PARRSBORO – A new cookbook from Trinity United Church has brought new meaning to the term “local flavour.”
The church has launched Trinity’s Tried and True Recipes, a collection of 250 favourite recipes from church members past and present, now available for sale as a fundraiser.
“At a council meeting we were talking about different ways we could raise funds – to keep the money in the community and something that would be important to people in our church,” said church member Esther Deville. “Someone brought it up to maybe have a community cookbook, and use tried and true recipes from everybody that was a member of the congregation.”
Once the idea took off, it quickly gained momentum, according to Deville, who said a company in Calgary, Alta. that had experience printing cookbooks was hired to do the job. A black-and-white photo of the church was selected for the cover of the book.
As for the recipes, Deville said they canvassed current church members as well as faces from the past, including past clergy members. The daughter of the late Rev. Parker Matheson, for example, contributed a recipe in memory of her father, while Rev. Donna Lovelace contributed some of her favourite Newfoundland recipes.
“It could be anything at all,” she said. “Everyone we contacted was very positive and supplied a recipe. Everyone was so willing to participate.”
What came in was a cross-section of favourite recipes. Favourite recipes from recently deceased members like Margaret Ling, Sally Levy and Margaret MacKay were included, and some were contributed in memory of deceased members, such as former choir director Florence Atkinson.
The result has been more than just another cookbook, but also a keepsake – a way to remember those who have brought life to the church over the years, Deville explained.
“One lady who bought it, saw one of the names on the recipes, and it was really special for her,” she said. “It was someone she knew and she said it was like a trip down memory lane for her, to see that name and that recipe. It really gave her a nice memory.”
The church members hadn’t considered that aspect of the project when they first discussed the idea, and Deville said the experience of putting it together has brought them closer together.
As a bonus, she said hopefully the project would make a little money for the church.
The book is now available for $10 in places such as The Tee-Shirtery on Main Street, as well as from hairdresser Shirley Kurlyuk in Fox River, and from church members such as Esther Deville and Nancy Nymark.
