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Welcome to Casual Epicure

ca·su·al [ˈkaZHo͞oəl] – not formal; relaxed in style or manner
ep·​i·​cure [ ˈe-pi-ˌkyu̇r] – a person who enjoys high-quality food and drink

With a love for a good bottle of wine and a perfectly cooked steak, while wearing our favorite flip-flops, Casual Epicure focuses on celebrating dishes and made-from-scratch recipes that bring the dining-out experience home.

Using the best ingredients (local when possible) and tried and true cooking techniques. Our recipe inspirations come from our travels, dining out experiences, and beloved family recipes. Our recipes reflect the food we love, the chefs we admire, and our most enjoyable experiences along with hints of our personal style.

We are Jim and Melissa, the husband and wife team behind Casual Epicure.  We are happy you found our little corner of the internet. We love all things food; from cooking and eating to watching culinary series and shows. We love it when others enjoy what we cook and hope that you find a recipe that inspires you.

Meet Melissa

Born in Panama and raised in Texas, Melissa’s earliest memories are helping her Nana in the kitchen making everything from pies and Thanksgiving cornbread dressing to biscuits and gravy. She made her first batch of not-so-tasty cinnamon rolls at age 8 and has been baking or cooking ever since. As one-half of Casual Epicure, Melissa is the food photographer and editor, website manager guru, and recipe developer. Drawing on her experience as an eater and a cook, she is inspired by dining out, experimenting with ingredient pairings, and watching culinary television series like Top Chef.

Meet Jim

Jim had a picturesque childhood, born in the Bay Area of California, then spent five years in Switzerland. At age 8 his family moved to Michigan and his mom strived to recreate the fabulous food from those formative years. Jim took to cooking early and continued to expand his palette through college and his twenties. He’s spent the better part of three decades in Texas – split between Austin and San Antonio – and has come to appreciate authentic Mexican cuisine and good ‘ol fashioned Texas barbecue. He is heavily involved in recipe research and development, writing and editing posts, and helping with food styling and creative direction for the blog.

FAQ

Can I substitute an ingredient?

For the best results, we recommend using the specific ingredients listed in the recipe whenever possible. While you may have dietary restrictions or simply do not have a particular ingredient on hand, please remember that substituting an ingredient might change the taste or quality of the dish.  We do include substitutes within most recipes to assist with finding alternative ingredients.

I tried one of your recipes and it didn’t work. what did I do wrong?

First, thank you for trying one of our recipes. Our intent is always to create a recipe that works for everyone. However, cooking is a science and so many things can affect the outcome of a recipe, such as your oven or stove, the brand of ingredients, and even the climate and temperature of your location.  If this does happen, please email us at casualepicurefoodblog@gmail.com and we can troubleshoot together.

Do you have the nutrition information for your recipes?

You can find the nutrition information for every recipe at the bottom of the recipe card. Please keep in mind that the nutrition information provided is an estimate and the information will vary depending on the brand of products used as well as other factors such as exact quantities and substitutions. For additional information, please see our Nutritional Disclaimer.

Can we work together?

Yes! As food photographers and bloggers, we are always excited about creative collaborations, photography opportunities, brand ambassadorship, and recipe development. If you are interested in working together, contact us at casualepicurefoodblog@gmail.com.

May I use your photo on my website/blog?

All of the content and photography on this website are owned by us (unless otherwise specified) and are copyrighted material. If you’re looking to feature a recipe as part of a round-up post you are more than welcome to share ONE photograph, but it must be credited and properly back-linked to the appropriate recipe URL using a do-follow link. We ask that you send us an email letting us know that you included one of our recipes so that we can help promote the post.  Please email us at casualepicurefoodblog@gmail.com if you wish to share an image for any content designed to promote other brands, etc. (ie. brand-sponsored content, etc.) so that we can create the appropriate licensing agreement. We do not permit the reprint of recipes in full on other websites and are copyrighted material. They may not be published elsewhere without our written permission. Feel free to email us at casualepicurefoodblog@gmail.com if you have any specific questions or requests or if none of your questions are addressed above.

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