Many freelance food writers dream of writing a cookbook, and I was one of them. For years I’ve exercised my writing muscles, honed my recipe development abilities, perfected my proposal writing technique, and of course, pitched countless stories to the magazines and websites that I love to read. I’ve met with agents and publishers to discuss trends and logistics, and pumped my published writing friends for tips and advice. And guess what? After years of keeping my nose to the grindstone, not giving up when the disbelievers around me told me my efforts would never pay off, the stars aligned.

Since it’s been officially announced in Publishers Marketplace, I can finally let you all in on the news I’ve been dying to share – we’re writing a cookbook! And by we I mean me and Garrett McCord of Vanilla Garlic, my BBFF (Best Blogging Friend Forever, a term I totally stole from him). Garrett and I came up with a unique idea together, worked for months on crafting a solid book proposal, and then with the help of a very generous writer friend, landed a incredibly knowledgable agent. She, in turn, found a handful of publishers that were just as excited about the topic as we were. In the end, we signed with Little, Brown and Company.

Due out in 2013, Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese will present a variety of macaroni recipes using artisan, farmstead cheeses that take this classic dish to an entirely new level. Our goal with the book is to give these small-production cheeses a few moments in the spotlight, with only a few other ingredients to compliment their flavor and texture. Melt will present a modern, distinctive approach to the art of mac and cheese, encouraging readers to think outside of the blue box and take the leap into cooking with cheese varieties they may have only encountered on cheese plates.

Check out Garrett’s post sharing the good news here.

And, to make it even more special, the book will be packed with photos of gorgeous macaroni and cheese, taken by the incomparably talented Matt Armendariz and Adam Pearson. I can’t tell you how excited I am to work with Matt and Adam on this project – as both friends and culinary artists, they’ve been a huge inspiration in my life. Knowing that our dishes will be interpreted through their artistic vision seals my faith in the success of this project. We’re going to need extra-heavy paper to stand up to people licking the pages!

Want to get involved?

It’s going to be a crazy year while Garrett and I write and test recipes, and that’s where we need your help. We need a team of recipe testers to help us make this book the best it can possibly be! We’re looking for testers of all skill levels – remember, the goal is to make sure these dishes work for everyone – so if you’re interested in recipe testing, regardless of your skill level, please comment here and we’ll add you to the recipe testing list. We can’t pay you or reimburse for recipe testing expenses, but we’ll most definitely thank you by name in the book’s acknowledgement section, and you’ll get a sneak preview into the world of cooking with amazing artisan cheeses. Plus, you’ll earn our undying gratitude.

For more information, e-mail me and Garrett at meltrecipetesters@gmail.com.

More from Garrett and I:

• Garrett: How to Make Mint Tea
• Me: Crème Fraîche Stuffed Asian Pears with Cinnamon
• Garrett: Mahon Mac & Cheese with Zucchini and Chili Oil
• Me: La Tur Macaroni and Cheese with Nectarines and Fig Jam