We Fancy - by Jerrelle Guy (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A Food & Wine Best Cookbook of Winter 2026

From beloved food writer and author of the James Beard Award finalist Black Girl Baking comes a joyous cookbook that transforms everyday meals into something special and unexpected with just a few simple flourishes.

Fanciness is a mindset. It's realizing that you can make everyday food feel special using what you likely already have on hand. It's about seeing the act of cooking not just as another thing to do, but as a nourishing ritual to help ease away the day's stress.

In We Fancy, Jerrelle Guy teaches you how to use pantry staples like canned beans, crackers, or a pint of vanilla ice cream, and tools like sheet pans and your air fryer, to transform typical weeknight dinners into something easy but memorable. Think: Nearly Instantaneous Risotto made with black or roasted garlic, Double-Stacked Black Bean Burgers smashed with tortilla chips, Artichokes in the Perfect Butter Wine Sauce, and Olive Oil Brownie Pudding covered with chopped nuts.

We Fancy shows that cooking is both a creative and a practical act, and in these pages with beautiful and wise writing that is meant to heal, guide and inspire, Jerrelle gives us new recipes and reasons to look forward to dinner.

Review Quotes

"Guy manages to make dishes feel special without complicating them... We Fancy is so much more than a compilation of recipes. For Guy, it's an emotional return to cooking and caring for herself." -ALLRECIPES

"In 'We Fancy, ' Jerrelle Guy elevates recipes with simple ingredients"--The Berkshire Eagle

"Technically, this title already came out this February, but we're including it in this spring round-up because it's too good for folks to miss. We Fancy is the latest from Jerrelle Guy, the Dallas-based author of the James Beard Award finalist Black Girl Baking. The premise of her new book is that "fancy" doesn't have to be expensive, time-consuming, or hard. Her "Nearly Instantaneous Risotto," for example, delivers restaurant-level elegance without all the stirring or stress. If you want dining in to feel special while using pantry staples to get there, then this is for you." --Southern Living

"Gorgeous... Jerrelle is the kind of recipe writer who knows that fancy doesn't need to be complicated... When she says you can do this -- in less than 30 minutes, no less -- you can trust her." --Cup of Jo

"[We Fancy] is an ode to embracing the simple twists that can level up meals to extraordinary heights... [this book] is sure to appeal to anyone who's willing to take a fancy sideroad." --Chris Morocco, food director

"We Fancy is a new book for new times--it is playful, optimistic, and utterly delicious--like a dinner party I never want to leave, with Jerrelle Guy as our consummate host. There is a world of flavor and joy in these pages." --Sarah Copeland, author of Feast, Every day is Saturday and Instant Family Meals

"[This] book will make you feel fabulous. Guy turns pantry staples into dazzling meals to remind us that "fancy" is a mindset. We recommend her "nearly instantaneous" risotto, artichokes in the perfect butter-wine sauce, and olive-oil brownie pudding topped with chopped nuts." --Katie Couric Media

"An original and imaginative book" --Nigella Lawson

"Jerrelle shares a personal story that many will relate to, inviting readers to discover a new way to savor everyday moments. She presents a variety of recipes that are fun, comforting, modern, and accessible--even for novice cooks. In a noisy world, We Fancy helps us find joy within our homes." --Neha Ruch, USA TODAY Bestselling Author of THE POWER PAUSE

"Jerrelle's definition of "fancy" is fantastic! It does not require fancy ingredients, tools, parties, or any of the other conventionalities like that, rather it's a state of mind that you can access with what you have to make the everyday task of cooking dinner more magical. This book is as much a self improvement book as it is a cookbook and it will leave you feeling deeply inspired in a way that's not just good for your belly, but also good for your soul." --Molly Yeh, New York Times bestselling author and Food Network host

"We Fancy is a book for this moment... Jerrelle reminds us that the foundation of a nourishing and happy life begins with how we feed ourselves. We Fancy offers a blueprint for reimagining your life and appreciating what you already have--starting in the kitchen. One of the many things I love about this cookbook is Jerrelle's emphasis on imagination and play while cooking. I'm excited to use these vibrant recipes to add more sparkle into my life!"--Klancy Miller, Author of For the Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food

"For anyone struggling with burnout or just in need of a new outlook, Jerrelle Guy beckons us to turn inward, slow down, and revel in cooking without expectations or limits. With Jerrelle's own mind set free, she guides us down the rabbit hole to a wonderland of glittery mocktails and towering avocado deviled eggs, sticky maple-glazed salmon and shattering brûléed yogurt--dishes that are equal parts self-care, unbridled creativity, and profound deliciousness, all plated fancily, not for lavish parties, but for us." --Kristen Miglore, author of Food52's Genius Recipes cookbook series

About the Author

Jerrelle Guy is an award-winning author and celebrated food photographer. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she received her master's in gastronomy from Boston University. Jerrelle is the author of Black Girl Baking, which was a finalist for a James Beard Award. She lives in Dallas with her family and writes her newsletter, The Dinner Ritual, where she encourages readers to ground themselves and heal through cooking. Visit her online and on Instagram at ChocolateforBasil.com.