What a joy it was to take part in the grand opening celebration of the beautiful new Barnes & Noble at Southpark Meadows in South Austin, Texas! I was honored to be invited by the store’s manager to sign copies of my latest cookbook, The Modern Pioneer Pantry, during the festivities.
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Table of Contents
A Cozy and Welcoming New Store Design
After my live and in-person appearance at KXAN-TV’s Studio 512 on November 6, 2025, I returned to Austin in the late afternoon for my book signing at the grand opening of the B&N store in the Southpark Meadows Shopping Center. What a beautiful store! The new layout is cozy and welcoming—perfect for curling up with a good book (or two!).
The new B&N store features a fresh design that moves away from the traditional straight rows and sharp angles of bookshelves. Instead, the shelves are arranged to create cozy little nooks that invite you to browse, linger, and lose yourself among the books and treasures.
You’ll find more than just books at this new B&N. Their shelves are filled with delightful book-themed gifts—like Jane Austen-inspired bookends—along with toys and games for all ages. I was surprised to see the variety and complexity of LEGO sets targeted toward adults.
If you visit their new store, be sure to stop by the cozy in-store café, where you can enjoy Starbucks beverages and a tempting selection of treats. It’s the perfect spot to relax, sip a warm drink, and flip through the books and other goodies you just discovered.
Connecting with Readers and Fellow Modern Pioneers
Thanks to everyone who stopped by during my book signing to say hello, share hugs, and get their copies of The Modern Pioneer Cookbook and The Modern Pioneer Pantry signed. Meeting so many of you in person and hearing how these recipes have found their way into your kitchens means the world to me. There’s nothing more rewarding than connecting with such a wonderful community of traditional food lovers!
It was a day filled with friendship, laughter, and heartfelt conversations—and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate the launch of this beautiful new Barnes and Noble store!
Order YOUR COPY Now!
The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
Seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and nourishing recipes. Over 85 traditional, from-scratch recipes! Discover for yourself how you can use simple ingredients and traditional techniques to cook the modern pioneer way.
Order YOUR COPY Now!
The Modern Pioneer Pantry
Simple ingredients, timeless techniques, and a well-stocked pantry. Discover over 100 nourishing recipes to preserve food and turn pantry staples into homemade meals. Build a wholesome, traditional pantry—just like a modern pioneer!
Start Your Traditional Foods Journey
Sharing my passion for traditional cooking goes beyond my YouTube cooking school—it also comes to life in the pages of my cookbooks. Both of my books, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook and The Modern Pioneer Pantry, are proudly published by Penguin Random House.
The first is filled with time-honored recipes to help you create a traditional foods kitchen, while the second is your complete guide to home food preservation. Order both books today to start or continue your traditional foods journey.
Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List
For an extensive list of the traditional foods you can make and purchase to stock your pantry, be sure to download my free 36-page Traditional Foods Pantry List. This comprehensive eBook is full of links to recipe videos, helpful articles, and more!
Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
Are you looking for more traditional foods videos? If so, I invite you to join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy. Members of this optional paid YouTube community get access to exclusive videos and other members-only perks. Plus, your YouTube comments include a special members-only badge.
Kitchen Academy Videos
How to Make Oatmeal Higher in Protein (The Old-Fashioned Way)
Turn simple oats into a hearty, protein-rich porridge.
The Only Traditional Recipes You’ll Ever Need!
Focus on traditional recipes with real food. Don’t chase trends.
Let’s Talk Akkermansia: A Tiny Helper for Big Gut Health
Discover how Akkermansia muciniphila supports gut and immune health—and how traditional foods help this mighty microbe thrive.
Stay in Touch with Mary’s Nest
- Subscribe to My YouTube Channel for Traditional Foods Videos (Free) - When you subscribe, be sure to click on the notification bell that will let you know each time I upload a new video.
- Subscribe to Mary’s Traditional Foods Newsletter (Free) - Get a free 36-page eBook for signing up: How to Stock Your Essential Traditional Foods Four-Corners Pantry.
- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy - For more detailed videos and exclusive members-only perks, join my YouTube membership community.
- Order The Modern Pioneer Cookbook - Get a hardcover book of Mary's nourishing recipes from a Traditional Foods Kitchen. This bestselling cookbook is published by Penguin Random House with their DK imprint.
- Order The Modern Pioneer Pantry - Get Mary's latest hardcover cookbook about preserving food and making delicious meals from your Four Corners Pantry. Mary's second cookbook is also published by Penguin Random House.
I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!
Shop for My Favorite Items
Favorite Kitchen Supplies
- Favorite Aprons
- Spice Grinder
- Countertop Burner (On my kitchen island in many recipe videos.)
- Handheld Vacuum Sealing System
- Vacuum Lids
- Whisk
- Silica Gel Packets (Helps keep moisture from building up in your mix)
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- 8-Quart Slow-Cooker
- Fat Separator (Clever kitchen device to help you decant bone broth)
- Flour Sack Towels
- pH Strips (Helps you check on the acidity of your vinegar)
Amazon Shop and Shopping Guide
- Visit Mary’s Nest Amazon Shop
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- Visit my Shopping Guide page
Get up to 15% off for stocking your Traditional Foods Pantry and equipping your Modern Pioneer Kitchen, including discounts from US Wellness Meats, Farmhouse Teas, Backwoods Home, Masontops, Cultures for Health, Survival Garden Seeds, Redmond Real Salt, and More!
