New Years Menu

As I sit and ponder another year and look forward to the new one it dawns on me that once again food will be the center of attention for both New Year's Eve and New Years Day--not to mention all of the bowl games we are sure to watch. What better place to find "down home" recipes for each of these occasions in your community cookbooks?

After all, these recipes will be simple, call for ingredients that you have readily available in your pantry and will have been tested by a home cook. In fact, you know you can trust the recipe because someone had to sign their name to it before submitting and then it was tested at least three times before it made its way into the book.

Yes, your best bet for success on these sepcial occasions comes from using your friendly community cookbook collection.

Communities Thankful for Community Cookbooks

As we celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ the Redeemer and the transition to a law of love and forgiveness from the old law of vengeance goodness reigns in most of our hearts. During this Christmas season communities and individuals who exist in those communities have benefited by either working to raise money for someone less fortunate or been the recipient of the money if they are in need. You see, when one is involved in a project that involves hard work to help others that person may receive as much or more benefit from the giving as the needy recipient gets from the receiving.

If you are a volunteer who is reading this and you have given of your time, energy or money to participate in a community cookbook project I want to personally thank you and wish you "peace on earth" as you celebrate this Christmas. Merry Christmas!

Publicity--Not Just for Launch

Often when a new community cookbook is launched it is accompanied with a great deal of fanfare. This is fabulous. That being said, the fanfare should continue regularly over the life of the cookbook. Publicity opportunities are available everywhere if you have someone on the lookout for them.

In today's world, most community cookbooks are launched in markets that have TV, Radio, Newspaper, Magazines, blogs, etc. Where do these people get their local content? Obviously, they use wire services for national stories but local citizens want to be aware of what is going on locally. This is where you can help them.

The link attached is a demo of FRP's own Sheila Thomas promoting More Recipes Worth Sharing on Nashville's Talk of the Town. Sheila has made similar appearances in Memphis and will be invited to attend other local interest media events as she gets the word out about her new book. Talk of the Town has regularly invited middle Tennessee FRP clients on the air because they need good content.

Are you maximizing these opportunities with your book?

http://www.newschannel5.com/story/13676653/recipe-4573-st-louis-gooey-butter-cake-wednesday-december-15-2010

Slate.com Article on Community Cookbooks

I read an interesting article recently on Slate.com regarding community cookbooks.

http://www.slate.com/id/2277327/entry/1001596/

Anyone getting ready to publish should read this article before getting started. One interesting thing that came out of it was a comment I read from a reader who had left behind her thoughts. That comment is below. I have no idea who this person is but she put in clear words what I have heard from individuals for the last 33 years.

"Community cookbooks are a guilty pleasure of mine. I don't think I have ever cooked an actual recipe from them, but they are so much fun to read. Every book seems to have roughly 20 different versions of broccoli casserole (frozen broccoli, Velveeta/Cheese Whiz, etc.) and a variety of desserts made with crumbled cake mix, Cool Whip, and cream cheese. They can be educational as well. I recall reading an old one from the 1950s and asking my mother what oleo and a #2 can were. "

Community Cookbooks as Ice Breakers

Robin and I have some new neighbors across the street and have been getting to know them casually through brief chats when we run into each other outdoors. Yesterday, we had friends from Kentucky coming over as well as our children; however, plans begin to fall apart around 1:30 as the snow began to increase. Our Kentucky friends called and had to cancel and we quickly called our girls to say that if the roads were too bad, don’t try to drive over.

Now the question was, what do we do with the food for 8 people? I suggested to Robin that we invite our neighbor, Susan, who we are good friends with. Robin then said, “Why don’t we see if Jerry and Judy would like to come”? (These are the new neighbors). I saw Jerry out going to his car, so I walked out and told him our situation and asked if they would like to join us. He said they would love to, but were on their way to a church program.

About 30 minutes later, there was a knock at the door; lo and behold, it was our new neighbors asking if they could still join us. They had gotten out of the subdivision only to find the roads too icy to continue and had turned around and come home. The interesting thing about all of this is that as we begin to chat about some of the places they had lived, we began to pull community cookbooks from those cities off of our shelf and talk about the foods and the communities themselves from each different area. Who ever knew that a community cookbook could also serve as a point of conversation?

The evening turned out to be a great success (all of the gluten free recipes were from community cookbooks) and the conversation was moved along through the subject of food and cookbooks.

Holiday Sales

If your organization or brand has a cookbook, I hope that you started gearing up for holiday sales months ago. So often I hear people say, "We want to get our book out before Christmas to take advantage of the holiday sales."

While I agree that holiday sales are the biggest and best of the year, making sure your title is out there at Christmas usually means having it published in July or August. Buyers make their gift store and book store promotions along with which products they want to promote before fall even arrives.

This is one area that an ounce of planning is worth tons of sales results. If by some chance you didn't already know this and got caught short this year, don't let it happen next year. Mark your calendars now to start planning for 2011 holiday sales on July 1, 2011.

Don't miss this important step in your cookbook development!

On several occasions I have alluded to or discussed how important great content is in a successful cookbook. One aspect of the content is the quality of the edited recipes. We must remember that while many “naturally-gifted” cooks don’t have to follow a recipe to the letter, there is a higher number who do. Therefore the recipes must be written so that anyone will feel confident in following the instructions.

I asked one of our copy editors at Favorite Recipes Press to develop a short bullet list of tasks we perform for our clients to ensure their recipes are written consistently and clearly. Here is what Alison had to say:

“While there are certainly many smaller tasks that go into each of these items, here are the major things FRP editors and the proofer will do for each cookbook."

