In the entrance of the Fairlee Public Library, 175 cookbooks were spread out on a long table.
These were not the types of cookbooks ordinarily found in stores, with celebrity chefs’ faces on the cover or plots to trick children into eating things they otherwise wouldn’t.
Instead, they were made by community groups like ladies auxiliaries, churches, school districts and co-ops throughout the country, spanning at least 60 years.
“Who would have thought there were all these odd, charming cookbooks?” Sandra Gunther, of Orford, said when she arrived at the library.
The 175 cookbooks were donated by a Fairlee resident who had inherited the collection, said library director Beth Reynolds, and provided the inspiration for a cookbook swap held Saturday morning. In the days leading up to the swap, patrons dropped off cookbooks of their own, which were grouped by category including “quick and easy” and “vegan/vegetarian” on tables set up throughout the library.
“As much as we talk about the internet, there are people who come in and say, ‘No, no I want to hold it in my hand,’ ” said Reynolds, who also works as a bookseller at the Norwich Bookstore, where she see a steady stream of customers looking for cookbooks. “There’s something about just being able to look at that picture and say, ‘Oh, I want to make this.’ ”
Gunther was joined at the sale by Janet Farley, of Strafford, and both belong to a number of book groups in the area.
“We both love to cook,” Farley said.
“And we love books,” Gunther added.
They flipped through the community cookbooks, coming across recipes like “library jam layer cake with caramel icing.”
“Doesn’t that sound good?” Farley remarked
Fellow browsers replied in the affirmative.
Gunther ended up selecting a community cookbook titled Culinary Classics, which was put together by a group in Atlanta. She liked the short instructions included with the recipes like “prepare same day” and “do ahead.”
“Each recipe has a little advice,” Gunther said. She had donated a dozen cookbooks to the swap and left with four. “I reduced and got ones I really think I’ll use.”
Peggy Bissell, of Fairlee, selected a book on cooking with greens and marveled at the pictures inside.
“I happen to be a passionate cook so how could I miss something like this?” she said of the event. “There’s something really special about being able to have that physical experience.”
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, people have taken to their kitchens to experiment or further their skills. Reynolds has found joy listening to the podcast “Home Cooking” by Chef Samin Nosrat, author of the popular book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking.
“It was delightful and that gave a sense of community that people were missing out on,” Reynolds said. She’s also taken online cooking classes as well as co-baking with a friend from their respective homes.
Fairlee resident Arlene Guest picked up a book with recipes for items found at a farmers market and another with slow cooker recipes. She said she started making soups such as carrot-lentil and broccoli cheese during the pandemic. Guest and her husband also signed up for Blue Apron, a service that delivers ingredients and recipes. It helped cut down on grocery store trips.
“It’s just nice not having to plan every night,” she said at the library.
Charlotte Williams, a volunteer at the library and member of its board of trustees, began watching the cooking competition show Chopped during the pandemic. It made her think more about seasoning and portion sizes.
“I love that silly show,” she said.
Gunther said she has cooked more than she usually does and has added more dishes to her repertoire. She made tomato and kale soup, and got more into seafood. She’s also experimented with pizza and made her own crust.
“I really enjoy it and you get some nice tasting stuff, healthier, too,” Gunther said. She expects she will continue her cooking habits as pandemic restrictions ease.
Around a dozen people stopped by over the course of the two-hour swap. Reynolds said she will offer some to other libraries through a Listserv and save others for the Fairlee Public Library’s Fourth of July book sale. She does not want to recycle the community cookbooks, preferring to give them away to people who want and appreciate the work that went into creating them.
Editor’s note: For those interested in the community cookbooks, email fairlee.library@gmail.com or call 802-333-4716.
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
