With her second cookbook, Jerrelle Guy teaches us how to make the everyday extraordinary. We Fancy: Simple Recipes to Make the Everyday Special (Simon Element), came as part of Guy’s own recovery after hitting an emotional low during and after the pandemic. She used a moment of burnout to pause and examine why she was pushing herself so hard and reframe how she could build a life centered around wellbeing. That started with what she was cooking for herself and finding ways to reignite her love for making herself a meal. “Being fancy is a lifestyle. It is a mindset, a way of interacting with and moving through the world,” she writes. The book is packed with recipes that are meant to bring a bit of whimsy and joy into an everyday meal plan—and nearly all of them are vegetable-forward with very little use of beef, pork, or chicken. The goal of the book, she says, “is to help you generate ideas, trust your intuition, and cook and eat with agency.” We checked in with Guy, who uses her cookbook library with intention, before her book’s launch to learn more about this latest project and which cookbooks have inspired her along the way.
Tell us about one or two of your favorite recipes from We Fancy.
The recipes that have throughlines to totally new recipes by exploring their own edges are my favorite. For instance, when I turn leftover miso coconut caramel into gooey caramel candies or transform tomato soup into coconut chickpea curry, it shows how a single recipe can become a launch point rather than a final destination. I also love the cherry balsamic syrup, especially drizzled over vanilla ice cream. It’s another Easter egg hidden in the margins next to a pinky finger and a note to “Make It Fancy.”
What was the most challenging part about writing this cookbook?
I’m writing about getting into a creative flow, which sort of interrupts that very flow when I have to stop to jot down measurements. So I had to learn how to turn the documentation process into its own sort of dance.
What have you learned from working on previous books that made working on this book smoother or more enjoyable?
My first cookbook [Black Girl Baking (2018)] was written in about three months and I had no clue what I was doing and what was considered normal in the cookbook publishing world. Coming out of that experience, I’ve learned to advocate for myself by asking for more time and a larger advance so I can do better work and I’m not facing burnout in the end. It made the entire process significantly more joyful.
Aside from your own recipes, what was your go-to snack or meal after a day of recipe testing?
One of those high protein key lime yogurt cups.
About how many cookbooks do you own?
I finally counted: 144 (not including the food subject books and memoirs at my work desk, and there may be some stragglers upstairs).
What’s the oldest in your collection? What’s the newest?
I have newer copies of much older books like Rufus Estes’ Good Things to Eat, Abby Fisher’s What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking, and a copy of The Original Fannie Farmer 1896 Cook Book. But some of the oldest physical copies I have are mid-century, single-subject thrifted finds like a delightful little crêpe cookbook by Paulette Fono and a copy of the Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cook Book which was printed in 1959. The most recent addition to the shelf is the 2025 New York Times cookbook Cookies by Vaughn Vreeland.
What’s the first page you turn to when reading a cookbook?
I usually just flip through to any random page and start reading. Then I do a full flip through to take in all the photography, then I read the introduction to understand the author’s overall intention and how they’re framing the work.
What cookbooks inspired you when researching or starting this cookbook?
The most influential was a self-published book I found online called Garnish by Pia Warner. That set me off on my deepest quest. Other significant books were Every Day Is Saturday by Sarah Copeland, Genius Recipes by Kristen Miglore, and Home Is Where the Eggs Are by Molly Yeh.
What is your go-to or most beloved cookbook on your shelf?
The King Arthur Baking Company’s All-Purpose Baker’s Companion. It is so beat up at this point because we use it for everything.
Have you ever been gifted a cookbook and what did you love about it?
Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. I was a senior in high school when one of my really great friends gifted it to me for Christmas. At the time I was exploring a vegan diet, and it kind of blew my mind how extensive it was and how many things I could actually eat.
If you were to gift a cookbook to a family member or friend, what would it be?
It depends on the person. I try to match the cookbook to their likes in hopes they’ll be inspired to cook. I recently got my nephew the Let’s Make Ramen! A Comic Book Cookbook by Hugh Amano and The Anime Chef Cookbook by Nadine Estero for his 18th birthday because he’s really into art and Japanese food and culture and is always traveling to Japan.
Favorite cook-friendly bookstore in the South?
Well, this is technically in the Southwest, but I’m going to say The Wild Detectives in Dallas, since it’s where I am having my book launch party. I’ve always appreciated their cozy atmosphere and their café/bar. They also host a monthly cookbook club and the bookstore creates a signature cocktail inspired by the book and all the potluck dishes people bring.
Can’t-live-without cooking tool?
Our Vitamix and our immersion blender.
Go-to spice?
Smoked paprika.
What five things are always in your fridge?
Almond milk
Miso paste
Something pickled
Greek yogurt
A bushel of cilantro
Pick up a copy of We Fancy and then get fancy with Jerrelle Guy’s recipe for a Smokey Mango Kombucha Spritz.
Image courtesy of We Fancy: Simple Recipes to Make the Everyday Special (Simon Element) by Jerrelle Guy
recipe 
yields
Serves 4
1 heaping cup of ripe mango chunks, fresh (from 1 large) or frozen and thawed
2, juiced navel oranges (about ½ cup)
2, juiced limes (about ¼ cup)
2 tablespoons honey or agave
ice cubes (preferably 2 x 2-inch large-format ice cubes if you have them)
1 (16-ounce) bottle of kombucha (flavor of the day) or citrusy seltzer water
smoked paprika, for sprinkling
a pinch of kosher salt
Garnish the rims of your cocktail: Brush the rim or side of the glass with water, juice, honey, or something else edible that will help dry“debris” stick. Sprinkle over things like citrus zest; flavored or coarse salt; spices; crushed, freeze-dried fruit; flavored sugars; or anything else finely ground and fitting for the drink, even ingredients like fine cookie crumbs or espresso powder—think chocolate martinis!
ingredients
tip:
steps
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PUREE THE FRUIT: In a high-powered blender, blend the mango chunks, orange juice, lime juice, honey, and 1 CUP WATER on high until smooth.
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Transfer the puree to a lidded container and chill until ready to use or use immediately.
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TO MAKE THE DRINK: Fill four glasses with ice (preferably large format, so it melts slowly) and pour 4 ounces of the pureeover top of each glass.
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Top with kombucha and sprinkle with paprika and salt and serve.
make it fancy:
Before filling the glasses, roll the edges in more paprika and/ or salt (see Tip) and top with a dehydrated wheel of citrus.
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Erin Byers Murray
Erin Byers Murray has been digging into stories about food and wine for more than twenty years. Based in Nashville, she is the editor-in-chief of The Local Palate and has authored or co-authored half a dozen books, including deep dives into oysters and grits, as well as several cookbooks. Her work has been published in multiple publications, including Food & Wine, Wine & Spirits, the Boston Globe, and three editions of Best Food Writing.