1. Verify all the ingredients are listed in the order used in the method.

2. Edit and proof the recipes to ensure consistency in wording and style throughout the book.

3. We achieve this by using the same “voice,” which makes the recipes cohesive without being redundant.

4. Make certain the recipes make sense, allowing all levels of home cooks the ability to produce a fabulous dish. You’d be surprised how many submitted pie recipes don’t have a crust listed, or how many chicken dishes don’t list chicken as an ingredient. Because we all enjoy cooking, we are often able to ascertain whether ingredient amounts seem “off,” and we’ll verify with you if it’s correct.

5. Check all grammar and spelling in all recipe and non-recipe text.

It is certainly helpful if the people submitting the recipes have worked to get them in the best shape possible; however, this is a tall task if the recipes have come in from multiple contributors or sources. Even professional chefs are notoriously bad at writing clear and consistent recipe instructions.

If you asked 10 people to give you a recipe, how many different variables in the writing styles would you get back? My guess is 10. Some would list ingredients in order and others would not. Some would abbreviate others not. Some would call it "ketchup" and others would call it "catsup". You get the point. If you're getting ready to develop a community cookbook, do yourself a favor and make sure that you don’t cut corners. Hire a professional food editor or get this as a service from the publishing company.

Unreasonable is the new reasonable

I subscribe to Seth Godin’s blog and find it very inspirational and motivational. A post last week was particularly relevant to us as we develop business plans to sell services, raise money, etc. How many times and in how many different ways must we be told that “if it were easy, everyone would be doing it”? Here is Seth’s take on the subject:

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/11/unreasonable.html

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu: Just Desserts!

If there is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert, pumpkin pie is certainly it. We've taken a different approach to the classic dessert and have a recipe that will have your guests loosening their belts to make room for more! My family insists on a pumpkin pie, but loves a selection at the dessert table, so we've included a few more fabulous finales to "wow" your guests.

Pumpkin Pie Crunch
Cooking up a Classic Christmas - FRP, Inc. - Nashville, TN
Home Again, Home Again - The Junior League of Owensboro - Owensboro, KY

1 (16-ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (2-layer) package yellow cake mix
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, pie spice, and salt in a bowl and mix well. Spoon the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the top of the prepared layer and drizzle with the butter. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand until cool. Garnish with whipped topping and chopped pecans. Store in the refrigerator.

Serves 15


Apple Crisp
San Francisco Entertains - The Junior League of San Francisco - San Francisco, CA

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup rolled oats
2 large or 3 small Granny Smith apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 large or 3 small Fuji apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)
1/4 cup slivered almonds or chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Mix the flour, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the salt in a large bowl. Combine with the butter in a food processor and pulse until the texture of coarse meal; you can also mix with a pastry blender. Add the oats and mix with your fingers to form large moist clumps. Chill in the freezer.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the apples with the raisins, almonds, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the lemon juice, orange juice and cinnamon in a large bowl. Spoon into a 2-quart baking dish and top with the oats mixture. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.


Mocha Bundt Cake
Bay Fêtes - Junior Service League of Panama City - Panama City, FL

Cake
1 (2-layer) package yellow cake mix without pudding
1 (6-ounce) package chocolate instant pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup coffee-flavor liqueur
4 eggs

Coffee Glaze
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup coffee-flavor liqueur
confectioners' sugar to taste

For the cake, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, sugar, vodka, liqueur and eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat at low speed for 1 minute. Beat at medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.

Spoon the batter into a nonstick bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack. Pierce the top of the cake with a fork.

For the glaze, mix 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and liqueur in a bowl until a glaze consistency. Spoon the glaze over the warm cake. Let stand until cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar to taste.

Serves 16

Thanksgiving Menu: Side Dishes

Turkey and dressing go hand-in-hand, so we've drummed up a recipe for dressing that is bursting with autumnal flavors. Not to be outdone, we have all of your remaining side dishes that are sure to add some delicious flare to your feast. These recipes will make your mouth water!

Apple Walnut Dressing
Savor the Seasons - Junior League of Tampa, FL

1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cups finely chopped onions
8 garlic cloves, minced
4 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 (14-ounce) package stuffing mix with sage and onions
1 cup chopped walnuts
8 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, stems removed and leaves finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh sage, stems removed and leaves finely chopped
1 cup chicken stock, or to taste
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brown the sausage in a skillet, stirring until crumbly. Remove the sausage to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Drain and discard all except 1 tablespoon of the pan drippings. Add the onions, garlic, celery, and mushrooms to the reserved drippings and cook until the vegetables are softened, stirring frequently.

Add the sausge and mix well. Spoon the mixture into a large baking dish. Add the stuffing mix, walnuts, parsley, sage and chicken stock and mix well. Add the apples and mix gently. Bake for 30 minutes or until brown on top.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Dressing or Stuffing?

Ever wondered what the difference is between these two items that accompany a holiday turkey? The two are basically the same, but stuffing is often placed in the cavity of the turkey, while dressing is served on the side. In the Southeast, people usually call it dressing, while in the Northeastern United States, it's referred to as stuffing.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Pride of Kentucky - Kentucky Extension Association for Family & Consumer Sciences, Lexington, KY

4 cups mashed baked sweet potatoes

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

Combine the sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 4 eggs, salt, vanilla and milk in a mixing bowl and mix well. Spoon into a 2 quart baking dish.

Combine the pineapple, flour, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar and 2 eggs in a saucepan and mix well. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Spread over the sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes until firm.

