Over the years, I’ve had the fortune to edit and contribute essays to a variety of books. Below are those books with links to learn more or purchase.
(Note: Links with **asterisks** on each side are affiliate links to bookshop.org and I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using that link. Also if you are interested, here’s a link to my affiliate shop on bookshop.org, where you can find these, as well as books I love and recommend. I personally love buying from bookshop.org, because I can pick my favorite indie bookstores to receive the full profit from my purchases, and so can you! All but one of the books is also available through wherever else you like to buy books.)
**Craft The Eat Fit Guide to Zero Proof Cocktails** by Molly Kimball with Ethan Skaggs and edited by Melanie Warner Spencer
When we aren’t drinking, whatever the reason may be, we still want to enjoy elegant, thoughtful beverages. This philosophy is at the heart of Craft: The Eat Fit Guide to Zero Proof Cocktails. Featuring more than 50 recipes, as well as guides to barware, bitters, glassware, and everything else you need to craft a fully sensorial cocktail, this book is an essential — and beautiful — resource for every home mixologist’s library.
**Cherchez La Femme: New Orleans Women** by Cheryl Gerber with various contributors
Inspired by the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, DC, photographer Cheryl Gerber’s book includes over two hundred photographs of the city’s most well-known women and the everyday women who make New Orleans so rich and diverse. Drawing from her own archives as well as new works, Gerber’s selection of photographs in Cherchez la Femme highlights the contributions of women to the city, making it one of the only photographic histories of modern New Orleans women. Alongside Gerber’s photographs are 12 essays written by female writers
Essential New Orleans: 15 Places We Love by various contributors
Comprised of 15 essays, Essential New Orleans serves as a condensed introduction to a city that’s packed with music, entertainment, history, food and libations. Photographed by Marianna Massey, known for her images from the London, Sochi and Rio Olympic Games for Getty Images, as well as her work for clients worldwide including Sports Illustrated and GQ, each essay is explored through her lens.
The Essential Louisiana Seafood Cookbook by Stanley Dry with photos by Eugenia Uhl and edited by Melanie Warner Spencer
For Louisiana home cooks and professional chefs, seafood is an essential ingredient. In this collection of 50 traditional and contemporary recipes by Stanley Dry — author of “The Essential Louisiana Cookbook,” Louisiana Life “Kitchen Gourmet” columnist, former senior editor of Food & Wine magazine and accomplished cook — top-notch ingredients are paired with fresh seafood to create delectable dishes imbued with the author’s signature simplicity. Edited by Louisiana Life managing editor Melanie Warner Spencer and originally published in the magazine, the easy-to-follow recipes emphasize Louisiana seafood and quality, local ingredients.
The Essential Louisiana Cookbook by Stanley Dry with photos by Eugenia Uhl and edited by Melanie Warner Spencer
Louisiana is one of the few places in America having retained its distinct culinary identity. Cajun and Creole mix with French, Spanish, African, Native American, Caribbean and German cultures, among others, to create a tasty gumbo, simmered in a flavorful roux of history and finished off with a healthy douse of political hot sauce — pick your favorite brand. Author Stanley Dry brings all of the history, culture and spice together in his first book, edited by Melanie Warner Spencer.
