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.

Brown Eggs & Jam Jars Cover final

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.

Homestead | Brown Eggs and Jam JArs

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.

tim & aimee

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

Brown Eggs & Jam Jars: Spring and maple taffy

Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook

Salad Nicoise from Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook

Radish Chive Butter from Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook

Summer

Brown Eggs & Jam Jars

Stone Fruit Sangria: Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook

Brown Eggs & Jam Jars: summer campfire

S'mores stacks with maple marshmallows: Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook

Autumn

Boys in orchard from Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook

Pear Pie: Brown Eggs & Jam Jars

Jam Swap from Brown Eggs & Jam Jars Cookbook

Scones and Jam from Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook

Winter

Citrus Cheesecake from Brown Eggs & Jam Jars cookbook

Crispy Potatoes from Brown Eggs & Jam Jars

Seafood Chowder: Brown Eggs & Jam Jars

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.

Kids with cookbooks

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.

***

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!

***

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!

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660 Comments

  1. I can’t wait to see this fabulous cookbook after looking at these beautiful photos! I I found your blog over Christmas and everyone loved the delicious “Fruit & Herb Stuffing”! I would love to win a copy!

  2. Our daughter-in-law introduced us to whole foods, organic as much as possible, and we feel so much better. I used to can green beans when we lived in the country, and still have a canner, but in the city it just doesn’t seem to work out, especially when I have to go buy a bushel of beans to can them.

    Your recipes look delicious, and your book & pictures look amazing. I hope you sell a bunch! Congratulations! I look forward to receiving your blog, and will be sharing it with my daughter-in-law and some other friends.

    I love CANADA! Was there only once, in Vancouver, but it’s beautiful. Look forward to returning some day and bringing my husband with me.

  3. Your lovely book is definately going on my Amazon Wish List! I can’t wait to explore your blog further and read about your sweet family.

  4. Your cookbook is so inviting. I would love to have a copy so I could look through it. Your food looks so yummy. I would have loved to have joined you at your outdoor picnic at that long table. Oh what fun you were having.

  5. I just got your cookbook last night and spent a blissful evening flipping through the pages and marking all the recipes I want to try! What a gorgeous book full of not just amazing recipes but inspiring information. I live on the south shore of Montreal and am thrilled to have a cookbook showing recipes from my area (Quebec Tourtiere and tire sur la neige!) Thank you soooo much for your book!

    Sara

  6. I kept thinking to myself that your pictures are lovely, but what makes it so winsome and beautiful is that you are the “real deal”…truly reflecting your passion for simple food and family. So excited for you !

  7. I want those s’mores! They look delectable! And what’s the photo at the end – is it a curry?? YUM!!

    Thanks for the chance!

  8. ::so amazng to see a local’s dreams come true, can’t wait to add your book to my collection and to try your recipes.

  9. What a yummy book! I love your blog posts and how you cook….great family pics and items…you are great! Thanks!!

  10. Congratulations on your achievement! Such gorgeous photographs, a beautiful family, and what I’m sure will be over-the-top amazing recipes! Even if I don’t win this giveaway, I’ll be obtaining this book, ASAP! (Following you on Instagram and will Tweet momentarily.)

  11. It looks so amazing! Can’t wait to see it! I just know it’s going to be a family favourite. And my daughter became a teenager on the same day it was released so it’s extra special!

  12. So sorry to get the notice this morning that there is not going to be an e-book. Or at least not YET (as Janelle Monae sings on Sesame Street). Sampled the book on Amazon this morning (and amusingly was told I could still buy it for my Kindle). Would love to win the paperback for my daughter in Boston and then enjoy her having it; can read it there this summer. Whatever happens, we will have a copy! Thanks for all you are doing. Know you have a friend and kindred spirit in SW Turkey!