Welcome to the new Gourmet Gab!

When I first started this blog, my dream was to have a watercolor logo of the inside of a fruit or vegetable. It is so amazing to see it come to fruition – almost seven years later. Produce to me is such a beautiful wonder. You’ll often find me walking around a farmer’s market admiring the colorful fruits and veggies or staring at the detailed intricacies of the flesh when I cut into it. The logos I have had on Gourmet Gab over time have always been centered around the beauty of produce, but were not uniquely me yet, not perfectly Gab.

A few months ago I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and saw one of my favorite local Phoenix artists, Paige Poppe, post a photo of a watercolor lime. I had been pondering the thought of a new Gourmet Gab logo for about a year, but was waiting for the right time to make an investment and commitment. When I saw Paige’s Instagram I knew it was the time and that she was the one I wanted to work with.

Paige and I have been spending months talking through my ideas, her sketches and paintings of the perfect logo. We first met for coffee in Scottsdale in November and have been emailing back and forth ever since. I wanted the new brand to be simple, happy and dainty. An logo that makes you happy when you see it and reflects my philosophy in the kitchen. It’s incredible the amount of time it takes to assemble something so simple. Paige worked diligently, always open to my thoughts and ready to collaborate.

While I new I wanted a lemon as the icon, Paige helped me take something common and make it feel uniquely my brand. It’s simple, sophisticated and cheerful. The swirl of Gab in my handwriting feels like it’s almost dancing in between the wedges of the lemon. The yellow is warm, encouraging you to join in the kitchen and zest up your cooking.

So, why the lemon? First of all, lemons are happy. They are a simple, but gourmet way to take a recipe to the next level. With one squeeze of a lemon, a dish goes from average to just right. They also remind me of my Dad and my Abuela Mia. The sour oranges we use in Cuban cooking often are a lighter flesh on the inside – not nearly as vivid as a traditional orange. I wanted to pay tribute to my Dad and Mia so I could always think about them as so many of my special memories in the kitchen include them.

Last night, a handful of girlfriends came over to celebrate with me. I love that I can always count on my roommate, Danielle, to want to throw a spontaneous party about any little thing. We had a couple of glasses of champagne and cheers to the new chapter. The girls were so excited (squealing!) to hear that soon I’ll be offering Gourmet Gab items with the new logo. I think you’ll be so excited to see the items, too.

Kicking off the new year with this brand reveal makes me so excited to see what the rest of the year will hold. It truly has been incredible building this community around food through Gourmet Gab. Whether you’ve been reading the blog, following on Instagram or watching on Snapchat for days or years, I am grateful to have you here.

I can’t wait to hear what you think of the new brand! Please comment below, share the post on social media or comment on Instagram. And thanks for celebrating with me today!

Love food. Love self. Love life.

Photos by Brooke Marcella Photography.