Yield: 8 servings

Country Green Beans
Recipes Worth Sharing - FRP, Inc. - Nashville, TN
A Taste of the Good Life: From the Heart of Tennessee - Saint Thomas Heart Institute- Nashville, TN

1 pound fresh green beans
1 teaspoons low-sodium beef boullion
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon olive oil
Liquid smoke
Wash beans; trim ends and remove strings. Place in saucepan with remaining ingredients; cover with water. Cook, covered, until beans are tender and liquid is absorbed.

Corn Soufflé
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of American Cooking - Favorite Recipes Press - Nashville, TN

2 eggs, separated
Milk
2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 can white cream style corn
Beat egg yolks; add enough milk to make 3/4 cup liquid. Stir in flour, sugar, butter and corn. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into corn mixture. Spoon into buttered 1-quart casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve immediately. Yield: 6-8 servings

Thanksgiving Dinner: Turkey

You just can't have Thanksgiving Dinner without the turkey. If you're looking for a recipe to really "wow" your guests, you've come to the right place. Our friends at the Junior League of Houston have taken this staple and done it right. It is sure to be the focal point at your dinner table.

Read on for the recipe and tips from our friends at Publix Supermarkets on how to truss and carve your main dish.

Enjoy!



Thanksgiving Turkey

Stop and Smell the Rosemary - Junior League of Houston - Houston, TX

1 1/2 bunches each fresh thyme, sage, basil, and oregano, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons each dried thyme, sage, basil and oregano

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

1 fresh turkey (12 to 14 pounds)

2 small onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4 pieces

2 leeks, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

2 cloves garlic, sliced

olive oil

Herb Butter:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

1 clove garlic, minced

salt

freshly ground pepper

---------------

Jalapeno and Cranberry Jelly or Mexican Cranberry Sauce (recipes below)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix fresh herbs, dried herbs, butter, salt and pepper. Rub into turkey cavity. Stuff onions, carrots, celery, leeks, and garlic into cavity. Truss with string. (Instructions below.) Rub outside of bird with olive oil. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes.

Herb Butter: Combine butter parsley, sage, thyme, basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. (This can be refrigerated up to 4 days, but bring to room temperature before using.)
Reduce oven to 325 degrees and brush turkey with half of Herb Butter. Roast another 30 minutes and brush with remaining Herb Butter. Continue to roast, basting occasionally with pan juices, until thigh temperature measures 170 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 2 1/4 hours. Serve with Jalapeno and Cranberry Jelly or Mexican Cranberry Sauce.


Jalapeno and Cranberry Jelly:

6 jalapenos, seeded and quartered

2 1/2 cups cranberry juice cocktail

7 cups sugar

6 ounces liquid fruit pectin

1 cup distilled white vinegar

red food coloring (optional)

Place jalapenos and cranberry juice in blender. Process until jalapenos are finely chopped. Combine jalapeno mixture with sugar in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a full rolling boil. Add pectin. Return to a boil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add vinegar and food coloring if desired. Cool. Spoon into sterilized jars and refrigerate.


Mexican Cranberry Sauce:

1 can (16 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 jar (10 1/2 ounces) hot jalapeno pepper jelly, preferably red

Combine cranberry sauce, cilantro, and jelly in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until jelly melts. Cool. Spoon into sterilized jars. This will keep for several months in the refrigerator.

TIPS!

Trussing a Turkey:
Use a piece of butcher's string three times the turkey's length. Place the string underneath the center of the back, breast up and tail closest to you. Pull the string around the bird, binding its wings to the body. At the base of the breast cross and wrap it around the legs' ends, tying tightly so the legs cross. Lift the bird to a tail-up position and wrap the string around the tail, closing the cavity. Again place the turkey on its back, bring the string to the front, and tie it off.

Carving a Turkey:
Choose a very sharp or electric knife to carve your turkey; you will also need a special fork with two long prongs. Cut the meat against the grain to achieve even, eye-appealing slices of turkey. Begin with a cut where the leg and breast meet. Use the fork to pull the leg away from the body as your cut continues down to the point where the thigh meets the body. Slice through the joint to remove the leg and thigh.

Place the leg skin-side down and find the point where the thigh and drumstick meet; cut along the joint to separate. Repeat on the opposite side. Remove the wishbone (collarbone). Cut along one side of the breastbone in slices, gently pulling the meat away from the bones in large pieces. Cut through the wing joint and remove it. Repeat on the opposite side.

Your Thanksgiving dinner menu, done!

Thanksgiving Day is approaching.

Do you have your menu yet?

For some, the menu is planned and the grocery list has already been made. For the rest of you, may I suggest a deep breath? We have you covered. We have a delicious meal planned for you with options to make your holiday meal your very own. Keep posted for the next few days as we unveil each course of the meal from start to finish, including tips to make the preparation that much easier.

If your family is anything like mine, appetizers are a must to keep hungry nibblers out of the kitchen while the table is being set. Here are a couple of starters that are sure to please!

Appetizers

Toasted Cheese Rounds

Creating Comfort - Genesis Women's Shelter - Dallas, TX

2 cups mayonnaise

2 cups chopped scallions

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

40 (1/2-inch) slices French baguette

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the mayonnaise, scallions and cheese in a bowl and mix well. Spread the cheese mixture over 1 side of each of the bread slices and arrange spread side up on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly. Serve immediately. Makes 40 rounds.

