The 'Napoleon Dynamite' star, older sister of singer-actress Hilary, revealed she got the urge to gather her own favourite dishes after reading through her great-grandmother's notes and recipes, reported Contactmusic.
The 28-year-old, who also has her online cooking blog, said, "My dad gave me my great-grandmother's cookbook... I found so much inspiration in it. It had personal letters from people she had met in her travels and handwritten recipes that were passed down through my family.
"I found a letter she wrote to a man who was a cafe owner in New Orleans asking how to best prepare the perfect cup of coffee in a French press. And he took the time to write her a very detailed response. I thought it was so wonderful - and that's what I wanted my book to feel like, that letter."