by Jackie Alpers | May 26, 2025
My image illustrating the “Kringle 3000 Hot Dog” recipe from my Unofficial Elf Cookbook has been selected for inclusion in the American Photography 41 book!!
These loaded hot dogs were inspired by Santa’s sleigh, powered by the mighty Kringle 3000 engine, that Santa relies on for his epic trek across the globe in the movie “Elf”.
Thank you to the staff and judges at AP-AI, and to the amazing team at Media Lab Books who trusted me to write and photograph The Unofficial Elf Cookbook.
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 3, 2025
Two images by Jackie Alpers are commended in the 2025 World Food Photography Awards in the Food Influencer and the Cream of the Crop categories
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 31, 2024
The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook by Jackie Alpers shortlisted for the Communication Arts Photography Annual.
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 19, 2024
That time in 2009 when I got to make a book cover with the infamous Chip Kidd for Knopf is now immortalized on Wikipedia.
by Jackie Alpers | Sep 23, 2023
The Wall Street Journal asked cooking expert Jackie Alpers to weigh in on The Best Dutch Ovens for Every Type of Home Chef.
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 21, 2023
Taste of Tucson author Jackie Alpers talks breakfast tacos with Casey Barber at CNN Health
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 1, 2023
The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by the Dutton Family Ranch by Jackie Alpers
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 16, 2023
Jackie Alpers named best cookbook photographer (USA) in the LUX magazine global excellence awards.
by Jackie Alpers | Sep 18, 2022
Magazine article profiling cookbook author Jackie Alpers the 40th anniversary edition of Tucson Guide Magazine.
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 17, 2022
Jackie Alpers is a two time winner of the Taste Photography Award from the Academy of Media Tastemakers, “The Oscars of Food Media”.
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 9, 2022
Jackie Alpers is the author and photographer of the magazine article Womens’ Work.
by Jackie Alpers | Nov 20, 2021
Jackie Alpers shares tips for making healthier mashed potatoes for a Thanksgiving side dish on Eat This Not That.
by Jackie Alpers | Nov 12, 2021
“Food photography has been taken to new levels by Jackie Alpers. Using a natural light studio, she creates her meals and photographs the food after. Taking photos of food is more than just a passion for her. She loves eating just as much! Check out her cookbook on the Taste of Tucson, which has won multiple awards!”
by Jackie Alpers | Nov 12, 2021
Jackie Alpers discusses the best measuring spoons on Simply Recipes.
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 14, 2021
Two images from Taste of Tucson have been chosen for American Photography 37. Having one of my first food photographs selected for American Photography 23 gave me the confidence to continue pursuing a career as a food photographer way back when, and this award...
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 29, 2021
Two images from my cookbook Taste of Tucson have been nominated in the food photography category of the International Color Awards, the leading international award honoring excellence in color photography.
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 20, 2021
“…its collection of recipes from some of southern Arizona’s favorite spots offers the chance to make the home kitchen a creative place.” Steve Goldstein, host of The Show on NPR
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 6, 2021
The Reading the West Book Awards are sponsored and promoted by the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association. The awards honor the best fiction, non-fiction, and illustrated books for adults and children set in one of the states represented by our...
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 6, 2021
Homey and yet polished, this small gem delivers a flavorful journey through southern Arizona cuisine
by Jackie Alpers | Dec 19, 2020
“A love letter to Tucson and Sonoran food, food photographer Jackie Alpers takes us not only through southern Arizona cuisine, but also to her favorite spots in the Old Pueblo. The book also notes the culinary influence of the Tohono O’odham people on Tucson.
by Jackie Alpers | Dec 15, 2020
Sonoran-Style Recipes Inspired by the Rich Culture of Southern Arizona (West Margin Press, 2020) by Jackie Alpers, shows off the long food history of the Tucson region and the desert transplant’s love of all foods Sonoran. The book begins with a brief history of...
by Jackie Alpers | Dec 1, 2020
Spice up your breakfast with “Taste of Tucson.” Watch me make one of my favorite Sonoran style breakfasts from my Taste of Tucson cookbook live on the nationally syndicated NBC Tampa morning show, Daytime. Click on the image to watch the full...
by Jackie Alpers | Nov 28, 2020
On 15 December 2015, Tucson, Arizona, became the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy designated in the United States, joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The Tucson City of Gastronomy (TCoG) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a board of directors...
by Jackie Alpers | Oct 27, 2020
Award winning food photography for the Taste of Tucson Cookbook by Jackie Alpers.
