A Mini Film For YOU!!! (and How To Launch A Book in a Pandemic)

Video: Josh + Keturah Bishop, A Window In a Tunnel

If 2020 has taught us anything, it has been a lesson on hope, community, creative courage, and compassion. With all the pain we felt with lives and jobs lost, racial uprisings, tornadoes, bombings, and trauma — I still found small moments of hope. I believe it is important to celebrate and communicate what we accomplished this year during what felt like an impossible time. 

What were these moments for you? What did your moments of joy look like?

For me, I published a book in the middle of a global pandemic. I documented this for you since we were unable to physically be together, but remained connected regardless of a canceled book tour. I want this minidocumentary to serve as an expansive reminder of how resilient we are. Save it and refer back to it when you, yourself need to be reminded of your innate gifts and the community you have around you. I will look back at this moment in time with pride and resilience, and have it serve me as a wellspring of courage for future moments. How we take up space and the change we want to see in the world starts with us and comes from within.

Looking back, I wrote this book for this specific time in history. It is disguised as a design book but it is actually so much more. My images, my words, our conversations are meant to challenge old beliefs. This is a book grounded in cultural change, where we humanize and honor our differences through the lens of creativity. This book is for you, and I hope it inspires more creative courage, more hope, and more community in your own life. 

A special thank you to my team that believed in me and worked hard to support this vision and project. Enjoy, and let this video serve as a connection point to the community we’re building together!

For the holidays, I am offering signed and personalized copies of THE NEW SOUTHERN STYLE that may be purchased through our local Nashville book store, Parnassus Books. They ship nationally and this is the perfect gift that will reconnect you to your creative power and cultivate the strength of community. This is a gift that keeps giving.

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Alyssa’s debut Coffee Table book, The New Southern, Out now via Abrams!

The New Southern | Grabbing Life By the Meatballs + Holiday Meal Prep

The New Southern is a movement grounded in cultural change where we are honoring and humanizing our differences through the lens of creativity. Today, lets honor a little comfort food that is great for the weekends or a holiday show stopper. This is a casual meal that goes beautifully with Austin Hope or Daou (Two of my favorite cabs) when we are entertaining guests. My mom spent the holdays with us a few years ago and to have her in my kitchen helping me cook was a gift (See the video). We laughed, we cried, we honored the moments that marinated with old family recipes. Growing up with both parents having diverse cultural backgrounds, our common ground in celebrating life and love was and is through food… so from my home to yours…. I am sending you health, happiness, connection and much love through this meal.

RECIPE | HERE’s TO Grabbing Life By the MEATBALLS!

(Serves arounD 4-6)

1 lb Ground Beef (I use 90% lean)
1/2 lb Ground VEAL
1/2 lb Ground Pork
1 White Onion (Finely Chopped)
2 Large Eggs
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon of Minced Garlic
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 teaspoon Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup Milk (I use skim, but any is fine)
1 1/2 cups Bread Crumbs
1 cup Finely Grated Parmesan
1 cup of Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 lb Spaghetti or Penne
4 Jars RAO’s Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce

1. In a large glass mixing bowl whisk together the Eggs, Milk, Chopped Onion, Oregano, Garlic, Thyme, Salt, Pepper, Parmesan, Chopped Parsley and Bread Crumbs. Loosely stir the mixture and then add all the meat (Beef, Lamb, Pork) . With your hands, knead the meat and the mixture until it is evenly consistent and all combined.

2. With Extra Virgin Olive Oil evenly coat the bottom of the skillet (quarter of an inch) on medium to hight heat. Roll the meatballs into golfball sizes and fill the skillet. We want to sear the sides and get them golden brown. The meatballs won’t be cooked all the way through and we will bake them next.

3. Take a cookie sheet and cover with tin foil. Place all the meatballs on the cookie sheet. I normally only use one cookie sheet to do this. Turn the oven on bake or convection bake 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

4. While the meatballs are baking, warm up the Rao’s sauce on the stove (I use 3 Jars for this). And, if the meatballs are done… add a few of them to the sauce for extra flavor.

5. Pasta Time!! In a large pot bring water to boil on the stove and add a pinch of salt and some olive oil to the water. Cook pasta until al dente or to your preference and drain in colander. While pasta is draining, take the pasta pot and put it back on the stove over low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 5 tablespoons of sauce. Stir this and then add all the dry pasta to this mixture. Combine pasta and mixture thoroughly.

6. Next, MANGIA and ENJOY!!!

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