FOOD & Lifestyle

Poems to be read by the refrigerator light...

After battling food, weight, and self-esteem issues for years, Trish Dougherty, a poet, mother, and graduate student at the Bread Loaf School of English in Middlebury, VT, decided to employ her strengths of self-perception, humor, and the written word to wrestle her demons to the ground. Forty Poems for Forty Pounds is for anyone who has struggled with self-worth through their relationship with food. While touching upon the shame of diets, the pressure of media-shaped expectations, and search for self-love, Forty Poems for Forty Pounds weaves the constant battle of weight as a reflection into all aspects of life, whether it’s looking at the stars or the shaping a “tall and slender” piece of pottery. Forty Poems for Forty Pounds is an engaging collection with vulnerable, humorous, and insightful poems that will remind anyone who endures a similar daily challenge that they are not alone and that self-acceptance is a choice for the “now” and not a reward to be earned “some day.”

Discover a New Way to Enjoy Wine...

Tasting and pairing wine can be a complex and intimidating task. Not anymore. Drink Progressively, from Hadley and TJ Douglas, wine experts and owners of Boston’s popular The Urban Grape, offers an easy and enjoyable method for discovering wines you’ll love, as well as expert advice on how to pair them with your favorite dishes. The Urban Grape’s “Progressive Scale”, a unique way to organize wine on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the lightest-bodied wines and 10 being the fullest-bodied wines is all you need to make the puzzle pieces of wine fall into place. Grasping this simple principle is the key to demystifying the challenge of pairing food and wine. Or simply finding that elusive bottle that suits your unique tastes. Drink Progressively also details Hadley and TJ’s favorite regions and varietals from each progressive category; what to eat (and what to avoid) with each wine type; expert tips and know-how to make you wine savvy at home or in any restaurant; and delicious recipe pairings from Gabriel Frasca, executive chef of Nantucket’s acclaimed Straight Wharf restaurant. Brimming with fascinating, fun, and helpful wine advice, Drink Progressively is truly a book for everyone, from wine connoisseur to casual drinker.

EDELWEISS+ LISTING

Find Your Happy Place in a Classic Trailer You Built Yourself…

If you love camping, but you’re tired of sleeping on the ground or you have a dream of simply checking out and hitting the road, then a teardrop trailer might be the perfect DIY project for you. Sleek, nimble, and oh-so-comfortable, a custom-built teardrop trailer lets you escape in head-turning style. From sketchbook ideas to the complete step-by-step know-how, The Handmade Teardrop Trailer will train you up like a pro on how to successfully build this iconic camper. With only basic tools, easy-to-find materials, and a little bit of space required, The Handmade Teardrop Trailer will have you happily getting back to nature or out of Dodge in search of your happy place.

Mixology for the Masses

This enlightening field guide to the cocktail renaissance by Paul Clarke, the executive editor of Imbibe magazine, is inspired by the pioneering blog he launched in 2005, The Cocktail Chronicles is neither a lab manual nor an historical thesis; instead, it offers mixology for the masses in a way that’s always welcoming and never overwhelming. The more than 200 easily replicable recipes were collected by Clarke over the course of a decade of drinks journalism, and all share a common deliciousness and a role—explained in Clarke’s engaging manner—in the thriving cocktail renaissance. Informative, fascinating, and bound by Clarke’s enthusiasm for great yet approachable drinks, The Cocktail Chronicles celebrates the breadth of the cocktail renaissance and its continuing revolution without making things overly complex or precious. Life is complicated; thanks to The Cocktail Chronicles, a good drink doesn’t need to be.

Whether it’s a workhorse utensil, a prized flea-market find, or a cherished family heirloom, there’s a special go-to piece of equipment in every chef’s kitchen that reveals their history and identity. In A Colander, Cake Stand, and My Grandfather’s Iron Skillet, award-winning author Erin Byers Murray presents a collection of stories – and delicious, style-defining recipes -- from today’s top chefs about their most-beloved kitchen utensil. Each story, told in the chef’s own words, lovingly describes a piece in their arsenal that offers a glimpse into their culinary past or the cooking philosophy that guides them today. Unlike any other cookbook, A Colander, Cake Stand, and My Grandfather’s Iron Skillet is a compelling portrait of chefs and cooking styles and the ideal companion for anyone who enjoys being in the kitchen, surrounded by the tools that they love.  

Take a look inside A Colander, Cake Stand, and My Grandfather's Iron Skillet

Developing resilience and clarity through the practice of mindfulness...