Chili Bacon Breadsticks

Simply Sarasota - Junior League of Sarasota, Inc. - Sarasota, FL

30 thin slices bacon

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons chili powder

30 crisp breadsticks, broken into halves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Trim the fat from the bacon and cut each slice lengthwise into halves. Mix the brown sugar and chili powder in a shallow dish. Wrap the breadsticks with the bacon and coat with the brown sugar mixture.

Arrange the breadsticks on a rack in a baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the bacon is brown and crisp. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: 5 dozen breadsticks

Theme Development for a Community Cookbook

Often times, an organization discussing development of a new community cookbook will feel as if their community has nothing special about it to develop a theme. Well, we all remember the term ethnocentrism from our sociology classes—everyone and every community thinks that there is something unique about them. This is what a community cookbook should attempt to accomplish—draw out the uniqueness of the community through the subject of food.

Here is an idea for getting started:

Begin with a book development workshop. Decide who should attend, but prior to the meeting send out a survey and ask everyone to complete and return at least one week prior to the meeting date.

The survey should ask questions that will give the leadership some insight into the dynamics of the group such as strong personalities that might push an agenda the majority doesn’t agree with. They should try to uncover interesting ideas that may be initially “blown off” but in reality are quite good. The survey might give the group an idea of who they are or who they want to be.

Here are some sample survey questions:

What are the top 3 cookbooks in your area that will be competition?
What do you like and not like about these books?
What are your 3 favorite cookbooks?
What cookbook do you use most? Why?
What type binding do you like and why?
What foods are indigenous to your area?
Name 3 things that are unique about your town, city, and region.
Who is the target market for the (whoever) cookbook?
How many people live in a 100 mile radius?
Do tourists visit your city/region? Name the top 3 tourist destinations.

You might also want to ask the attendees to bring their favorite cookbooks to the meeting.

The leadership of the group should take the survey responses and do its own homework by answering the survey, gathering information packets on the community from sources such as the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, AAA, etc.

From a time stand point, we suggest that you budget approximately 4 hours for the brainstorming session and remember that it is important to have a neutral facilitator conduct the workshop. This person should be good at leading a discussion and drawing people out to explain their thoughts and opinions. The facilitator should have an easel or white board or pad and basically brainstorm with the group – setting the basic guidelines for brainstorming – no idea is a dumb idea – write every idea down, then go back and prioritize.

Start with target markets, that is, who you are going to sell the book to (select the strongest 3 to 5), then brainstorm what type of book these individuals would like to purchase. What will make them want to purchase your book over another cookbook?

The next step gets a little tricky because the facilitator needs to be able to guide the group to point out to them what they are saying that makes them unique and will make the book unique. The discussion should point out other elements to give the reader than just the recipes and photos which make the community interesting and different.

Here is an example from one of our consultants that served as a facilitator for a group in Savannah, GA.

“St. Andrews School in Savannah, GA. is an upscale private school – and this was right when Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was really hot. Everyone associated Savannah with this book and tourists were coming in record numbers – BUT there was so much stuff about the book and the typical Savannah Squares, etc. "

The group knew that tourists would be their biggest market – and a tourist would obviously want a ‘Savannah’ cookbook – so what could they do different?

"In my research, I discovered that Savannah is the City of many Firsts…there are some very interesting ‘Firsts’ and this was not something that the city promoted – I had a list of the ‘Firsts’ that we went through, the committee immediately bought into the theme, they of course knew this about Savannah, but they had never thought about using this as a theme for the book. The excitement was great and we came up with the title right then – First Come, First Served…In Savannah! They knew they wanted concealed wire, and had originally wanted 4-color dividers (but didn’t have a clue what would be on them) with the storyline taking shape, it was determined that since most of the “Firsts” were historic and if a photo existed it would most likely be in black and white, they decided they would do a one color book – the side bars are very entertaining, they take the reader by the hand and give them a tour into the lives of the people of Savannah.”

If we can be of help to you, or someone you know, by leading a development workshop all it takes is a phone call.

Very Interesting Article

An associate of mine passed along this article last week on digital trends in cookooks. I found it intriguing and if you are thinking about devleoping a community cookook, a branding cookbook or you already have a book and are thinking about different marketing methods, this is a must read. Enjoy.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/45173-how-publishers-are-tackling-the-app-question.html

You don't want to miss this!

The epitome of a classic community cookbook was produced by a small arts council in Oxford, MS. As I read Square Table my immediate action was to call a friend who lives in Oxford and tell her that Robin and I wanted to come and visit—that is how strong the appeal of this book is. And that should be the goal of every organization that is creating a community cookbook—the book should either rekindle memories of a community visited or make you want to go and visit.

I love the blog from Beth who works for the Arts council and hope you will enjoy it as well. Recipes from this book and other great community cookbooks are included in a new compilation cookbook, More Recipes Worth Sharing that will be launched on QVC this weekend —tune in and I think you will be motivated to order a copy: QVC to launch More Recipes Worth Sharing

An interview with Lisl

In early October I had the opportunity to interview Lisl Unterholzner, cookbook co-chair for the Junior League of Tampa in 2010-11. I first met Lisl and her co-chair, Jaimie Brewer, during last April's Cookbook University, sponsored by FRP. We hit it off and have worked closely since then on the marketing of the 6 titles currently active with Junior League of Tampa but also on the launch of the newest title, Capture the Coast.

My purpose in sharing this interview is to let my readers hear it from someone who is "in the trenches" and not just sitting in an ivory tower espousing theory. Lisl and Jaimie are organized, pleasant, cheerful, and goal-oriented. To date, Capture the Coast has sold over 6,000 copies in it's first two months of existence.


