We’ve long been fans of Canal House Cooking, the groundbreaking cookbook series created and published by Christopher Hirscheimer and Melissa Hamilton. We are totally smitten with their latest effort: Canal House Cooks Every Day, a bright red, 385-page tome documenting a year of cooking from Canal House, based on their popular daily lunch blog. The book offers many levels of pleasure: great REAL do-able recipes by two women who cook for themselves daily, evocative photographs and illustrations AND a no-nonsense, simplepleasure-centric philosophy of cooking. Perfect. Check out a preview here.

We’ll be giving away a copy to the lucky winner of a random drawing (see details below).

Canal House Cooks Everyday

To enter, just go to ‘improvised life’s Facebook page and check it out. YOU DON’T HAVE TO JOIN FB TO VISIT THE SITE. (If you are a member of FB, we’d love it if you LIKE us).  In the FB Comments box OR in the Comments BELOW THIS POST, just tell us a FB posting you like. Contest ends at midnight on December 5th.

Related posts: just in time for the holidays: canal house cooking vol. 7
4 great downloadable d-i-y’s from canal house cooking
canal house cooking vol 6: crax & butter for dinner!!!
‘when life arrives at the door unexpectedly’ (+ lots of ideas for the holidays from canal house cooking 5)
canal house cooking: home cooks as indie publisher

If you’ve found illumination, joy, or inspiration in this post, please consider supporting Improvised Life. It only takes a minute to make a secure donation that helps pay our many costs. A little goes a long way towards helping Improvised Life continue to live ad-free in the world.

Support Improvised Life ♥

91 replies on “book giveaway: ‘canal house cooks every day’

  1. I love your site but I can’t “like” you because I’m not now and don’t plan to join Facebook, so FB-based giveaways leave me out in the cold. Still, I just want to say that your posts about Sandy were very compelling, especially tales dragging home your logs and being helped by complete strangers. . . even more so after reading about hotels above the black-out zone that were refusing to let downtowners recharge their batteries and use their facilities. It seems like for every negative story, there’s a positive one that cancels it out. Thanks for telling some of the positive ones.

  2. Hi We’ve revised the giveaway contest rules so no one has to like us (we forgot you have to be a member of FB to do that — sorry). But we do ask you to visit the page, which you DON’T have to be a member of FB to do. So now you can enter the giveaway.

    Glad you liked the tree adventures. We’ll continue posting more reports of Hurricane Sandy in the days to come.

  3. I like the post about every artist at some point having to decide that they didn’t have to justify themselves to people around them.

  4. The helicopter hairstyle had me laughing out loud. Wonderful!

  5. Soul pancake dancewalk makes me feel joyous!

  6. Loved the post of Diego Stocco’s custom-built orchestra & solo performance.
    And really appreciate your devotion to the trees in your neighborhood. My carpenter friend says wood continues to live even after the tree dies.
    ps. Sounds silly in that fb kind of way, but I already “like” improvisedlife.

  7. I love the cabin made of windows! I always admire them at flea markets, but hadn’t ever imagined the possibility of an entire structure built of them.

  8. I’m sure this will make an excellent Christmas gift for a few of my friends. I used to hate cooking but now in my later years I thoroughly enjoy it – even if my waist line doesn’t. Getting hungry just thinking about all those recipes.

  9. While I aspire to “cook for myself daily,” the goal is elusive. The Canal House cookbook looks delish and inspirational. Many thanks for sidestepping the FB Like contest element. I love The Improvised Life. in fact, it’s how I start my day.

  10. Wow, listened to Cleaning out my Closet. Powerful. Thanks.

  11. I love your site, Sally, and your spirit, especially post-Sandy. I hope someday to meet you in person. (I’m a bud of Lisa Morphew’s) Meanwhile, I hope the park in a trailer visits NYC soon. That would be a welcome respite, I imagine.

  12. Hey Mary, just to clarify: we haven’t side-stepped visiting our Improvised Life Facebook page (for which you don’t need to be a member). We ask you to visit, pick a post you like and tell us which one it is in the Comments section of the Canal House Giveaway post. (We took out the step that required you be a member). Good luck, Sally http://www.facebook.com/theimprovisedlife

  13. Loved the tree inside the tree.

  14. I am already a friend on Facebook and I love all the posts and share many of them. Hoever, I have to say I love cabin porn. Who knew there would be a subset of real estate porn? Thanks!
    Catey

  15. i liked the link to what to eat and drink on election night

  16. I like the DanceWalk street sign – I’d love to see one in every city!

  17. Thanks for accommodating non-Facebookers, Sally! I did visit your page and, like Anne, I loved the window house. I’m a Free Cabin Porn fan but I’d missed this one.

