Welcome to Keep Calm & Cook On. From a cookbook author who cooks at home all of the time and, for the most part, still looks forward to it.

Who is Julia Turshen?

Oh, that’s me! I am a NYT bestselling cookbook author and I teach cooking classes most Sunday afternoons. I also have a podcast called Keep Calm & Cook On (same name as this newsletter— one less thing to remember!). I am a recovering perfectionist, a proud gay woman, and a lover of all dogs and two specific cats. I am so happy to be a home cook who writes for other home cooks. I value the labor we put into keeping ourselves and the people around us fed and taken care of.

Do I really need another newsletter? What’s in this one anyway?

Of course you don’t. But if you’ve enjoyed any of my work (cookbooks, classes, podcast, articles, etc.), I think you’ll really enjoy this newsletter. My goal with the newsletter is to help you feel calm + empowered in your kitchen, and to help connect some dots between what we do in our kitchens and what happens outside of them. Like the miscellaneous drawer in my kitchen, this newsletter has a little bit of everything— recipes, essays, helpful ideas, interviews, and more.

As of October 2024, this newsletter comes to your inbox twice a week.

Tuesdays are “I Love Lunch” which are devoted to my love of lunch and include a weekly easy lunch recipe for paid subscribers.

Thursdays are my general newsletter which include a range of things from charts, lists, essays, interviews, announcements and more!!

Okay, I’m intrigued. But what are some things you (Julia) believe? I want to see if we’re on the same page…

• I believe that home cooks are complex human beings who love good, simple, trustworthy recipes, but also think about more than just cooking. How do I know? Because I am a home cook, too! I have lots of hobbies outside of cooking that include watching reality TV shows, reading queer romance novels, hiking, woodworking, and powerlifting!!!

• I believe that home cooking does not have to be complicated to be good, nor does it have to take a lot of time or money to be satisfying.

• I do not believe that the word “healthy” means the same thing as the word “skinny.”

• I believe that our kitchens are the best places to connect with ourselves and each other and I worry that many people feel so disconnected and lost in their kitchens. I am so happy and honored to be one of your trail guides.

Why should I trust you + your recipes?

Great question! A few things to know:

• I have worked on fifteen cookbooks in as many years and have developed + tested thousands of recipes.

• Some of these books are my own, like my most recent, Simply Julia, a National Bestseller. Before that I made Now & Again which was named the Best Cookbook of 2018 by Amazon and an NPR ‘Great Read.’ The year before that I put together Feed the Resistance which Eater named the Best Cookbook of 2017, and before that I published my first solo cookbook, Small Victories, which was named one of the Best Cookbooks of 2016 by the New York Times and NPR.

• I have also coauthored many cookbooks and supported authors in various roles, meaning many people have trusted me to help tell their stories and get their recipes on the page.

• I have interviewed hundreds of people about what they cook + why they cook.

• I worked as a private chef for five years and spent a full farm season working on a small organic vegetable farm.

• I live in a rural area and am constantly grocery shopping + figuring out what’s available for people who don’t live in major cities.

• I cook at home every single day and, for the most part, I still look forward to it.

What do I get as a free subscriber?

The two weekly newsletters. You will be the first to know about any new classes I’m teaching, podcast episodes I’m releasing, etc. and you will also get something useful like an essay or a reflection on something I do often in the kitchen that makes my day-to-day life easier (like this garlic paste — please try it if you love garlic but don’t feel like peeling and mincing it every single time you want to cook with it).

So why would I bother paying?

Great question! There are a few reasons. First, it’s a quick and easy way to support me + my work (and for that, I thank you). Second, it’s a great investment in independent writing. Third, you will get exclusive content like extra recipes and ask-me-anything threads. Fourth, you will be part of the conversation and able to comment on posts and engage with me and other people in the Keep Calm & Cook On community. Fifth, you will get a free easy lunch recipe every Tuesday in the new “I Love Lunch” Tuesday post.

Okay, I’m happy to pay— how much is it?

$5/month or $50/year. If you’re feeling extra generous, you can be a Founding Member which is $100 (or any amount over that: thank you).

Once I subscribe (free or paid!), how will I get your newsletter?

Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox. You won’t have to worry about missing anything.

I still have a question that wasn’t answered here.

No worries! Just get in touch.