Friends of Tewksbury Public Library launch community cookbook

TEWKSBURY — The Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library are launching a community-sourced cookbook as part of a new fundraising campaign.

“We love our library” said Sue Pedersen, Friends pre­­si­dent, “and bringing the community together through this cookbook is a wonderful way for people show their commitment to the TPL.”

Sparked as part of a brainstorming session, the Friends were trying to come up with ideas that would raise funds for mu­seum passes and li­brary programming while recognizing the constraints that COVID-19 has placed upon the group.

“Our largest fundraiser, in­door mini golf, was cancelled at the onset of the pandemic,” said cookbook committee chairperson Lor­na Garey. “We know that so many people are cooking at home and why not share their favorite recipes with the greater community?”

The Friends are asking for community submissions, in­cluding from town board and committee members and local restaurants to create a robust and varied cookbook.

“The Friends realize the role food and cooking had in helping individuals, businesses and families get through the pandemic, whether they took up sourdough or made an effort to support local Tewksbury restaurants to help them survive. We decided to document those recipes by reaching out and creating something quite meaningful to our community.”

The cookbook is due to be available in May, so residents are asked to get out their recipe files and share their most treasured creations. Recipes can be submitted by email and up to five recipes may be shared. Recipe categories include Appetizers and Beverages, Soups and Salads, Vege­tables and Side Dishes, Main Dish­es, B​read and Rolls, Des­serts, Cookies and Candies, and This and That, which is a catch-all category for con­diments, marinades and the like.

Recipes may be emailed to the cookbook committee at TPLCookbook@gmail.com. The Friends ask you use “Recipe Submission” in the subject line. Recipes may also be dropped off at the library by placing them in the mailbox on the Friends bulletin board by March 1.

Online submissions can be entered via an online form which may be found at the https://friendstplibrary.org website, under the tab “Cook­book.” Snail mail is also accepted for recipes — send your hard copy to: Tewksbury Public Li­bra­ry, Attn. Cook­book Committee, 300 Chand­ler St., Tewksbury, MA 01876

The Friends also have some tips for submitting re­cipes such as using standard abbreviations for mea­surements, using pa­ren­thesis around package sizes, such as “1 (14oz.) can,” and using ingredient names in the directions.

For example, “Combine flour and sugar” rather than statements such as, “Combine the first two in­gredients.” Recipes should include temperatures and all cooking, chilling, baking, or freezing times. The committee asked that ingredients and directions are clear, thorough, and accurate.

Garey said, “For example, don’t assume the reader knows how to make yeast bread.”

Submit recipes exactly as you want them to appear. Write directions in one pa­ragraph. The committee em­phasized that recipe ti­tles and ingredient lists may not include trademarked names, such as “Miracle Whip” or “Ken­tuc­ky Derby Pie.”

Recipe notes may include nutritional information, re­cipe history, tips, and other info up to 375 characters.