Today we welcome this weeks Guest Blogger, Daniella Germain! Daniella's first recipe book, My Abuela's Table, has just been published and today she is sharing how that all came about. During the rest of the week Daniella will be featuring recipes for Mexican celebrations - YUM! We also have 3 copies of Daniella's book to give away - leave a comment on any of Daniella's posts before 10.00pm Thursday to be in the draw to win! - Jenny x

Late last year, I was in my final semester of my Communication Design degree at RMIT. My career was heading toward illustration as I couldn't think of a better way to spend my working days. However, I chose to do a publication elective as my final major, as I thought I could somehow merge illustration work within a publication subject. Boy, am I glad I took that elective!

On the left is the original book submitted for my course; On the right is the published version!

The brief was to create a 64 page book. Five years prior, my Mum had passed down my Abuela's (Mexican grandmother) recipes which my Mum had written down as a young girl. I thought this was a perfect opportunity to collate her recipes, and as an illustrator, I decided to illustrate the whole book, food and all.

It was a stroke of luck that my book fell into the hands of Hardie Grant’s MD Julie Pinkham, after she had been asked to judge our final student folios at the end of the year. Julie noticed my book and asked me to come in for a chat with her and one of HG’s food editors. I really didn’t think much of it when they asked to hang on to My Abuela’s Table (my book). I was just over the moon to have been offered some freelance illustration work at the time. However, six weeks later I was offered a book deal for My Abuela’s Table.

It’s been a crazy ride, but here is my book. I hope you enjoy my week of guest blogging where I will be sharing recipes from my book and lessons on Mexican traditions and celebrations – all to do with food of course!

- Daniella x