by Jackie Alpers | Oct 5, 2020
“Molletes are just these beautiful, open-faced Mexican sandwiches with slathered on ingredients on a roll with hot sauce on top and a fried egg,” Stevens says. “The recipe comes from Jackie Alpers’ new cookbook, Taste of Tucson. It was exciting to put something out there and showcase some of the work that writers like Jackie are doing during the pandemic.” – Ashlie Stevens for Forbes.com.
by Jackie Alpers | Jul 22, 2020
“A vegetarian taco recipe from Jackie Alpers, author of the Taste of Tucson cookbooks is featured on CNN. There are some great ideas for incorporating more #vegetarian meals to your life.” Thank you to the fabulous writer and...
by Jackie Alpers | Jul 5, 2020
“Now more than ever, cookbooks are a way to experience regional cuisines from the comfort of home,” said Alpers. “People are doing a lot of armchair traveling these days and cookbooks are a big part of that. People can read up, then get up and into the kitchen, no...
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 27, 2020
The Amazon Kindle version of Taste of Tucson: Sonoran-Style Recipes has been released and is already the #1 new release in American Southwest Cooking!
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 17, 2020
It has been an extremely challenging and emotionally charged time to release a cookbook, so I can’t stress enough how much it means to me that EatYourBooks circled around and gave Taste of Tucson some love.
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 12, 2020
Taste of Tucson news and press. Taste of Tucson: Sonoran Style Recipes Inspired by the Rich Culture of Southern Arizona by Jackie Alpers is featured in the article Five Arizona Cookbooks you should know. Link to full article included.
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 5, 2020
“We talk about Jackie’s belief that writing and photographing a cookbook is an inclusive process, along with her experiences as a full-time food photographer, and her ultimate desire to write her own cookbooks, which culminated in two books, one called Sprinkles: Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts which explores the science of sprinkles (Sprinkology!), shares crafty methods for sprinkling, and offers a comprehensive guide to identifying and cooking with them and her most recent book published in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic – Taste of Tucson.”
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 24, 2020
I loved chatting with Andi Berlin about Taste of Tucson: Sonoran-Style Recipes for this wonderful article in the Arizona Daily Star. She included the recipe for menudo that Teresa’s Mosaic Cafe graciously gave me to include in the book. Read the full article.
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 19, 2020
Listen to Jackie Alpers author of Taste of Tucson Radio Interview on Wake Up, Tucson! with Chris DeSimone. Recorded March 19, 2020.
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 16, 2020
Jackie Alpers was nominated in the food photography category of the 2020 International Photography Awards for my photo, Pate Bite With Basil
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 17, 2020
I am thrilled to announce that my next cookbook, Taste of Tucson is available for preorder. The recipes are inspired by the ever-evolving Sonoran style regional cuisine that my home in Southern Arizona is famous for.
by Jackie Alpers | Oct 6, 2019
My updated Food Network guide to what and where to eat in Phoenix. Go beyond the cowboy steaks and traditional Mexican fare that are often associated with Phoenix and celebrate the city with these dishes inspired by international cuisines, as well as local trends and...
by Jackie Alpers | Aug 7, 2019
by Jackie Alpers for the Food Network Your guacamole will need to find a new bowl this year. Our twist on the traditional savory snack stadium shines the spotlight on dessert. I built this over-the-top snack stadium made with all kinds of sweets. Read all about it at...
by Jackie Alpers | Aug 7, 2019
Tucson, Arizona America’s best food cities for travelers on a budget It may not have made front-page news in America’s biggest cities, but Tucson is a big deal in food circles. It was the first city in the United States to be named a Capital of...
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 7, 2019
by Jackie Alpers for the Food Network I found, photographed and wrote about the best Cheap Eats in Phoenix, Arizona. Read all about it at the Food Network.
