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SubscribeSunday, March 30, 2008
Calling for Cookbook Recipe Testers!
Vietnamese Pulled Pork Sliders (one of the recipes in my cookbook)
The Steamy Kitchen cookbook is well under way. I’ve been working hard refining my photography skills, such as food styling, composition, lighting and learning how to use my camera beyond just the “automatic” settings. You guys want to hear more about my cookbook?
Periplus/Tuttle is my publisher, they’re responsible for at least 35% of my annual cookbook budget, meaning I already own A LOT of their cookbooks:
***
Interested in recipe testing?
Update: **Hey guys! I’m done with the 
Steamy Kitchen Cookbook! I’ll be looking for recipe testers when I start book #2….stay tuned…I’ll post when recipe testing begins.**
So anyways, I’m looking for a few recipe testers to help out with….um….recipe testing. The cookbook will be “Modern Asian: fast, fresh and simple enough for tonight’s supper” (yup! just like what my blog header says! It includes 100 recipes + 160 color photographs in a beautiful hardcover book. Nearly every single recipe will include one of my luscious photos! Because I have so many photos, the book won’t be released until next year.
Why so many photos? I don’t know about you, but when I flip through a cookbook and if it doesn’t have photos, I put it back. I’m a very visual person and my brain just naturally gravitates towards eye candy. Which is why I must be blindfolded whenever entering a Sur La Table store. My mind just goes bezerk with sensory overload!
Here’s what recipe testing involves:
- Testing 3 recipes and providing honest feedback on specifics of the recipe and final dish
- Submitting a photo of the dish – so that we can all see if it looks even remotely like my version that I had concocted in my kitchen
- I’m also looking for one organized, sane individual to help manage all the testers and testing feedback
What do you get? Hmmm….how about your name in bright lights in my book? A big hug? An invite to a big massive launch party with lots of famous people and champagne? Ok, still working on the famous people bit, but I AM one degree from Justin Timberlake, one degree from David Beckham and just discovered last week that I’m one degree from Mario Batali!!! My one degree is heading to NY to visit cousin Mario and get this…she’s promised me that she would give him a big, wet kiss on the cheek for me.
WOOHOO! It’s only a matter of time!
Seriously, your help would be most appreciated and yes, your name will be in the book! As for the organized, sane individual who would like to manage the testing, you will be showered with lavish gifts, my next Chia Pet will be named after you and who knows what awesome opportunities will arise from being the First Mate of a new cookbook?
If you’re interested in recipe testing, comment below or just email me at jaden@steamykitchen.com. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!
edit: holy fish sauce! over 250 testers. LOVE IT. The more, the merrier. Let’s make this a fun cookbook testing group. You guys rock. To answer some of your questions:
1) no, your photos will not be published in the book. It’s for our group reference only.
2) yes, your name will REALLY be in the book!
3) you’ll test 3 diff recipes, each one time.
4) no, I haven’ t personally grabbed Beckham’s ass yet. But I WILL one day….and I will have photos for you when that day comes.
5) no word from Mario, whether or not the kiss on the cheek got him to come to my site. When he comes, you’ll be the first to know.
Dang….that sounded sorta kinky.
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229 Responses to “Calling for Cookbook Recipe Testers!”
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Cookbook
101 Asian Recipes Simple Enough for Tonight's Dinner
by Jaden Hair -
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Deanna - "I love the fish flatware. So cute! Someday, it will be mine."
I’m interested in all of the above
Of course, it would get a mention in my site (that I’ve sorely neglected since tax season hit me in the head).
I’d love to be a tester. I’m an experienced cook, and I don’t have any ingredient phobias, but I do have access to some picky eaters.
I would love to try out any recipes! Let me know I have a hungry fiance!
Oh, it would be so damn cool! Please consider me – I’m an enthusiastic amateur with a picky eater husband, a space challenged kitchen, and a decent set of basic equipment (pots, knives, etc.).
