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Date: 10/9/2019
BLANDFORD – Porter Memorial Library in Blandford hosted its inaugural Cookbook Club on Oct. 5, with 15 participants signing up to prepare recipes from the New England Orchard Cookbook by Linda Beaulieu, copies of which the library ordered through the Intra-library exchange.
Dishes were organized by sweet and savory, and everyone took samples of the fare that ranged from Roasted Butter Squash Apple Soup to Cider Cheese Fondue, and Apple Bacon Gorgonzola Pizza to Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
After the tasting, chairs were arranged in a circle, and Library Director Nicole Daviau, who was also celebrating her one-year anniversary at Porter Memorial, asked people to give their names and comment on the book and the recipes they made.
Daviau started, saying she thought the book was well laid out, and had good information on area orchards. “A good book for the season,” she said, adding that her recipe, Apple Cider Cake had no salt, so she added a pinch. She also skipped the raisins, which she called, “too divisive.”
Diane Runstrom tested the Apple Butternut Squash Casserole earlier in the week, making another for the cookbook club. She said the second time she cut the apples in half and reduced the nutmeg. She said she liked the cookbook.
Kelly Lewendowski, who made Spiced Blueberry Peach Jam, also altered the recipe a bit, reducing the sugar by a cup and a half, and adding some ground spices. Lewendowski brought jars for club members to take home, which were well appreciated. She said she makes jam often.
Jennifer Girard did not try her recipe, the Apple Harvest Cake ahead of time, which she said she regretted, because a portion of the recipe had been left out. “There was no cake part,” Girard said, adding, “It was a flop. I was disappointed.” Daviau said she was sorry that happened, but finding the flops will be a part of the discussion going forward. “Every cookbook club is going to have a total fail,” she said.
Mary Kronholm, who chairs the library’s board of trustees and is a member of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, thanked Daviau for organizing the club, which she said will be the first of many. Daviau earlier had said she got the idea from the Southwick Public Library, which has held cookbook clubs in the past.
Kronholm made Pork Tenderloin with apples from her own orchard. She said she rubbed the pork with cumin, salt, pepper and thyme, filling her kitchen with the aroma. “It’s definitely a recipe I’d make again,” Kronholm said.
Also participating at the cookbook club were Library Tech Shannon Kopacz, who made Apple Cheese Spread, and new Library Page Logan Mulkerin, who participated as a sampler. Both Kopacz and Mulkerin helped Daviau with the morning children’s activity, Character Pumpkin Painting.
Daviau said one weekend a month the library holds a children’s event and an adult event on the same day.
Daviau said the cookbook clubs will be held seasonally this year, with the next one to feature soups and stews sometime in January or February. She then held a drawing for two copies of the New England Orchard Cookbook which the library had purchased for the event.