Cooks in Calgary!
Congratulations! I would love a copy.
it looks beautiful! This will definitely be going on my Wishlist!
I’m just trying to start on the journey of eating whole foods. I would love a copy of your book to help me and my family get started. I have loved reading through your blog and look forward to trying your recipes.
A cookbook following the seasons sounds super to me. Would love to have a copy. 🙂
Your new book looks amazing!
I have also loved all the recipes I tried that you have featured on your blog. Amazing!
Thanks for the opportunity to win your book!
It has been so fun to watch your book evolve over the years, and now to be at this point is beyond exciting! I can’t wait to get my copy in the mail, but would love an extra copy to share with a friend. Thanks for coming all the way to Texas – I’ll see you in Austin!
Thanks so much, Dahlia. Austin was fun! I miss the sun…
congratulations! the book looks beautiful!
Wow, what a labour of love. All those pics are fantastic. Congrats! I would be extremely pleased if I won a copy!
Your book looks incredible! I would love a book to share with my little family!
I love all of the food ideas and recipes you have. The beautiful photography is just a plus to the great recipes. I wish I could make it to the Austin appearance! And also thank you for the chance to win a copy!
And I tweeted
https://twitter.com/carollushka/status/565373533384347648
What a gorgeous cookbook! I would love a copy to drool over! I am a follower on instagram and love your feed.
I think that S’mores shot is one of my favourites in the whole book. I mean I love them all, but that was one of the ones I remember having the most fun making… mind you, the memory could also be coloured by the bottle of bubbly we drank just prior to making that image ….
Congrats on your accomplishment! It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful cookbook.
Love the title-congrats!
would love to have this book
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/Neuffer1017/status/565386444341280769
Awesome–can’t wait to see this book; it looks beautiful! Congrats!
Congratulations on a new cookbook! I follow your blog for the past 3 years and always get amazed how you do all of this…I love how the photographers captured your food, keeping it simple and honest yet so beautiful.. p.s. I follow on Instagram as well, and hope it will help me get your lovely cookbook 😉
Thanks for the support, Iva!!
Congratulations! Looking forward to the book!
Hi,
Your book looks amazing. I would love to win it (specially as I am not allowed to purchase anything new this year….). I have tweeted it.
Take care,
Ulysses
The cover looks beautiful. Would love to read it!
Oh I would just love to give one of these books a home in my kitchen! It looks beautiful.
Congratulations! The book looks amazing!
Oh my goodness, this book looks amazing! I already have it on my wishlist. Love that it follows the seasons.
Congratulations! Would love my very own copy!!
Congratulations, Aimee! What an accomplishment!
LOVE the photography, Aimée! I followed too!
kept tagging all your recipes on feedly: winning a copy would make it so much easier to go through all the recipes. Thanks in advance.
Oh how i would love a copy! This looks amazing!! Would love to see you come to Winnipeg 😀 I know are market must not be big enough, seeing as no one comes here, but a girl can wish right 😉
I follow both your Instagram accounts. Can that be two entries 😉
I would love one of these books! The food looks luscious, the photography is gorgeous and I’d love to look at the recipes! A beautiful book!
Congratulations! It looks wonderful!
I can’t wait to read this book! How exciting!
So so happy for you Aimee! Your book is so lovely!! Love this post 🙂
Beautiful book – can’t wait to read it!
I would love to have this beautiful book.
This looks spectacular!! I can’t wait to read this and see the beautiful photos.
Truly a dream come true! Congratulations on such a wonderful, beautiful book. Much love to you and your family and continued success.
Looks fantastic! Congratulations!
The book looks beautiful…congratulations
Congratulations, Aimée! Looks like a beautiful and inspiring book!
Would love to win a copy! This is awesome!
So incredibly beautiful! Iwould love to cook out of this!!!
Such a beautiful book – congratulations!
Love the photo of your children looking at the display and copies in the bookstore.
Congratulations! I’d love to win a copy!
Also followed on Instagram.
Congratulations! The book looks wonderful.
What a beautiful accomplishment! I love your dishes and the photography is absolutely lovely…Congratulations
I’ve already purchased a copy of your book for me, but I would love one to gift! Really is a beautiful book!