The first 2 years of the COVID pandemic didn’t just put our collective health at risk, it made us feel alone. Many tried to cope with those feelings of isolation by turning to food and cooking – something advertising and branding agency Mythology celebrated in this beautiful hardcover coffee table book. Inside, Mythology staff reveal the secrets behind 47 of their family recipes. And true to the agency’s name, this client gift also puts a powerful piece of mythology front and center.
Looking for the all the world like a book of magic spells, “No One to Pass the Peas,” designed by Mythology and produced by our good friends at DataGraphic [projects / website], is even more impressive in person than it appears here.
For starters, the cover is comprised of 90 lb. Colorplan Bright Red Text wrapped around 5 sheets of 130 lb. Neenah Classic Crest Red Pepper Cover stock for a luscious, ultra-thick cover. The title was blind debossed so deeply on the front cover that the bevels created by this offer up a blend of light and shadow within the letters that shift as you move the book.
Which brings us to the crowning glory of this piece – an exquisite, spoon-shaped die cut that not only goes through that super-thick cover, but also all the interior pages as well! Inside this well rests a custom made, intricately detailed cast bronze spoon fashioned to resemble the New York City agency’s iconic, griffin-like mascot.
The die cut spoon shape in the cover of the book is a touch smaller than the one in the text block, ensuring that the spoon itself stays within the actual book. While the spoon is heavy and thick, it is no match for this book. To ensure it sits at just the right height to catch the eye, the wizards at DataGraphic built a spoon-shaped platform made up of 20 sheets of Neenah Classic Crest Red Pepper Cover stock on the inside back cover where it can rest.
The inside pages, 216 in all, are digitally printed CMYK on 100 lb. Mohawk Via Cream White Vellum Cover, and feature a full typographic spread for the title of each dish, and a separate one for ingredients and directions – all brought to life with custom illustrations.
The deep debossed impression, precise die cutting, and that unforgettable spoon all come together so perfectly, it’s hard not to think that this might be one of the most beautiful things to come out of the dark, lonely days of COVID. Now someone pass the peas, please 🙂
