Cynthia Nims

While already an accomplished cookbook author, La Varenne graduate Cynthia Nims is now serious about eBooks. She recently published seven, yes seven, different eCookbooks for Kindle. One series features three iconic Pacific Northwest foods: Salmon, Crab and Wild Mushrooms. Each book celebrates the featured ingredient, provides resources for local sourcing and includes ten different recipes as well as cooking tips. Other titles in her eBook series include Breakfast, Appetizers, Main Courses and Soups, Salads & Sandwiches. These “course” eBooks cover about twenty five recipes each.

Cynthia has another digital side, this one multi-media style: her courses on Craftsy. If you don’t yet know Craftsy, it’s a rapidly growing website that provides educational videos and courses for – you guessed it – all things to do with crafts. They started squarely in the knitting and sewing realm and have now expanded into gardening and cooking. One of Cynthia’s courses entitled “French Home Cooking: The Essential Techniques” demystifies the key French cooking techniques and classic recipes that channel the flavors of France. So far, more than 1,000 students have enrolled in her course. It delivers the goods!

In her other Craftsy class, “Homemade Salty Snacks,” Cynthia guides us through more than a dozen salty snacks. Her popular Mustard Soft Pretzel recipe was featured in a piece for Woman’s Day magazine. Click on the recipe title for step-by-step photos on how to make the treat, and there you’ll also find a special offer on Cynthia’s Salty Snacks class along with access to six other short cooking classes for free. Cooking school at the click of a button!

If Cynthia’s work strikes your fancy, you should check out her charming and educational blog, Mon Appétit. It features a wealth of interesting posts, recipes and stories. – Anne