Our Newlywed Kitchen: The Art of Cooking, Gathering, and Creating Traditions by Laura Schupp

About the book:

(from the publisher) Learn the art of gathering around the table―your newlywed table.

The bond you build around your table and in your kitchen will have a lifelong effect on your marriage. Whether you’re sipping lattes together in your pj’s or serving your favorite meal to friends, your kitchen is key to tender moments and lasting traditions that make up your happily-ever-after.

In Our Newlywed Kitchen, author Laura Schupp acts as your fun, engaging mentor, guiding you through the process of setting up a well-appointed kitchen. Let her inspire you to build your own loving, nurturing home―one meal at a time.

Part planner, part keepsake, this beautifully illustrated guide is all the help you’ll need in one place.

YOU’LL BE EQUIPPED TO:

• Customize your wedding gift registry for the way you live
• Organize a kitchen that reflects your personal style
• Make cooking and entertaining a joy with a well-stocked kitchen
• Discover delicious, healthy recipes
• Create traditions that reflect your values
• Collect loved ones’ recipes and memories, creating a personal keepsake for generations to come

Gathering to eat scrumptious food around a beautiful table with people you love―that’s what happily-ever-after looks like. That’s Our Newlywed Kitchen.

Genre: Non-fiction/Christian Living/Love & Marriage/Cookbook/Keepsake

About the author:

An avid believer in the power of home to shape family and faith values, Laura Schupp has collected inspirations and helped a myriad of brides establish an inviting space of their own, especially the favorite place of all in the home—the kitchen. Laura is a devoted follower of Christ, a happily married mother of three adult children, and a grandmother who lives in Franklin, Tennessee.

My take:

It’s been many, many moons since I was a newlywed, yet I found myself effortlessly drawn into the pages of Our Newlywed Kitchen. Partly because, as a domestic-minded woman, poring over the pages of a good cookbook bring an almost ridiculous amount of joy. But also because this is simply a beautiful book, loaded with full-color photos and enticing recipes that invite the reader to dream.

Chock-full of tips and checklists, this is a resource for the modern bride, taking into full account the cultural shifts of our era. There is, for example, a section that allows today’s bride to thoughtfully consider whether bone china — long a traditional staple — is what she wants for her table. Another small detail I appreciated: the pages are matte, not gloss, allowing for easier personalized inscription.

Before you buy, a couple of other things you should know:

1. First, there are pages on which to write notes and recipes for the happy couple, which is a lovely way to personalize this gift by inserting your own experiences and celebrating the unique relationship you share. By the same token, as a gift, this book is probably best suited for a couple you know well.
2. Second, because sections of Our Newlywed Kitchen include tips the bride could use well before her wedding day (suggestions for stocking her kitchen, for instance, and registry how-to), this makes for a more suitable engagement than wedding gift.

All in all, this is a gift that keeps on giving, providing a bride with a beautiful blend of inspiration and practical how-to that she’ll refer to for many years to come. Coming from the right person, it’s hard to imagine what she would treasure more.

Thanks to Tyndale House/Focus on the Family for providing me this book free of charge. All opinions are mine.

Buy it here. 

After words:

What’s your go-to gift for newlyweds?