Dave: Which of your marketing activities resulted in the most books sold?

Lisl: Easily the # 1 was our presales to membership. We have a membership requirement for each member to purchase 4 books each. We also ran a contest for sales through our members with discounts at different levels based on quantity purchased. The Top 5 sellers were invited to our exclusive Capture the Coast debut party. Since our general membership doesn’t usually attend these events, it made for a great incentive.

We've held cooking demonstrations at Datz, a local restaurant & wine bar, using recipes from Capture the Coast.

We also held a Cocktail party at Datz with a beautiful spread of food featured in Capture the Coast. We sold tickets for $10 each, with all of the money collected going back to the League.

Dave: What advice regarding sales would you give a new cookbook publisher?

Lisl: Have a really good team. There are too many tasks for one person to accomplish. We have a really great marketing team, consisting of about 9 women. They are great at getting out there and promoting the book and talking to potential new merchants. We created teams for every aspect of the book’s business from Public Relations and Communications to Social Media to Member Sales and Delivery.

Also, set realistic goals.


Dave: Is there anything different you are doing to market book the 4th book that you didn't do for book 1?

Lisl: Much of our marketing plan was based on EveryDay Feast’s plan. The social media would be the only difference. We have one person designated to social media, and she wrote a fantastic plan. We have a Facebook page, Twitter account, and blog.


Dave: How do you keep the enthusiasm for cookbooks going within the League?

Lisl: “The Culinary Collection” has kept the enthusiasm high, as everyone wants to hear about the newest books/trends with each book that's released. Gasparilla remains a classic.


Dave: How many wholesale accounts do you have? How do you maintain those accounts?

Lisl: Capture the Coast came out 4 years after the others, so we’re starting from a small base. We have seen a small decline, but Capture the Coast has allowed us the opportunity to re-establish those accounts.

Since Capture the Coast debuted, we’ve acquired 11 new accounts, and we’re expecting to increase that number with 5 or 6 more accounts soon.

We also have a part-time employee that maintains existing accounts, calls them when we have special sales or promotions coming up, and makes sure their requests are met.


Dave: What has been your best personal experience as cookbook chair?

Lisl: 1st meeting we had was really interesting for me. I’ve been on the committee before, but I’m now stepping into a leadership role for a committee of close to 50 ladies. That’s a really big group of people, and I’ve never managed anything on that scale. So, that first meeting was really inspiring to me to look out and see this room of people and to know it’s my job to make sure all of these women have a good year with the League. The responsibility of leading the committee is kind of terrifying, but it’s really exciting, too. I’m really grateful to the League for putting me in this position and entrusting me with this responsibility. So far, it’s been great.


Dave: Other than the money raised from the sale of the cookbooks what other intangible benefits are received?

Lisl: Part of our mission is developing the potential of women and the Cookbook Committee is a great place to try out new skills they might not have the opportunity to use in other parts of their lives.

We have lawyers serving marketing roles, teachers handling Public Relations… It affords them the opportunity to do something they wouldn’t normally do in their every day lives.


Dave: I notice that in Junior League of Tampa, being chair of cookbook has led to major Board of Director responsibilities and even the Presidency of the League—why do you think that is?

Lisl: For starters, “Cookbook” is one of the larger committees of the League. That’s an important stepping stone in terms of learning to manage large groups of people. Our League certainly has a commitment to cookbooks. Having 6 cookbooks currently on the market shows that we put a lot of emphasis on our Cookbook Committee. A lot of the challenges you face with “Cookbook” allows you the chance to expand your skill set.


Dave: Having sold over 50,000 cookbooks since 2001 what do you say to someone who says a community is saturated with cookbooks?

Lisl: I don’t think you can ever have too many cookbooks, personally. Certainly, in Tampa we love to eat and eat well. I haven’t seen any lack of enthusiasm for new cookbooks. I don’t think nationally, we’re quite to the point of saturation either. Especially with the popularity of Food Network and food blogs on the internet. I think people love recipes. You don’t have to be a cookbook collector to enjoy cookbooks. One of the advantages of Capture the Coast is that it is full of lots of great recipes, but it also tells the story of Tampa. It also makes a nice gift for someone simply because of the beautiful photography.


Dave: I know that your League always sends someone to Cookbook University—how did you rate your attendance there this year and would you recommend it to others?

Lisl: The timing was good for us. We had just gotten started in our committee in March. It was a wonderful chance for us to hear about the different aspects of “cookbook” that would come in the months ahead. We came back with lots of information.

Dave: What will you take away as your greatest memory from this year in the League?

Lisl: I’m hoping its going to be when we reach our goal. I think it’s too early what my greatest memory is going to be.

So far, the debut party was big for me. The Mayor of Tampa was there to declare “Capture the Coast Day”.


If I could add one more thing….

We’re focusing a lot on Capture the Coast now, but we will be looking at transitioning to promoting all of the books moving forward.

We’re selling some of the 4-book sets, but not as many as we had hoped yet. Holiday Gift Market comes up in November, and it’s a chance to reach the general public. That will really be a testing ground on how Capture the Coast affects the public.

What is a Signature Recipe?

When discussing the development of a great community cookbook, we are often asked to provide a formula for success. With any "creative" project formulas usually don't exist--that is why creativity is so important. However, one tip we can offer is to make your book the best that it can be.

One key ingredient in a great cookbook is the quality of the recipes. This means several things--they should be well written, consistently edited, and easy to follow with clear instructions which produce a fabulous finished dish if followed properly.

