From Recipe Cards to Community Tables
“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” -Ruth Reichl
There’s something deeply personal about a handwritten recipe. The worn edges of an index card. The smudges of butter and time. The small notes in the margins - “add more sugar,” “your grandma’s favorite,” “don’t forget to stir.”
Ashley Russell’s What’s Cooking Good Looking is more than a cookbook, it’s an archive of memory, a celebration of matriarchy, and a reminder that nourishment comes in many forms.
A Cookbook Rooted in Love & Loss
The creation of What’s Cooking Good Looking began with three powerful sentiments: the heartbreak of losing Ashley’s grandmother, the urgency to preserve her recipes before another holiday season passed and the desire to create the kind of cookbook she couldn’t quite find on shelves. What emerged is something truly special.
This collection spans four generations. Tracing recipes from Texas farmlands during the Great Depression, through the whimsical “dessert salad” era of the 1970s, all the way to the modern Pacific Northwest. It’s a century of cooking shaped by handwritten letters, potluck conversations, grocery store magazines and evolving kitchens - from double boilers to microwaves, from four cups of sugar to gluten-free swaps.
It’s nostalgic without being stuck in the past. Personal without being exclusive. It’s an invitation. “Let’s go get a bite.”
Nourishment, Redefined
At its core, What’s Cooking Good Lookingis about nourishment. Not just the kind that fills your plate, but the kind that fills your life. And that idea is exactly what inspired Ashley’s upcoming Mother’s Day celebration at Artifact.
“My grandma was like a second mom to me,” Ashley shares. “Celebrating Mother’s Day on behalf of WCGL is a way to honor my mom, her mom, and all of the moms who helped shape this book and my life.”
But this isn’t a traditional Mother’s Day event. It’s expansive. Inclusive. Open. Just like Artifact.
A celebration for anyone who has been a mom, had a mom, lost a mom, chosen a mom or simply felt cared for in that deeply human way. Whether that love came from a parent, a friend, a mentor… or even a four-legged companion.
All Mamas Celebration
Join us at Artifact on Sunday, May 10th from 12pm-4pm, for an afternoon rooted in community, nostalgia and celebration. Inspired by the spirit of What’s Cooking Good Looking, this Mother’s Day event is designed to feel welcoming and playful, honoring all the ways “mom” shows up in our lives.
Spend the afternoon with us enjoying:
• Baked goods inspired by the cookbook
• Tattoos by Sad Puppy Tattoo
• Fresh bouquets from Overlook Floral Co.
• A community raffle benefiting Kathy’s Place
Raffle tickets are $5, with three winners receiving a curated collection of prizes including a $200 Artifact gift card, a signed cookbook and artwork from Sad Puppy Tattoo.
Come by, stay awhile and celebrate the many forms of care, connection, and nourishment that shape us.
Where to find the book
If you can’t make the event (or want to dive in sooner), What’s Cooking Good Looking is available at several beloved Portland shops:
You can also explore more from Ashley online:
Ashley & Grandma Wanda
Ashley & Grandma Wanda
What's Cooking Good Looking
What's Cooking Good Looking