Designed in 2005 and used in countless classrooms since, PEACE WORK is the ground-breaking mindfulness curriculum designed by Wynne and Midge Kinder that fortifies and enhances self-regulation in young children. Now evolved into a popular and easy-to-follow program of six sequenced lessons for teachers and parents, PEACE WORK offers children the opportunity to create, recognize, experience, and reinforce the calming presence of peace within themselves to better manage their thoughts and emotions. With the helpful lessons of PEACE WORK, young children can learn to positively influence their impulses and behaviors and build the skills that lead to a peaceful, productive, and happy life.

What happens when you appeal to Kickstarter to fund your first attempt at making a bowl of potato salad? Well, if you’re Zack Brown, you end up raising $55,492, a story that goes viral, a charity-minded “PotatoStock” Festival, and, eventually, a kick-ass potato salad cookbook to delight the taste buds of the masses. The Peace, Love & Potato Salad Cookbook is the result of one man’s attempt at making potato salad with the help of almost 7,000 backers from around the world.

Take the Healthy Path on the Journey into Mamahood…

On the life-changing journey into Mamahood, making your own healthy recipes, soothing skin care products, and everyday baby items allows you to choose what goes into and on your­–and your baby’s–body. From Mary Helen Leonard, a natural lifestyle writer and the creator of the popular blog Mary Makes Good, The Handmade Mama is an expression of unconditional love fueled by a new mother’s DIY passion and maker mindset. With quick recipes, simple instructions, inspiring photos, and helpful tips and sidebars, The Handmade Mama will make planning and completing your healthy and handmade mamahood projects a breeze. From ginger syrup for upset stomachs and a natural baby powder to delicious food purees, colorful changing mats, and simple, playful toys, The Handmade Mama is about choosing a fresh, healthy, and safe path while making your pregnancy and your baby’s first years a time you’ll cherish.

In today’s organic and artisan world, we’re paying close attention to what goes into our bodies.  Yet, we lather daily with soaps, shampoos, and cosmetics laden with chemical preservatives, synthetic fragrances, and questionable additives. It’s time to think about what goes on our body.

Written by Mary Helen Leonard, a beauty expert and author of the Natural Beauty Workshopblog, The Natural Beauty Solution is a step-by-step guide to systematically replacing commercial beauty products with a 100% natural beauty routine. With more than thirty essential recipes, The Natural Beauty Solution is easy-to-follow, affordable, and completely customizable. It outlines all the necessary ingredients while detailing the basic techniques for making lotions, creams, and soap. Also included are helpful sidebars featuring personal stories, troubleshooting ideas, and professional tips from those who have already switched.The Natural Beauty Solution is a wholesome alternative to mass-produced products that will have anyone feeling and looking their natural, healthy best. 

You’ve know you’d like a weighted blanket for your child, teen, or yourself, but they're expensive and don’t reflect your design style.  With this handy guide,  anyone can learn to make a weighted blanket that will sooth those having trouble sleeping while providing the deep pressure that those with sensory processing disorders or autism covet.  Also included are patterns and techniques for crafting a weighted vest, scarf, and lap blanket.

Everyone Has Dreams...Even a Possum!

Meet Henry, the adventurous possum with an active imagination, who loves bedtime because he loves to dream. As he drifts off to sleep, Henry’s world is filled with excitement as he races his sports car, sails the ocean blue, rides a unicycle, sings on stage, and enjoys all the fun and adventure that a curious and enthusiastic life can offer. Possum Dreams is a reminder that everyone should dream BIG...even a possum!

Like her first children's book, Run Fast, Milo!, Nashville-artist Julie Sola taps into the letterpress style she honed at Hatch Show Print. She typeset Possum Dreams by hand using antique Cheltenham type and carved each image in linoleum before hand-printing them on a 1968 Vandercook proofing press. Her hand-crafted approach infuses Possum Dreams with a handmade, Southern charm that befits her Nashville roots while making Henry's tale of adventure a nightly joy to read.

Nashville-artist Julie Sola illustrates a day in the joyful life of her favorite pup... 

Run Fast, Milo! is a playful narrative that will fuel young imaginations while winning their hearts. With simple, descriptive sentences, a relatable tale of gleeful exuberance, and its bright, original illustrations, Run Fast, Milo! is that special book that will be loved by children and appreciated by parents. Tapping into the artistic-style she honed at Hatch, author Julie Sola typeset Run Fast, Milo! by hand, using antique Cheltenham type and then hand-carved each image out of linoleum before hand-printing it on a 1964 Vandercook proofing press. This rare and meticulous approach to illustration infuses Run Fast Milo! with a Southern charm while making Milo’s endearing tale a nightly joy to read.