This fall, the Abbot Public Library launched a Cookbook Club, where local residents come together once a month to cook, share and celebrate recipes from a chosen cookbook.
The idea came from Judy Eissner, who visited a Cookbook Club with a family member at West Concord Library.
“Everything you read about today, relationships are important,” Eissner told the Current. “It’s nice to be able to share an experience like this. I know a couple of the people really well and I met the members of the library board. We talked and there were some other people that were very interested in the experience and their cooking.”
Marblehead’s Adult Services Librarian Allissa Wyant oversees the program and coordinates with Linda Bassett, the Current’s food columnist, to select each month’s featured cookbook.
Participants can check out the chosen book and pick a recipe that interests them. Each member prepares a dish at home and brings it in to share, buffet style, with the group.
“Everybody in the group are excellent cooks and they’re fearless about trying something new, which I really loved,” Bassett said. “So that makes a really great exchange among all these people.”
Bassett added: “We have a range of ages and experience, from young mothers to retired women. The group is all women right now, but it’s open to men. I’ve had a few conversations trying to recruit a few men.”
The first meeting, held on Oct. 8, featured a presentation from Bassett on the history of American cookbooks with the book “Salt Fat Acid Heat,” by Samin Nostrat.
“I made a turkey breast and brined it in salt overnight. It was very interesting to me that you can cook other meats that way. It helped me see the importance of salt and then tasting it in other dishes at the meeting,” said Eissner.
Meetings are a place where participants can talk about what they prepared and why they chose it, as well as learn new insights on cooking styles and recipes.
The latest meeting on Nov. 5, featured recipes from Ina Garten’s cookbook.
“We’re thrilled to host the Cookbook Club at the Abbot Public Library,” said Abbot Library Executive Dir. Kimberly Grad. “It’s more than just sharing a meal. It’s a wonderful, supportive environment for food lovers to connect, share recipes and learn from local expert Linda Bassett.”New members are welcome to join by signing up at abbotlibrary.org/events. Each meeting is capped at 20 people.
