History 

This book was created independently. The dishes were shot in real time over the span of several seasons, in and around author Andrew Barton's rented apartment in Northeast Portland, OR. Photoshoots were weekly or biweekly breakfast, lunch, or dinner gatherings.

The first edition's printing, done locally, was funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign. See the campaign page to scope the progression from idea to physical object, and get a deeper sense of how the project came to be. The distribution was only to independent shops in select cities, mostly around the Northwest. This edition sold out within six months. Sasquatch Books picked up the title, and it has now joined their growing, excellent list. The second edition is released October 3rd, 2017.  

Our video, made by Myrtlewood's photographer Peter Schweitzer on the last shooting day, shows the cooking, the shooting, and the atmosphere in which the book was created. 

MYRTLEWOOD is a book of seasonal cooking, celebrating the practice of taking cues from what can be found in neighborhood gardens, farmer's markets, and small shops, then utilizing them to the utmost at home. It was made in real time, in an apartment kitchen and backyard garden, between the winter of 2014 and the summer of 2015.