If you are still looking for recipe testers, I’d love to help you out by testing some recipes from your cookbook!
I know I’m late to the party, but I would love to help! Please. : )
I am a good cook and will try anything, so I would make any dishes you send (the ones in your blog are all are so yummy)! I would love to try any recipes that may have a Korean and/or Chinese slant. My kitchen assistant/ace photographer/adorable 10-year old son wants to learn more about his daddy’s family’s culture, and it’s up to me (his WASP mom) to teach him.
Thank you!
I’d also love to help with some recipe testing. What kind of information do you need from me for me to be considered?
Thanks!
Melissa McKelvey
Jaden,
I sent you a email as well. I would love to test and help out.
I’ll do it! I’d love to help you!
Well, you’ve definitely got lots of volunteers. I’d love to be a tester. It would give me a great excuse to commandeer the kitchen from my 4 roommates. And it would totally justify my desire to photograph food, since my friends and roommates try to squash that urge. As a bored college student, I’d be really good at the time and labor intensive stuff like dumpling making. And my very random background in southern, Japanese and Vietnamese cooking would be good for a different viewpoint.
Thanks for the chance!
Hi Jaden!
I would love to test some recipes!!! I am Asian (family is from Taiwan but I am American born) and I live in Delaware where there is very slim pickings for good Asian food of any kind. So I have to rely on my mom and myself if I want to eat well. Your cookbook sounds like my kind of thing, so if you still have room for one more tester, I’d be happy to help.
I knew I should have visited your site earlier! If you are looking for volunteers still I would love to help out. I have some excellent glass to photograph the cooking/presentation process and I love to cook…
Me too, me too! And I promise to name MY next Chia Pet after YOU! I’m your typical home cook, so am probably part of your target audience.
You know I’d do anything for you! Sign me up!
I’d gladly do it.
wow – naming your chia pet after someone special…now that’s a big thing…
Oh man I’m so in! Growing up in Hawaii, I was raised on Asian food, and my husband will try anything once. I’d love to test your recipes.
Of course you can count me in as a food tester! Congrats on your book and good luck! I’m with you-sur la table is dangerous! And I wouldn’t buy a cookbook without lots of photos-I’m totally visaul like that, so i can’t wait for your cookbook to come out (and to get my autographed copy!)
xo rebecca
You certainly have no lack of testers willing to help out…of course, I’d like to add my name to the hat! I love trying new recipies and would be happy to take pretty pictures to show off how much better at plating you are
Please pick me… Pretty please with a cherry on top?
Hey gorgeous, you already have so many offers for testers – but here’s one more. I’d like to check your recipes out and the photographs.
I’d like to test any pork-inclusive recipe. PICK ME. PICK ME!!
I don’t know about recipe testing, but i would gladly score a couple of goals in your honor!
Hi Jaden,
I’d love to help out too! If you need room for one more, please count me in! I love your recipes and understand how important honest feedback is so would be happy to provide it!
Would love to help out, as I’m a fan of your site. I spent a lot of time in Asia, cooking is a top hobby, and I even wrote the foreword for a top selling French cook book in Singapore. So I’m the right combo of a wanna-be with decent skills and even better equipment. Plus lots of travel and actual professional chef friends ensure I’m more than humble about following others leads. It would be both fun and a honor to help out.
(* to sing out loud:)
I’m bringing Pastry Back (..yeah)
Will be the casing of a tasty pie (..ah aah)
I’ll give you some of my reci- pie (..ah aah)
(Take it to the fridge…!)
I’m bringing Pastry Back (..yeah)
The muther-flour is watching my back (..ah aah)
I’ll save you some if you let me bake (..ah ahh)
(Take it to the fridge…!)
Steaaaamy kiiitchen
I’ll test you recipe if you let me baaake
I will prove you i’m so just a flaake..
You can spank me if i misbehave…
Wow, Jaden, can you feel the love?