I learned many years ago that another "secret" ingredient in a successful cookbook should be the inclusion of one or more signature recipes. This recipe should be one that hasn't appeared in countless other cookbooks and is truly an original from the publishing organization. It can certainly be a derivitive of someone elses recipe that has been turned into an original due to the additions or changes to it. Of course, with 3 significant changes it is now considered an original recipe.

This signature dish should be relatively easy to prepare and should contain ingredients that you ordinarily keep on hand. If possible, it should lend itself to preparing ahead and using as a "teaser" give away at book promotions and signings. It should be so good that the person tasting or reading about it should be motivated to buy the book.

Here are some great examples of signature recipes:

Sausage Blossoms

The Life of the Party - Junior League of Tampa, FL

"The book is all about entertaining, and Sausage Blossoms provides a recipe that is easy, uses a few simple ingredients, and has great visual impact. If there are 3 qualities I would want from a recipe for easy entertaining, those would be the ones. They are very difficult to find, and that's what makes Sausage Blossoms my signature recipe for The Life of the Party."

-Lisl Unterholzner, Junior League of Tampa, FL

Palm Beach Punch

Carolina Caviar

Worth Tasting - Junior League of the Palm Beaches, FL

" From Worth Tasting I would have to say our Palm Beach Punch on page 31 and the Carolina Caviar on page 21. These 2 dishes are generally served at our events and are always met with rave reviews. Also, the Palm Beach Punch was served at our first Ladies Luncheon and the women loved it. It is the recipe noted on our website as well."

-Laura Wissa, Junior League of the Palm Beaches, FL



Amelia Island Shrimp

Toast of the Coast - Junior League of Jacksonville, FL

"Well the answer is easy: Amelia Island Shrimp from Toast of the Coast. My family is in the seafood business so shrimp and/or fish are always my choice to prepare. This recipe showcases any fresh seafood well. I’ve made it with fish, scallops, mussels or just assorted vegetables. It is a great go-to recipe because it is quick and people usually have butter, garlic, pasta and parmesan cheese on hand. And kids love it. I started making it after my then 10-year-old son picked it out of the cookbook."

-Janet Reagor, Junior League of Jacksonville, FL

Paradise Party Punch

Paradise Served - Junior League of Fort Lauderdale, FL

In a place so beautiful that a little bit of every day is a vacation day, it makes sense that one of our signature dishes is a drink! This recipe embodies our sophisticated, yet luxurious laid back lifestyle, here in South Florida. On the beach or one the back porch - this cocktail makes the party. It's cool, effortlessly fabulous and has that little something unexpected - just like the women of the Junior League of Greater Fort Lauderdale. Cheers...to another day in paradise! Pass the punch!

-Lori Ebinger Sullivan, Junior League of Fort Lauderdale, FL

Think about it--how many times do you have a dish that everyone asks you for the recipe? It happens all the time. We all have these signature dishes but they become so commonplace to us that we forget how special they are. If you already have a community cookbook what is that book's signature recipe? If you were asked to contribute a signature recipe to a project, what would it be?

A Key Ingredient for Successful Communtiy Cookbooks

I had an interesting meeting last week with a very bright young lady who was researching the potential of a community cookbook for her organization. I must say that I was impressed with her efforts. Her attitude was commendable because even though she had some pre-conceived opinions she was willing to discuss important topics and was asking the right questions.

Research is one action item I believe every organization thinking about devleoping a cookbook as a source of income or as a brand builder should certainly do. While the entire project can be a fun, exciting and profitable venture, it can also be a huge flop if not done properly. Of course, the same could be said of almost any business venture.

Amazingly, the individual I met with was a member of an organization that had produced two previous cookbooks and neither had been successful. Did that mean that group could not be successful? Absolutely not; however, it did suggest that they should take a different approach and their commitment level to staffing their committees should be stronger.

It is important for organizations to check out the "lay of the land" regarding other groups that might already have books in their community. What price points do local retailers suggest is the right price range for good volume? One mantra we at FRP express constantly is that a community cookbook must be treated like a business because publishing a book is a business. Anyone who has ever been in business knows that you have to have a good product at a good price that is easy for consumers to find. Putting forth a little work on the front end will pay big dividends on the back end.

Hot Food Trend

A few people made joking comments (all in good fun) about one of my early blogs on fried chicken. Well, guess what? Fried Chicken is now one of the "hottest" trends in the US and Canada on high end restaurant menus.

Almost every early community cookbook included a local recipe for fried chicken. Of course, with most of us trying to be health conscious we have drastically cut back on any fried foods. I use Peanut Oil instead of vegetable oil and if you make sure to fry at an even and hot temperature, the chicken will actually absorb very little oil.

This link will take you to a nice story on Fried Chicken, Comfort Food de jour.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/fried-chicken-its-the-comfort-food-du-jour/article1766857/

In case you missed my original fried chicken blog post, here it is as well. Good eatin', ya'll!

http://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/17/631904749?lite

Combatting Childhood Obesity

Recently, we have all been bombarded with the fact that there is an epidemic of childhood obesity in the US. Seemingly gone are the days when kids gathered to play sports without any adult supervision or organization. With the advent of video games and big-screen, high definition TV, it is a sedentary life style for the majority.

The saddest part about childhood obesity is that it usually leads to adult obesity. As I have gotten older, I can attest that it is much easier to put on pounds than to take them off. It is hard. This whole subject is so complicated and is certainly different for every individual.