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 2, 2018
I came up with something rainbow sparkly to inspire kids to want to cook. In this homemade rainbow lollipop project I encourage kids to be creative and to made their own color and flavor choices. They also get to smash candy with hammers, which is a lot of fun. The...
by Jackie Alpers | Oct 13, 2017
Four years later, and the Sprinkles revolution is still going strong! The Food Network asked me to make a how-to video for the Rainbow Layer Cake, one of the most popular recipes from my book, Sprinkles!: Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts. Watch the video...
by Jackie Alpers | Sep 2, 2017
When is a bear not just a bear? When it’s also an eclair. An eclair bear that is! Here’s another one of my fun projects for kids that I’ve been working on with the Food Network. Start with this eclair recipe, then build your bears from there. I show you...
by Jackie Alpers | Nov 20, 2016
I’ve written and photographed a guide on what to eat in Arizona for the Food Network. “Grub in the Grand Canyon State: The Best Things to Eat in Arizona,” features 29 of the the most iconic dishes across the state. Though Arizona is geographically and...
by Jackie Alpers | Nov 18, 2016
I know that a lot of people are concerned with food waste. Here is one little way in which you can reduce it. Save your dough scraps and turn them into one of the recipes that I developed (and photographed ) for my latest article for Food Network, which is...
by Jackie Alpers | Aug 4, 2016
Tucson Lifestyle’s Home & Garden Magazine asked me to develop and photograph recipes featuring corn, beans and squash (AKA The Three Sisters), which are companion plants and staples of Sonoran cuisine. You can check out the full article online starting on...
by Jackie Alpers | Jul 12, 2016
I’m happy to have written and photographed my first feature article for Edible Baja Arizona Magazine that includes a bunch of my super easy summer recipes inspired by Sonoran food classics, including these baked Carne Asada Tostadas with guacamole and pickled red...
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 8, 2016
It’s getting hot out there folks! Get my super easy summertime frozen fruit recipes and see my latest food photographs for Refinery29, including the World’s Easiest One Ingredient Frozen Watermelon Pops. This recipe is also featured on Good Morning...
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 2, 2016
My latest article for Food Network was sponsored by the folks at Lipton Tea, who asked me to come up with some new ways to flavor ice tea. Bold flavors and unique flavor combinations are the new wave of iced teas creations this summer. Here’s how to dress up...
by Jackie Alpers | May 22, 2016
Learn how to eat a cactus. Kathy Gunst was on NPR’s Here & Now on May 19th talking about prickly pear cactus and my recipe for Nopalitos Salad. Listen to the broadcast on the Here & Now website, and get the recipe.
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 8, 2016
Several of my photographs are included in, “Great American Eating Experiences: Local Specialties, Favorite Restaurants, Food Festivals, Diners, Roadside Stands, and More is a guide to favorite local food across the U.S.”, a new book from National...
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 4, 2016
I talked with the fine folks at Natural Awakenings Magazine about food photography, creativity in the kitchen, and healthy eating – Sonoran style. Read all about it here: http://www.naturaltucson.com/TUCS/March-2016/Jackies-Happy-Plate
by Jackie Alpers | Jan 10, 2016
My cookbook, Sprinkles!: Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts has been translated to French! The awesome new French title is, “Desserts multicolores – Recettes et idées pour des desserts colorés et délicieux” (Yeah, I know the photo above is...
by Jackie Alpers | Dec 18, 2015
Nothing says, “It’s party time” like beverages with fancy looking decorated rims! Dip, dunk and swirl your way to a festive holiday celebration with my 10 ideas for decking out your glassware for the holidays. The melting hard candy drink rim pictured uses the...
by Jackie Alpers | Dec 4, 2015
Refinery29 asked me to develop and photograph 10 recipes for comfort foods made with just two ingredients. Pictured above are crispy little appetizers made with only Parmesan cheese and pepperoni. You can see the rest here.
by Jackie Alpers | Sep 1, 2015
My marvelous microwave mug meals in mere minutes. For Refinery29. Pictured above is my photo of a bacon cheeseburger made in a mug in less than 5 minutes! It’s a miracle!
by Jackie Alpers | Aug 18, 2015
by Jackie Alpers for Taste To help us carbo-load for the long trek through the neighborhood every Halloween, my mother would prepare her standard pre-trick-or-treating meal of Kraft’s boxed spaghetti dinner. We loved it. These days, I’ve upgraded the tradition with a...
by Jackie Alpers | Jul 30, 2015
This non-alcoholic version of sangria incorporates grilled fruit for a smoky/spicy summer quencher. The contrast of the grill marks on the colorful fruit make for a stunning visual display, so be sure to serve this in a large glass pitchers or several smaller glass...
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 30, 2015
Sprinkles elevate an everyday dessert like this simple chocolate mousse into something special. Glittery red cinnamon sugar and vanilla mini marshmallow bits add a kick of flavor, while the subtle color of these pretty blue jimmies comes from natural dyes. So sprinkle...
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 24, 2015
Store bought pound-cake was a weeknight dessert staple when I was growing up, and it’s still got a strong presence in the grocery store’s freezer section. What I like best about it is that it’s sturdy, but not too sweet, making it a good base for creative elaboration....