I’d be happy to be a tester. I eat pretty much everything except mangoes, to which I am very unfortunately allergic. I also have had a few problems finding some of the ingredients featured in recipes on your site in my area of Texas–still no Szechuan Peppercorns, for example (I might have to order some online). I’m also much better at cooking than at baking; this is partially because the house I owned when I started cooking had a decent range but the oldest, touchiest, and most hot-spot ridden oven ever. If those criteria work for you, they certainly work for me!
I’d love to be a recipe tester/photographer for you, Jaden. I adore cooking, and there have been several times that I’ve been cooking and just had a terrible urge to run to the other room to grab my camera to take pictures.
Oh my……..I know it’s hard to squeeze into your list but please count me in. Would very much like to help in contributing to your first COOKBOOK!
Hi Jaden – I’m excited your cookbook will have a lot of pictures – I think that’s really key and it’s inspiring to whoever flips through it! Can’t wait to see it.
I would offer to be a tester but I’m not sure I can find all the ingredients here, so I would rather help you organize the testers if you need help!
Hi I would love to test out the recipes, provide honest feedback and submit a photo … I just lurrrve taking food piccies (though I am a novice at it) so this will be fun!
wait, this isn’t an early April Fool’s Day joke right? jk ;D
Room for one more? I would love to test some recipes and take pics. I am definitely a “hobby” cook. My day job and my family keep me very busy, so the kitchen is actually where I relax, if you can believe it. Even if you have enough testers already, I love the blog and all your recipes. Keep up the great work.
I don’t mind helping!
Are you looking for Australian testers to see if your book can go international? We love our cookbooks to have lots of pics, and are spoilt for choice. I also ALWAYS have trouble getting my food to look anything like the picture, so you can be assured that the photos will be interesting. If the answer is yes to Australia, then please count me in!
(lol @ the justin timberlake comment, I just heard that on the radio haha)
I’d love to help you test too. xoxo
I would be honored to test your recipes!
I like cooking and I would love to try out your recipes if you want some opinions on whether they are feasible in France!
I would love to test out some of your wonderful recipes. I love cooking and baking so it should be fun!!!
I’m not above backside kissing to get a chance to help!
Anyway, I’ve been dealing with gestational diabetes for the last two months (with one to go) and I’m craving new things to try. My husband would weep with joy to try any of the recipes you offer up. I want carbs!
Jaden i had hoped to be a tester but three weeks ago went into a full set of orthodontic braces and have eaten nothing that can’t be blended into mush….trust me this is not for vanity and i totally blame my parents!
Tracey I had both my kids while also being gestationally diabetic with both..if u want any info i can give u lots…gestational diabetics are considered high risk here in montreal and the care given is exceptional
Hi Jaden,
Great idea! There are way too many cookbooks in my shelf with recipes that have obviously NOT been tested beforehand.
So, if you by any chance need *another* tester after this vast number of volunteers before me, just snap your fingers
(Will eat anything except innards, consider myself fairly advanced in both cooking and baking, have not taken photos of anything that did not come out of my kitchen lately…)
Anja
Those pulled pork sandwiches look really good. Great photo! I agree, good photos make a good cookbook. I wuld really enjoy testing some of your recipes.
Wow Jaden, you’re one lucky gal, seeing that people (including me) fall over each other to help you out. How are you going to pick the winners? What a tough choice! Good luck with that. I’m sure your cookbook will be splendid.
It’s wonderfull Jaden.
i’m preparing my first cookbook, too, what a coincidence!!!!!
kisses
Ask, and you shall recieve! You know I’ll help you in any way I can girlie, just give me a shout anytime!!
You can count me in too for testing!
Ooh, being of Chinese origin, I’m always on the lookout for modern Asian recipes to try. Would love to help out!
Yes, i would be happy to be a tester. But more importantly, please, please, please post the recipe for those fabulous looking Pork Sliders!
Count me in, just got a canon rebel too, gosh so many freaking things too learn, not enough time?
Cookbook, not even close yet, (mine that is!)