Cookbook Launch: Garden Variety by Timothy Pakron

Join Timothy Pakron and Melissa Martin as they discuss Pakron's latest cookbook release, Garden Variety, a collection of plant-focused recipes inspired by his garden in New Orleans.

This event will take place in the historic Church Hall, a century-old church that is connected to Hotel Peter & Paul that has served as a haven, a gathering place, and a keeper of countless ceremonies and events.

In addition to the live conversation with a Q & A at the end, each ticket will also include a signed copy of the new cookbook.

This venue has a limited amount of chairs so seating is first come, first served. Once the seats are filled, there is plenty of standing room.

If you have any questions about the event, feel free to reach out to timothy@mississippivegan.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A new cookbook focused on garden-fresh recipes from the beloved home cook, photographer, and creator of Mississippi Vegan

Growing up, while Timothy Pakron watched his father tend to his garden, he knew that someday he would want to put down the same kind of roots in a backyard of his own. When he moved to New Orleans after writing his first cookbook, Mississippi Vegan, he made his dream a reality and began growing a cornucopia of plants and produce in the plot of land behind his new home. From fragrant and zesty herbs to all manner of leafy greens, sturdy root vegetables, lush fruit, and more, Timothy now cooks with fresh ingredients from his flourishing garden regularly, letting them inspire his recipes while also guiding him through the seasons in the kitchen. In Garden Variety, he encourages readers to develop a deeper connection with the natural world and shows us how to bring its delicious flavors to our plates.

Timothy’s approach to plant-based cooking is elegant, exciting, and approachable, with a Southern flair. With vibrant vegetable dishes like his Bay Leaf Roasted Corn with miso chive butter and Crispy Okra & Turmeric Rice with fried curry leaves and peanuts, to more hearty dishes like his Garden Gumbo with roasted mushrooms and Oven-Braised Cabbage with black-eyed pea hummus, Garden Variety is full of ingenious recipes that will transform your cooking. With practical tips for roasting and sautéing any vegetable, baking your own rice to keep on hand, making perfectly seasoned beans every time, and leveling up any dish with essential, homemade condiments, Garden Variety makes it simple to cook plant-based from scratch, in addition to being an invaluable resource for how to use seasonal produce. Beautifully photographed by Timothy himself, it is both a work of art and a celebration of the magic of cooking with ingredients from the earth.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Timothy Pakron is a cookbook author and food blogger from the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Pakron graduated from the College of Charleston where he majored in studio art with a concentration in photography. While living in NYC, he created the concept of Mississippi Vegan, which explores the celebration of cooking with plants and mushrooms, while merging his southern roots with his passion for veganism and photography. Since its creation, he has lived in Jackson, MS where he wrote his debut cookbook, Mississippi Vegan, released in 2018. Upon its release, he moved to New Orleans, where he now lives and works, to write his second and latest cookbook, Garden Variety, a collection of recipes greatly inspired by his garden. His work has been featured by NPR, Garden & Gun, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Food & Wine, KCRW, and VegNews. You can follow him on social media (@mississippivegan) where he regularly shares updates from his garden along with his latest recipes.

Melissa M. Martin grew up on the Louisiana coast and has lived in New Orleans for over 25 years. Her first book, Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou, was named a Best New Cookbook by Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, NPR, The Splendid Table, Eater, and Epicurious, among others. In 2022, Martin was given the James Beard Award for writing the Best Book in U.S. Foodways and the IACP named the book Cookbook of the Year and Best American Cookbook. Martin has been nominated twice as Best Chef South by the Beard Foundation. She graduated from Loyola University New Orleans and honed her self-taught culinary skills to a professional level. In 2014, she opened Mosquito Supper Club, a Cajun restaurant created to celebrate the bounty of the shrimpers, oystermen, crabbers, fin and crawfish fishermen, and farmers that define bayou cuisine. She writes about food, life, and love, not always in that order. Follow her on Instagram at @mosquitosupperclub and on X at @mosquitosupper.