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 20, 2015
by Jackie Alpers for Refinery29 S’more of my multiple microwave mug meals, manageable in mere minutes! Mug Desserts at Refinery29 Mug Breakfasts at Refinery 29 Funfetti Microwave Mug Cake Recipe at The Kitchn
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 18, 2015
Frozen Yogurt Donut Popsicles Are you standing in the middle of a convent store in the middle of the night, or are you perhaps gazing at the leftover remnants of a box of Krispy Creams from your latest work-related breakfast meeting and wondering to yourself, “What...
by Jackie Alpers | May 29, 2015
by Jackie Alpers for The Kitchn “The most creative and inventive snacks are the result of mastering the art of improv” – me quoting me! Read the article I wrote for The Kitchn. The improv snack pictured is a bagel sundae topped with hot fudge,...
by Jackie Alpers | May 27, 2015
12 Unexpected Ways To Top Hot Dogs | By Jackie Alpers for Food Network.com Summer party spreads like picnics and pot lucks are an excellent opportunity to put your creative snacking skills to use and experiment with inventing new and exciting hot dog combinations, or...
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 23, 2015
I am thrilled to be a part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s #GimmeFive challenge to explore healthy living and lifestyle choices. Refinery29 asked me to create 5 easy avocado recipes with 5 ingredients each. Here they...
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 11, 2015
Celebrate Spring with one of my creative pizza ideas, or use them as inspiration for your own unique pie. Read more at the FoodNetwork.com. The pizza above is a chocolate and blueberry breakfast or dessert pizza with lemon mascarpone, sage and edible flowers. Below is...
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 3, 2015
There’s a Peeps extravaganza going on over at the Food Network just in time for Easter. I came up with 8 party ready ideas featuring everyone’s favorite sugar coated marshmallow candy. The Peeps Bunny King cake is shown above. Below...
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 10, 2015
Listen to me talk about food photography and my cookbook, Sprinkles! Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts on NPR! I also make this Lucky Charms Cake on-air to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Here’s the link to the audio and the recipe.
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 16, 2015
How to make candy strawberries out of Red Hots, and 10 other treats to make with the cinnamon candy for Valentine’s Day, or any time you’re in the mood to spice things up a bit. My latest article and food photography for the Food Network.
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 7, 2015
Super easy, family friendly, roasted baby carrots for the Food Network. One of my 14 Tasty Ways to Use Up a Bag of Baby Carrots. Get the recipe and read the rest here.
by Jackie Alpers | Jan 25, 2015
In my latest article for Random House’s TasteBook I share recipes for my favorite Mexican street snacks, including TostiNachos and these Walking Tacos made with Tapatio Doritos. They’re perfect for the Super Bowl, a day when it is perfectly acceptable to...
by Jackie Alpers | Oct 1, 2014
Go beyond the cowboy steaks and traditional Mexican fare – here are my 11 must try dishes that showcase the best food in Phoenix, Arizona, written and photographed for the Food Network.
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 27, 2014
The July, 2014 issue of Tucson Lifestyle Home & Garden Magazine features my photo of a sprinkles dipped ice cream cone. Recipes and photos from my book, Sprinkles!: Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts are featured inside. I am happy to announce...
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 23, 2014
I’m very excited to share P.F. Chang’s new Summer menu with you… because I took all of the photos! http://www.pfchangs.com/fresh_menu/
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 4, 2014
I talked with the San Jose Mercury News about how to build a better birthday cake. http://www.mercurynews.com/food-wine/ci_24989149/build-better-birthday-cake I also did an interview for Bakepedia, written by Lauren Chattman. Here’s the link to the whole Q...
by Jackie Alpers | Dec 27, 2013
I’m thrilled to be a contributing author and photographer to the Food Network’s website. Heres’s a link to my latest articles and my latest photographs of recipes from Food Network Chefs are featured on my Food Photography Pinterest board. Here are a...
by Jackie Alpers | Nov 9, 2013
In celebration of the release of my new book Sprinkles! Recipes & Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts, iVillage has published the recipe for my rainbow layer cake. Click on the photo below for the recipe.
by Jackie Alpers | Oct 5, 2013
The official cookbook trailer video is out!
by Jackie Alpers | May 8, 2013
Sprinkles!: Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts is a fun and kind of weirdly wonderful, whimsical book, and I believe it’s the first cookbook dedicated entirely to the appreciation and understanding of sprinkles. I hope you all love it!