  18. I loved cabin porn – shared it with a few family members and friends.

  19. Oh Duh, now I get it. I’m picking the one about learning languages for free etc. and openculture.com. But it’s not about picking a favourite post, because it’s the relationship that all these posts have to each other that makes IL special.

  20. Hey I was glad you sent me over to your FB page because I saw the post about the USB pot chargers! How cool is that?! I have bookmarked that, I think I need to get one of those. But I will not be joining FB or even visit it regularly, I really hate it! But I really love your blog.

  21. Anne, thanks for persevering. I love your view: “It’s the relationship that all these posts have to each other that makes IL special.” THANK YOU!

  22. Having repurposed some old windows in a garden shed, I am struck by how small our ideas were were I as look at the window house in Copenhagen.

  23. I looove IL. What leaped to mind right away is The Jive Aces, Bring Me Sunshine. I listened to it several times and now it sometimes pops into my head and always makes me smile. (I especially love the transformation of the doom and gloom newscasters!)

  24. I’ve already liked you! My recent favorite is the thinking vs doing mindset, as I often get stuck between the two…

  25. I think I did this wrong–I commented on the FB page this morning, but am going to cover my bases and post here. I loved the window house, and have always aspired to have a window wall as a room divider. A family I used to babysit for had a window divider separating their European shower from the rest of the bathroom. Love!

  26. I enjoy all of the photos, but especially those related to finding beauty in the aftermath of the storm.

  27. Can I favorite the whole blog? All your pieces enlighten, inspire, or enrich me is some manner. If I feel low, there’s a leap photo. If I feel stuck, I see a fantastic improvisation using the everyday. And the food? Yum! Thanks for being here.

  28. Love the traveling park in the trailer!

  29. cabin porn – bacon silk scarf – trees of life – enuf said!

  30. Yeah, you can definitely favorite the whole blog!

  31. I love the Canal House turkey post – it seems like a fairly foolproof way to cook a good turkey.

  32. I loved the post of the “creative process” in my head, like- well worn shoes. On the same day I saw a TED talk with Elizabeth Gilbert on the creative genius! Both were excellent and give me hope!

  33. Don’t like Facebook but I liked the post about the kid who built his tiny house.

  34. I love your blog and I already like you on FB although I regularly deactivate my account. I look forward to reading your uplifting and inspiring posts every morning and I missed you when you were on retreat!. Let’s see . . . some favorite posts would include Pablo Neruda (the watermelon), anything about Alexander Calder, your essential chocolate cake and your Tuscan salt recipes, your emergency medicine. You are always a bit of sunshine! Thank you!

  35. Hi Sally,
    The written word – so tricky. By “sidestepped the FB Like,” I did mean thanks for not requiring FB membership. As for visiting the page, I loved the “Why just walk when you can dancewalk?” street light. A useful reminder.

  36. I love the ingenuity demonstrated on your sight. Making something from a cast-away, like pallet furniture, how cool! And I love that you give resources for finding those pesticide free pallets. Thank you for helping us all to imagine…

  37. Hi,

    I tried the link from this page but all I got was a blank facebook page. I also tried to take a screen shot thinking I could send it so you could see what I mean but it wouldn’t transfer to this email. I am sure I would love the facebook page as much as I love the email connection even though I do not use fb.

    What am I doing wrong??? Ellen

  38. I love your blog (but not Facebook). I really enjoyed the salvaged furniture pieces. I have been planning to dry brine my turkey this year…sounds much easier! Ann

  39. Hi Ellen, Our IL facebook page is definitely public, meaning you don’t have to join FB to see it. I just tried it and have had others test it to make sure it works. I suspect it has something to do with you browser.
    Perhaps try going directly there by typing in the URL: http://www.facebook.com/theimprovisedlife and see if that works.
    There is A LOT of content there daily so it would be great for your to be able to access it.

  40. I like the link to Miranda July’s Handy Tip for the Easily Distracted. I need to do that. You guys post lots of great stuff and I love the blog.

  41. I loved the family camper. I have dreams of winnowing our overstuffed lives to fit in such a small space. Simplicity!

  42. Always been a fan of brown craft paper. My mother had a huge roll that lived in our utility room and came in handy for all manner of projects.

  43. I have really enjoyed the “Leap” series. But the leaping turnip???? THE BEST EVER. I laugh just thinking about it – it makes me “leap” for joy ha ha.
    Appreciate you.

  44. I love the craft paper place mats but, your linen and muslin napkins rock!

  45. I read the Improvised Life every day! I particularly love the Canal House dry brine turkey recipe. I have two turkeys brining in my fridge right now, getting ready for Thanksgiving! Thank you.

