Friends, what a ride this book number two has been. It turns out I had so. much. to say about the kitchen. I adore my editor who ropes and wrangles with charm (and gusto) and the team of amazing copy editors at HarperCollins; they are making this book strong and solid and tight as we wrap up final edits this week.

The cover design, illustrations (by Meredith Dawson), and calligraphy (by Alison Hanks) are spot on once again. I can’t thank friends Meredith and Alison for remaining a part of the Hip Girl’s team.

Here’s a media release and sneak peek at my forthcoming book:

Kate Payne, DIY guru and author of The Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking turns her focus to the kitchen; releasing The Hip Girl’s Guide to the Kitchen this May, she shares her thrifty tips on how to creatively run your kitchen for efficient, healthy, and homemade meals and snacks at the ever-ready (Harper Design; on sale May 20^th, 2014; $19.99). 

The cyber sphere is boiling over with tantalizing food porn:  photographs of enviable appetizers, exotic dinners, and pristine cakes and cookies; however, it is one thing to collect, and another to execute.  The Hip Girl’s Guide to the Kitchen is for those who dream of impressing their friends with a Pinterest-worthy dinner party, but who may lack the know-how (and the cash) to turning their hoard of recipes into reality. 

Divided into three sections:  Stocking Up, Feeding Yourself, and Feeding Others, The Hip Girl’s Guide to the Kitchen is brimming with helpful tips, all with budget in mind.  From what you need, where to get it, and how to prolong the use of both your tools and ingredients, Kate shows how rewarding and easy it can be to turn your kitchen into a homemade and healthy haven.  Revealing both the health and environmental benefits of cooking and baking with fresh, whole ingredients, Kate challenges readers to ditch the take-out menus, providing advice on basic cooking methods (boiling, baking, and sautéing), and more advanced techniques like jamming, fermenting, pickling, and infusing for those who are really ready to reassess their relationship with the grocery store.  Each chapter ends with Kate’s tried-and-true recipes for everything from granola to yogurt, homemade bread to mayonnaise. 

At the heart of The Hip Girl’s Guide to the Kitchen is the important role that food plays in our well-being and our relationships with others.  Kate’s enthusiasm and passion is contagious; she inspires her readers to take charge of their nutrition in mastering basic meals and reducing waste, and she provides creative ways to share the fruits and the labor with fun, food-making parties.

Charismatic and relatable, Kate Payne speaks with the wisdom of someone who makes 98% of the food she and her partner eat.

Check out author events and book signings currently confirmed for the tour here. I’m adding events weekly so stay tuned there for updates! Pre-order here.