Rather than harping on the reasons for this epidemic, my purpose rather is to tout two cookbooks currently on the market designed to offset childhood obesity. In the Kitchen with Kids is a collection of recipes from members of Junior Leagues around the country. These recipes are from the mom’s of young children who understand the need for healthy and nutritious foods—and yet, they’re recipes that kids like.

Each recipe is illustrated with how-to steps and a hero shot of the finished dish. Buying this book doubles in its reward, because the profits support the Kids in the Kitchen educational program conducted by these Junior Leagues, which concentrates on food and nutrition in their local communities. The program was developed by the local Leagues and the Association of Junior Leagues International.

The second book is No Whine with Dinner by Registered Dieticians Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex, also known as the Meal Makeover Moms. Both of these ladies hold Master of Science degrees along with their RD certification. Under the umbrella of Meal Makeover Moms, these ladies have created an adorable cookbook of kid friendly, appetizing, and nutritious recipes to fit any palate. The book is also loaded with valuable nutritional and product information. Personally, I love this book.

Please feel free to share your stories on what you do to insure your children’s health.

A SURPRISE VALUE--RETRO

Occasionally, and out of the blue, one will find a true surprise--a great value that was totally unexpected. That is what I think about the Illustrated Encyclopedia of American Cooking. This book was first published in 1986 and has sold more than 550,000 copies.

The recipes came from Home Economics Teachers across the US and the format of the book is in encyclopedia form. The 5,000 recipes are arranged from A to Z and each food entry includes detailed information such as the origin or use of the food, its nutritional and caloric value, plus its seasonal availability.

If you follow my blog, you know that most of my interest revolves around community cookbooks and this is no exception because Home Economics Teachers once formed a very tight knit and important community within our culture. Generations grew up learning how to cook, sew, and plan for running a household based on the guidance and wisdom of Home Economics Teachers. One reason that the sales of cookbooks today is so strong is that these classes are no longer taught in our schools.

What I like about this book is that if I have a particular food that I want to try out, it's "as simple as A-B-C" to find a recipe. As an example, lets say that fresh cranberries are available and I want to try a dish using them. I flip to the "C's" and there are breads, puddings, cocktails, salads and pies. In other words, lots of recipes to think about for almost any food you can come up with.

Another unique feature of this book is that it was never sold in retail stores. Up until it was featured on QVC last year, it was only available through the Southwestern Company's door-to-door selling program. This unique program has trained thousands of college students working their way through school turning them into some of the great leaders in our communities today. Many of the students learned that this book was so popular with consumers that they could sell their regular product line books at the initial sales stage and then when delivering the books offer the Encyclopedia as an additional option, and many people would buy both. No doubt, those who did buy it are still enjoying it today.

The book is filled with surprises such as menu planning, napkin folding ideas, sauces, bread making tips, table settings and many others. This is truly a book that belongs in every homemaker's kitchen.

Mustard Sauces

Lately my taste buds have acquired a liking to mustard based sauces. When I came home a few nights ago, I was met by the delicious aroma and was thrilled to find Robin in the kitchen working on a new sauce for dinner. She whipped it up out of thin air and we used it on our baked chicken breasts. It was amazing.

I’m not suggesting that this recipe doesn’t already exist somewhere, but she concocted it without any guidance and boy, did it turn out tasty! If you try it, please let me know what you think.

¼ cup Grey Poupon, or any coarse Dijon mustard
¼ cup yellow prepared mustard (we used French’s brand)
2 teaspoons dry mustard, or to taste
1/3 cup Honey
1-2 teaspoon white wine or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly dredge 4 chicken breasts in flour mixed with salt and pepper. Coat each breast with a thick layer sauce and place in shallow baking pan and bake for about 45 min or until quick read thermometer registers 176-180 degrees. While baking, coat chicken with sauce once or twice more.

Enjoy!

3 Keys to Successful Cookbooks

You might be asking yourself why someone writing a blog focusing on custom publishing and community cookbooks would spend so much time writing about customer service. The reason is simple. In every seminar and publishing presentation we make, we emphasize that when you publish a cookbook you are setting up a business, and it must be run like a business, if you want it to be successful.

If someone tells me that they published a cookbook and it wasn’t successful, I can tell you unequivocally that the cause of the lack of success was one of three reasons. By the same token, a successful project will be successful for three reasons.

1. The one simple and obvious reason for success or failure is the quality of the product itself and its value for the money. Someone simply throwing some recipes together without regard to uniqueness, quality editorial, design or theme will probably have a tough time. However, a well crafted and themed cookbook with tested recipes written consistently and precisely coupled with interesting information about the cuisine of the area or the history of the recipe will find a niche following. So, I freely admit that the product itself can be a huge component of success or failure.

With these next two ingredients in place, a shoddy product can at least be successful from the standpoint of selling through the initial inventory. What are these two ingredients? They are great business services and customer service mixed with great marketing. A lack of either of these is a sure sign of failure.

2. In my blog of a few weeks back I illustrated a couple of “poor” customer service experiences I had encountered. This past weekend I experienced great customer service from Target. Surprisingly, a “big box” store like Target is the last place I expected to encounter great service. I have been bragging about them to everyone since then. The ladies in the CS department went out of their way and even broke a policy to do the right thing in replacing a defective product.

3. When you set up a publishing business, you must set up business rules and regulations. You establish discount policies, return policies, inventory control systems, collection policies, store or phone hour policies and many others. We preach the philosophy that something as simple as manning a phone or returning recorded messages within a 24 hour time period are critical to your success. An account carrying your title has little time to waste if they try to order only to reach a recording and not have the call returned promptly—they will simply choose to carry someone else’s book.