  46. like the post about the NY food bank

  47. As i am getting ready for the Thanksgiving feast I was inspired by your recent posts on Table setting and decorations. I will try the linen table napkins and place some fresh picked persimmons with branches attached on the table

  48. The post about making your own twinkies gives me hope for the future. I know that my young nieces and nephew will still be able to indulge after a late night out in college. Thanks for the post.

  49. The post about making your own twinkies gives me hope for the future. I know that my young nieces and nephew will still be able to indulge after a late night out in college. Thanks for the post

  50. Fresh picked persimmons!!!! You are so lucky.

  51. I love that the link to the story on Health Snacks that nutritionists eat justifies my avocado habit!

  52. I follow you on twitter so I saw the posts there too. I went to the fb page as well to give you some stats (I deleted fb ages ago)
    My favorite was the post about the log slice tables.

  53. I liked the post Daily tonic: How to Enjoy Every Moment

  54. I really like the post about how Korean designer Jihyum Ryou reimagines food storage without a fridge. I’m so excited to put some of the ideas to use. Thank you.

  55. I like looking at every post!

  56. I like the post when you were cooking with Lynne Rosetto Kasper. It is my favorite because that’s how I learned about you!

  57. “When Life Arrives at the Door Unexpectadly” is a good thing to remember any day.

  58. I enjoy all the posts about people leaping and jumping!

  59. I have to decide what post to like? I like them ALL! I really love all the posts using tree stumps as furniture and that coffee table. . .Maybe one in my future. . .

  60. I love the quote,” Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet” in the post The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life! It reminds me to slow down and be more in tune with my surroundings.

  61. I loved “Thanks for the day after Thanksgiving”, which led me to Pablo Neruda’s poem about gratitude.

  62. Lood really delicious !!!

  63. I generally go on Facebook once a month to see what nieces and nephews are doing. It was fun to see you site all in a row.
    Please enter me in the cookbook contest.
    I really, really, do like you.

    Thank you

  64. I especially liked the post about productivity and displaying completed to-dos. Please enter me in the cookbook contest. It looks like a wonderful cookbook.

  65. Love seeing the log uses. We still have chunks on our table from our son’s December wedding last year. They currently support fat white candles.

    Please enter me in the cookbook giveaway.

    I L is what I turn to first whenever I turn on the computer!

  66. Love the post about famous failures

  67. I loved the post about cardboard. The passion and joy that can come from this simple and frequently overlooked material was inspiring. Loved it

  68. I loved the one with the “better person” documentaries. I also remember you having some pictures of kitchens from around the world, don’t know if that was here or elsewhere. Just made me ache with an urge to cook. sterile US kitchens don’t have that color, or used/worn feel that just whispers “good food was made here”

  69. I love all your DIY’s – but most recently foraging fallen trees…the art of re-invention- adults should get better at it- kids do it so effortlessly!

  70. Love Thich Nhat Hanh’s ground kissing feet quote and all the great recycled furniture.

  71. The post fom one minute mba.— let your ears do the listening. Too many managers donot want to hear bad news and it leads to an asymmetry of information and many managers, as a result, get blindsided.

  72. Loved the laughter yoga post!

  73. Too many to choose just one, since I have been receiving your email now for years. If I have to choose just one, I’ll go with Bill Murray.

  74. Everyday I look forward to seeing what you all have found that has been reinterpreted and adjusted to make it your own.
    I loved the people swimming in Venice. Having been there when it is dry, I can imagine what it could be like to swim the Piazza in stead of walking it.

  75. I loved the post on Henry Miller’s writing tips. I think of it often.

  76. With two kids at home, the link to working with cardboard is great!

  77. I love the post about the modernist gingerbread house. Even though I live in a Victorian house and love Victorian inspired gingerbread houses, I love the idea of looking at materials in a whole new way.

  78. Love the laughter yoga post with the farmer jumping into a baler.

  79. I love being surprised by Improvised Life EVERY day. I especially liked the post in February about the man who welcomes everyone into his home in NYC, loved, loved, loved it.

  80. Most inspiring of recent posts was the post on November 28 about food storage – reminds me that “rules” are recent, and can be broken if you have the knowledge!

  81. The knitted necklace post was great! I’m not the best knitter but I have a friend who just started and this would be a fun project for her for holiday gifts.

  82. I liked the link to ’10 Documentaries that will make you a better person.’ But I like all (or almost all) of the links you post! Thanks for all you do!

  83. My favorite posts were post Hurricane Sandy, you wrote several entries around the theme ‘Strange Beauty Amidst Destruction’. I especially enjoyed the stories of the people you met along the way – the park ranger and the man who helped you haul the log.

  84. I like the post about modernist gingerbread houses.

  85. Liked Colbert/Dance to GET LUCKY!!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *