Danielle and Chris Bjorling have a lot of stories to tell, whether it's the tale of opening their Copper Hen Cakery & Kitchen on Eat Street in Minneapolis 3½ years ago, or being successful contestants on CNBC's "Restaurant Startup," or creating an amazing bacon-blueberry cupcake.
The couple have tapped Duluth-area food writer Robert Lillegard to turn their narrative into a cookbook. Simply titled "The Copper Hen Cookbook," the book shares more than 100 recipes that cover the restaurant's comforting breakfast-through-dinner fare, along with chapters on cocktails and, of course, cakes. It's illustrated with photos culled from the restaurant's highly active social media accounts.
Lillegard, author of "The Duluth Grill Cookbook" and its follow-up, "The Duluth Cookbook II," is no stranger to the kitchen. He and his brother Michael Lillegard operate the gotta-visit Duluth's Best Bread.
In a recent phone conversation, Lillegard discussed the book's genesis, the importance of everyday ingredients and the advantages of self-publishing.
Q: One way that this book sets itself apart from other restaurant cookbooks is that you share stories about Danielle and Chris, their struggles and their triumphs. Why did you decide to approach the project that way?
A: I like the fact that Danielle and Chris can poke fun at themselves. They take food seriously but still laugh at the foibles of their business. They're visionary, and they do a lot of things right. They have an attitude of improvising, and doing what it takes. Most Americans can identify with that, because who hasn't fantasized about starting a restaurant?
Q: Why does the book emphasis readily available ingredients?
A: It's important to cook with items that you can pick up at the grocery store, because cooking is hard enough as it is without having to chase down exotic ingredients. The original promise of home cooking is that it's simple, and inexpensive.