If you have a cookbook or are considering publishing a cookbook, please know you are setting up a business—a very fun and rewarding business, but nevertheless, it’s a business. Run it as such and you will be rewarded.

Dip Into Something Different

Dip Into Something Different published by The Melting Pot Fondue Restaurant chain is now in its 5th printing and has sold almost 37,500 copies. The success of this book can be attributed to several factors.

The food subject: Fondue is a unique food, and while it may seem simple to melt some cheese or chocolate in a fondue pot, it is a bit more complicated than that. The Melting Pot is "the authority" on fondue in the US. Their Executive Chef has developed a plethora of fabulously good tasting fondue dishes that you can try at home.

The experience: Fondue is more than a food; it is an eating experience. What fun it is to have several fondue pots going and to try different flavors of meats, cheeses and breads? And don't even get me started on dessert fondue--these flavors are exquisite.

The package: This cookbook is a beautiful package of photographs featuring vintage fondue pots and utensils combined with fabulous recipes and artistic illustrations. It is a beautiful book topped off with a ribbon marker and manufactured using recycled paper and agri-inks.

The Price: At $29.95, this book is a real bargain, especially when you factor in that there are three redeemable coupons in each book for use at a Melting Pot location that are worth more than the price of the book.

The availability: This book is so easy to obtain. It is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, as well as online at The Cookbook Marketplace or The Melting Pot's web site. The other option is to simply drop into your local Melting Pot restaurant and pick up a copy--you will be glad you did.

Take a trip to San Francisco...

San Francisco is one of the GREATEST cities in the US--it has architecture, restaurants, water, bridges, fun and eclectic neighborhoods, trolly trains and lots of hills. It is an exciting urban atmosphere.

If I were visiting San Francisco today, the one thing I would return home with would be a copy of San Francisco Entertains. This new cookbook published by the Junior Leaue of San Francisco is amazing. While the overall look of the book, including the gorgeous photography of both food and scenes of the city is amazing, it is the recipes that quickly catch your attention.

I took a copy home over the weekend and we tried out the Sweet Curried Mustard Chicken--WOW! My daughter and her husband had just flown back to the US from their honeymoon and were starving since they hadn't eaten since breakfast. Let me just say that there was no chicken left when the meal was finished.

The look of the book is very soft as the text, including the photos was printed on offset paper rather than a coated paper. Therefore the photos don't "pop" quite as much and yet the look is very excuisite. It has a "richness" to it that is difficult to describe.

The recipes are quite varied and provide a nice level of sophistication with a nice west coast feel. If you visit San Francisco, be sure to pick up a copy. If you can't visit anytime soon, you should contact the Junior League there and order a copy--you will be glad that you did.

Searching New Places

During our lifetime most of us venture to new cities for either work, family events or vacation. When you visit a new area for the first time what is the first thing on your mind? Is it the weather? Things to see and do? The food? Perhaps, it is some combination of these questions.

One comment we hear repeatedly is that "when I visit a city I usually like to take home a local cookbook". Why is that? Well, one reason is that food is a HUGE part of our lives, and we all know that food is prepared differently in different regions of the US. When we think of the Gulf Coast, we think of fresh seafood. In Louisiana, it is Cajun. If I am going to the New England area, I am thinking of lobster, chowder, etc.

Now, the simple truth is the capability to recreate these foods is available for us right in our own hometown bookstores, but yet it's our nature to fit in with the culture we live in. That's not to say that we don't enjoy different foods from time to time but when we go to a city or region known for a specialty, we want to try it out. I can't imagine going to Philadelphia and not seeking out a great Philly Cheese Steak. Plus, if I can find a cookbook that teaches me how to make one that good, I want to buy it.

What is the point in all of this? We love food, and we love to know about authentic food. If you are thinking about developing a community cookbook make sure that you include some signature dishes revolving around the local culture, specialties, and ethnicity because that is what your customers will be looking for.

Back in the Swing of Things

If you regularly read this blog, you have noticed that the posts have slacked off. My time crunch has been due to business travel, the Labor Day weekend, and my daughter's wedding this past weekend. (Notice both of my beautiful daughters beaming just before the ceremony.) Indeed, I'm a very proud father.

I was amazed to learn how many details went into a wedding. For example, the food. Food is certainly a big part of the wedding plans, and with us it was no different. In fact, it was compounded by the fact that Molly (the bride) is allergic to gluten and corn; obviously, this presented some unusual challenges. (Molly's gluten free cake topper to the left.)

Interestingly, I read a report today that gluten free products are on the rise and will continue to burgeon over the coming years. Anyone planning on developing a community cookbook might consider adding a gluten free section or at least some gluten free recipes within the book.

Our client Faye Elahi, a registered nutritionist, has a new gluten free cookbook (along with some other special dietary needs recipes) coming out later this fall, titled Ready, Set, Eat and we expect it to be a big hit.
Other hot cookbook trends in general are easy, time saving recipes as well as single subject books. Earlier this year, we released Under the Fig Leaf and A Century of Flavor, which continues to sell well. I have written blogs on some of these titles including Dip Into Something Different from The Melting Pot Restaurants, which is a fondue cookbook that has been our #1 best seller over the last 2 years.

One thing we encourage at FRP is for our clients to study the market ahead of the book development so that they can capture a niche with either price, topic, theme or other unique twist which will capture the consumers attention. Some companies are happy to print books for you regardless of the content; we feel we offer a better value if we can help you think through the sales and marketing on the front end.

Happy Cooking.