Grandmothers' recipe tell stories of growing up in Wheaton
Cookbook to commemorate and celebrate Wheaton's Sesquicentennial
WHEATON, Illinois, February 2009 – Cookie recipes, celebrity culinary favorites, potluck plates, county fair winners, family traditions and brand new concoctions are on the wish list for the Wheaton Sesquicentennial Gala Committee as it prepares a cookbook to celebrate Wheaton ’s 150 years as a city. The cookbook will include not only recipes, but also personal reminisces and historical photos to present a culinary look at Wheaton’s 150 years.
The committee is collecting the recipes for the book scheduled to debut on Saturday, February 21, 2009 at the Wheaton Sesquicentennial Birthday Gala for Community Charities, sponsored by the West Suburban Foundation for Disabled Veterans (WSFDV).
"Food is as much of the fabric of a city as its churches, schools, shops and culture," said Laurie Swanson, President of the Laso Corporation and co-chair of the the Wheaton Sesquicentennial Gala Cookbook Committee. "Generations of church dinners, school potlucks, county fair bake-offs and family gatherings create culinary memories that indelibly define a community."
The committee is actively pursuing part of Wheaton's community, its celebrities, to be part of the cookbook as well. To date, native sons Jim Belushi, volleyball gold medal Olympian Sean Rooney,Peter Roskam, Brooks McCormick, Pro golfer Kevin Streelman, Chicago Bears radio announcer Jeff Joniak, Sundance Film Festival documentary film winner Jim Fortier and stuntman Joe Bucaro are being approached to submit their special recipes and memories.
Wheaton College, voted best in the nation for college cafeteria food is also submitting several recipes.
"We also want your stories," said Karen Joyce, committee co-chair. "Was the dish created by a great grandmother; is the recipe tied to a historical event such as the Civil War or one of the World Wars; did it cross the ocean with your ancestors? Wonderful and rich stories are part of the food adventure."
Additional committees members on the cookbook project include Vivian Bogdonoff, Kevin Meyers of Wheaton-based Meyers Design who is providing the creative for the layout and The Daily Herald high school sports journalist and gastronome David Oberhelman who, along with Susan Zimmerman, is writing the cookbook.
E-mailed and mailed submissions are accepted. Submission forms are available at the WSFDV Web site, www.wsfdv.org and can be submitted to the site. Recipes, photos and stories can also be mailed to Swanson Oberhelman, 20 Danada Sq West, Suite 105, 60189. She can also be contacted for 630-260-7821 for more information.
