Did I ever share with you that I love cookbooks? I have a whole pantry in my kitchen just overflowing with cookbooks. The strange part is that I really, really do not like to cook -- I just like to peruse new recipes and think about the possibility of cooking. I am always looking for new books to add to my collection and I recently found one that is a "keeper." "The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook" was the 2007 winner of the James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year.
Written by Matt Lee and Ted Lee, the cookbook proclaims it has "stories and recipes for Southerners and would-be Southerners." The brothers write about food, wine, and travel for the "New York Times" and "Martha Stewart Living" and they also have their own radio show, "The Lee Bros. Boiled Peanut Hour", which claims to be the only national radio program devoted to Southern food.
This book is a true delight for those that enjoy southern cooking. Do you know the difference between preparing Sunday chicken and Tuesday chicken? You will have to read and find out. There's a whole chapter devoted to grits, the staple of the south. Did you know the most important factor in making great tasting grits is the way they are ground? Apparently stone grinding grits the old fashioned way makes for fuller-bodied flavor and texture. How about Herbed Grits? Or even better, Deep-Fried Grits Cakes.
The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook is full of both traditional and updated Southern recipes and has lots of commentary. So, whether you really like to cook or whether you simply like to think about cooking, this is a great selection.
Another great new cookbook is "Best of the Pillsbury Bake-Off Desserts." The Pillsbury Bake-Off contest has been going strong for over 50 years and this book is a compilation of more than 100 prizewinning recipes. Recipes include the famous 1957 French Silk Chocolate Pie and the 2004 $1 million Grand Prize recipe for Oats ‘n Honey Granola Pie. If you are looking for something to delight your taste buds, this is the cookbook for you.
We have several new cookbooks on order that will soon be on our shelves. These were donations in memory of my mother, Marie Berryman. She loved to cook and was a true Southern style cook who was known for her mouth watering fried chicken. Look out Lee Brothers, she could have given you a run for your money! Many of the books donated in her memory are from the Taste of Home books, so watch for these soon on our shelves. The Taste of Home books always feature an array of great recipes.
This brings me to the topic of memorial books. Did you know that you can place a book in the library in memory or in honor of someone? What a nice tribute this makes and one that can be shared with the entire community. Flowers are great, but they are gone in just a few short days, while the donation of a book can last for years. For this reason many people opt for this type of memorial donation in lieu of flowers. It is a very simple process, you can either call or visit the library. We will ask you for the name of the person you are doing the memorial for, a name and address of a family member you would like notified, the type of book you would like ( we can give suggestions), and the amount you would like to spend. We can also do books in honor of someone. For example, if your child has a favorite teacher, what better Christmas gift than to put a book in the library in their honor. All memorial and honorarium books have plates inside that indicate the name of the person and the name of the donor.
And remember, the library gratefully accepts donations large or small. A gift to the library is a gift to the community.
I hope you will visit the library soon and see all that we have to offer. Oh, and be sure to check out our great cookbook section. See you soon at the Greensburg-Decatur County Public Library.