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 25, 2013
My photo of this woman in a white dress holding a glass of white wine is featured in the international publication Foodprint 2013, annual of gastronomy.
by Jackie Alpers | Nov 10, 2012
I’m a guest writer/photographer for heart-stoppingly beautiful new magazine about rural culture, Broadway+Thresher.
by Jackie Alpers | Oct 11, 2012
About a year ago, Rovio Entertainment, inventors of the game Angry Birds, asked me to document the food culture of their famously egg hungry pigs.
by Jackie Alpers | Oct 2, 2012
Jackie Alpers photographs of things that make her happy for Reader’s Digest.
by Jackie Alpers | Sep 24, 2012
I’ve spent quite a bit of time sitting in bars, in the company of both friends and strangers, eating, drinking, talking (sometimes bit too much), and taking photos. I’ve put that experience to use in my latest photos for the feature, “Raising the Bar”. Here’s the cover, table of contents and opening spread.
by Jackie Alpers | Sep 10, 2012
I’ve won an honorable mention in the food photography category of the 2012 International Photography Awards for my photo of fresh tomatillos which was selected from over 10,000 entries from over 100 countries around the world.
by Jackie Alpers | Sep 7, 2012
I had the great pleasure of discussing my Fair Food photo project with CNN Heath for a feature by Georgiann Caruso.
by Jackie Alpers | Aug 9, 2012
Good Morning America is featuring my photo of a giant Chimichanga at the El Charro Cafe, (graciously modeled by my husband Jason), on their website.
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 26, 2012
I’m very happy to have my photo of a triple bacon honey bun cheeseburger in Bloomberg BusinessWeek.
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 1, 2012
My photograph of an American flag themed frosted cake was selected for inclusion in the European Annual of Gastronomy: Foodprint 1112 .
by Jackie Alpers | May 26, 2012
My favorite fair food has all the qualities of a carnival freak show. It has elements of the unexpected; it’s bigger and weirder than the food I see everyday; and it evokes awe and borderline disgust. The more absurd the better. This is my second year documenting the food at my county fair, an
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 7, 2012
March 2012 issue of Tucson Lifestyle Magazine. My producer Melanie Sutton and I decided to have the model as well as the photographs themselves emulate different sculptures. Here’s a link to the rest of the story.
by Jackie Alpers | Sep 3, 2011
There are some crazy – big burgers in this town and I was elected to photograph them. I was more than a little surprised by what I found.
by Jackie Alpers | Jul 28, 2011
Fashion Photography for La Encantada and Paula Taylor Productions shoot for Tucson Lifestyle Magazine.
by Jackie Alpers | Jun 15, 2011
Janos Wilder supplied a recipe for Somen Noodles from his new restaurant Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails, to a beautiful new online green living magazine. I supplied the photo. You can get the recipe and check out the rest of the magazine at Sustainable Online Magazine.
by Jackie Alpers | May 21, 2011
jackie Alpers writes about her hot dog obsession and conducts and photographs a taste test featuring local hot dog options.
by Jackie Alpers | Apr 15, 2011
I’ve started a blog of easy, healthy and hopefully fun recipes that I’ve developed over the years. It’s illustrated with food photos that I took just for this project.
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 22, 2011
More fashion photography from the runway and exclusive behind-the-scene shots from Saturday’s Rock the Runway Fashion show at La Encantada are available on my website.
by Jackie Alpers | Mar 16, 2011
Thank you Inside Tucson Business for nominating me as a 2011 Up and Comer. and congratulations to all of the other nominees. “Up & Comers is a recognition program designed to highlight the achievements of people in the Tucson region in their 20s, 30s and early 40s who, while still early in their careers, are already making a difference, both in their work and in the community.”
by Jackie Alpers | Feb 2, 2011
My Food Photographer’s Guide to Working With Restaurants has been published on the Learn Food Photography blog.
by Jackie Alpers | Dec 28, 2010
Jackie Alpers visited Costco on the busiest shopping day of the year and was more taken by the ladies passing out samples than I was with the merchandise.
by Jackie Alpers | Nov 18, 2010
The 2010 holiday ad campaign that I shot for La Encantada, an upscale open air mall in Arizona, illustrates the story of a dapper man-about-town as he picks up last minute holiday gifts for his family… and himself. Our hero, dressed in a Brooks Brother’s suit, stops at Tiffany & Co. where he buys a huge, four carat diamond anniversary ring.
