Robyn Chubey's Gather Together Cookbook Showcases Seasonal Spring Recipes
Robyn Chubey, an author, professional photographer, and creative director of Prairie Glow Acres in East St. Paul, Manitoba, has released her debut cookbook titled Gather Together: Delightful Décor and Simple Recipes for Every Occasion. The book, published by Rock Point in 2026, emphasizes seasonal food, gardening, décor, and crafts, offering ideas for gatherings throughout the year. For Easter and spring celebrations, Chubey highlights three standout recipes: rhubarb coffee-cake streusel muffins, mustard caviar egg bites, and garden quiche.
From Winnipeg Plant Stands to Farm Life
Chubey's culinary philosophy is deeply rooted in her upbringing in Winnipeg during the 1980s and 1990s. Her family operated a plant stand in parking lots and strip malls, where she worked from Mother's Day until the end of June each year until she was nearly 30. This experience taught her about bedding plants, vegetables, and gardening techniques, even before she had her own garden. "It was this crazy two-month period where you just sold plants in a parking lot," Chubey recalls with a laugh. "I learned all about bedding plants, vegetables, how to grow, how to plant, and I sold. I would be telling people from when I was a teenager, like a kid, 'Oh, buy this. This is for the sun,' before I ever even had a garden."
Seasonal Eating and Family Traditions
Eating with the seasons is a cornerstone of Gather Together, reflecting Chubey's childhood. Her parents farmed on family land and rented fields, growing a wide variety of vegetables that her father sold to local grocers and specialty shops. Both parents were avid cooks, filling their cold room with preserved goods like pickles, jams, jellies, potatoes, and onions. As a child, Chubey often helped with the harvest, though she didn't always enjoy it. "When you're a kid, of course, it's awful. You're like, 'I'll never do this. I'll never garden. I hate this. How could they?' And then, I don't know what changes. Your brain finishes developing, and suddenly you're like, 'I think I need to store and preserve all my potatoes and my onions because that was pretty nice,'" she explains.
Recipes for Connection and Celebration
Chubey believes that food is a powerful tool for connecting people. "Food is such an important thing to connect people. When you cook, and you eat as a family, and you eat with your friends, and you entertain, it's this really beautiful thing that I don't think you notice until you're older. Then you realize, there's nothing as good as a great meal and sitting with your people and connecting over that, the whole process of it. And for me, that starts from the growing, to the picking, the harvesting, to the processing, to the using it later," she says. Her cookbook aims to inspire readers to embrace this holistic approach, with recipes designed for occasions like Easter brunch.
Spring Recipes to Try
The three Easter recipes featured in Gather Together are perfect for a springtime gathering:
- Rhubarb Coffee-Cake Streusel Muffins: A sweet and tangy treat that combines fresh rhubarb with a crumbly streusel topping, ideal for breakfast or dessert.
- Mustard Caviar Egg Bites: Savory bites made with eggs and a mustard caviar blend, offering a unique and flavorful twist on traditional egg dishes.
- Garden Quiche: A hearty quiche packed with seasonal vegetables, showcasing the bounty of spring produce.
Chubey's passion for growing her own produce continues to inspire her cooking. At the time of an interview in March, she was still enjoying last year's carrots, cabbage, onions, and potatoes, stored properly to maintain freshness. "One day you're young and fun, and the next day you're excited about having fresh carrots," she jokes, highlighting the joy of seasonal eating. Through Gather Together, Chubey invites readers to explore the delights of cooking with fresh, homegrown ingredients and to create memorable meals for every occasion.
