Short Stack Cookbooks

I'm hungry, but too lazy to go downstairs to the kitchen. Instead, I'm sharing these beautiful cookbook/magazine hybrids that I've been meaning to post about for awhile now.

Meet the Short Stack cookbooks.

Short Stack is a series of small-format cookbooks about inspiring ingredients, authored by America’s top culinary talents. Each edition is a collectible, single-subject booklet packed with recipes that offer ingenious new ways to cook our favorite ingredients. 

They're just so nice looking. Each book is printed locally and stitch-bound by hand using baker's twine. Short Stack also invites readers to help with bookmaking at a gathering they host for each edition they release. I also love that Short Stack is another Kickstarter success story. Basically this whole thing just screams "community".

I'm also on quite a "I need all the beautiful tea towels" kick right now, so of course this caught my eye:

Learn more about Short Stack Editions on their website, buy past editions in the shop, or sign up for a 2014 subscription.

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more beautiful things we can thank Kickstarter for

the best cookbooks of 2013

one of my favorite books about food

have you ever made your own bookends?

and I'm going to go make this salad now

The Invader's Guide to New Orleans

This beautiful thing arrived in my mailbox this week.

Invade NOLA was the first Kickstarter project I ever helped fund. They are doing wonderful things for young people in New Orleans and it has been so excited to see them expand and grow from just an idea to a magazine to a few wonderful books and blog.

I'm so happy to have this guide. I've been visiting NOLA at least once a year since 2006 but usually for volunteering or Jazz Fest and didn't really know how to get out and find the kinds of shops or restaurants I would actually be interested in.

You can buy the guide at InvadeNOLA.com for just $19. If you're heading in New Orleans, you should definitely check it out.

Out of Print eBook Jackets

I've always been a big fan of Out of Print, a clothing and accessories shop that puts the most beautiful vintage book titles onto products you feel like you have to own. Plus, they're partnered with Books for Africa, a non-profit doing some great things for world literacy.

Now, Out of Print has launched a Kickstarter campaign to "put the 'book' back into eBooks" by creating hardcover cases for iPad, Kindle Fire and Nexus 7. Yes, please.

There are 18 days left to go in the project, and although they've already passed the required funding, every dollar helps make a better product. I can't wait to see these made and grab one for my iPad. I think my favorite right now is The Wizard of Oz.

More Out of Print love,
and more Kickstarter projects I've enjoyed.

(all images via the Kickstarter page)

The Handshake

Schuba's has become my favorite venue in Chicago. It is small, intimate and serves fantastic mac'n'cheese. A few days ago, the fine people at Schuba's tweeted about a new magazine one of their bartenders is creating, via Kickstarter project.

Dan Duffy says "The Handshake" will be simple. 

According to the Kickstarter page, each print issue will contain one conversation between two artists, writers, comedians, or musicians; one interview with a cultural icon of sorts; one experimental essay; one short story by either a well-established or emerging author; and one road trip in photographs.

There will also be an online version with lots of video goodies and blog posts

To learn more, follow "The Handshake" on Twitter or Facebook, and then visit the Kickstarter page if the magazine sounds like something you'd like to support.

Frank's New Book

I've blogged on here about designer Frank Chimero before, but this time he is up to something really awesome. Frank is going to write "The Shape of Design" and has launched a Kickstarter profile to help fund the project.

"The Shape of Design isn't going to be a text book. The project will be focused on Why instead of How. We have enough How; it's time for a thoughtful analysis of our practice and its characteristics so we can better practice our craft. After reading the book, I want you to look at what you do in a whole new light. Design is more than working for clients.

But really, this book aims to look at the mindset and worldview that designing develops in order to answer one big, important question: How can we make things that help all of us live better?"

To learn more about the book and donate to the project, visit Frank's Kickstarter page.