How do you honor the ones you love? Our guest, author and maker Ashley Russell, brings her grandmother, Wanda’s, kitchen back to life with a cozy, retro-modern cookbook that feels like a hug and reads like a memoir. We dig into how a granddaughter turned a private archive into a public heirloom, complete with tattoo-style illustrations, candid photos, and DIY food shots that celebrate mess and memory over perfection. Ashley walks us through gathering 300 recipes and shaping a tight, test-driven collection that honors regional roots and lived history. We get the stories behind “top secret” favorites, the delightfully divisive WTF chapter, and why dishes like liver and onions or milk toast still matter. You’ll hear how the book’s cardstock pages invite cocoa smudges and notes in the margins, how a decade-by-decade photo collage reveals a family in motion, and how a Spotify playlist ties together the songs Wanda loved—from mid-century standards to a modern country croon she played late in life. This conversation is also a master class in creative resilience: funding through community, trusting pivots, and defining a clear North Star (your point of view!). Ashley shares how a tattoo flash became food Kewpies, why she shot the food herself, and how staying vulnerable and afraid might be the key to the best art. We explore cooking as care, a feminist choice, and a small act of rebellion against disposable culture. Our hands are busy, phones are down, hearts are open. If you’ve ever wanted to preserve your family’s flavors or make art that feels true, you’ll find practical tips and a lot of courage here. Subscribe for more story-rich conversations about books, craft, and the rituals that keep us human. If this episode stirred a memory, share it with someone you love and leave a review so others can find the show. Your kitchen table might be the start of the next great family archive. Support the show: On Patreon Buy us a book Buy cute merch If you have any comments or questions, please connect with me on Instagram or email babesinbooklandpodcast@gmail.com. I’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback! Link to this episode’s book: What’s Cooking Good Looking Other links: Sad Puppy Tattoos Transcripts are available through apple’s podcast app—they may not be perfect, but relying on them allows me to dedicate more time to the show! If you’re interested in being a transcript angel, let me know. This episode is produced, recorded, and its content edited by me. Theme song by Devin Kennedy Special thanks to my new friend, Ashley! Xx, Alex Connect with us and suggest a great memoir! Follow us on instagram! @babesinbooklandpod
