The start of a year can be trying for most, with a return to work and a new set of challenges. But for Jewish food writer Melissa Clark, that struggle was taken to even deeper extremes.

Ms Clark’s new cookbook, 'Dinner in One', had been expected in the coming weeks but its release has now been delayed after copies were lost at sea in a maritime storm.

Eater reports the books were on a container ship headed to the US from Taiwan when weather conditions forced around 65 containers overboard.

Fans of the New York Times columnist will now have to wait until September 6 to snag a copy.

“In keeping with the zeitgeist of 2022, I regret to inform you all that my new cookbook, Dinner in One, may have sunk to the bottom of the ocean,” she announced on Instagram. 

“I like to think that if the books are at the bottom of the ocean, they’re teaching whole schools of fish some very tasty recipes. Poseidon and his nereids are dining in style.”

She added that she was “wrecked about this (ha), and SO impatient to get these one-pot recipes into your hands. Sigh. Glub, glub.”

Chef Mason Hereford was also affected, with the release of his upcoming ‘Turkey and the Wolf: Flavor Trippin in New Orleans’ now also delayed.