Education, subterfuge and irony

I have had a request to write about Cookbook University after I attend in May. Happy to. But one might ask why are you attending Cookbook University? Let me explain in somewhat vague terms. I am part of an organization that is producing a cookbook. The publisher and all around incredible source for how to do such a thing is Favorite Recipes Press in Nashville. We have contracted with them for this massive undertaking. FRP is also the host of Cookbook University, which I can only assume tells you everything you ever wanted to know about creating a cookbook but were afraid to ask! Hopefully several of us working on this project will be going in May.

Let me explain my reason for not telling you the organization. It isn't because we don't want publicity, that's for sure. It is actually because leadership in this organization has set up google alerts so that they will be notified when any thing is written about the organization. Theoretically, this exists so that we view all the good community news reports that come out. But from my own experience, I know that it became a topic of conversation among leadership when a supportive and enthusiastic blog posting which happened to be factually incorrect was found. And though I would never make any public negative statement about the group, I don't necessarily want the powers that be to be searching my writing. Know what I mean?

But back to FRP - (if any FRP folks have google alerts, we heart you big time - please don't rat me out). It is a small world after all. During the summers of 1996 and 1997, I spent some time selling the W.R. Case and Sons Cookbook and Historical Companion. Why? Because my Daddy was president of the company, that's why. And I still remember part of my schpiel - all the proceeds went to Big Brothers Big Sisters of McKean County and the McKean County Literacy Team. But anyway, guess who produced that cookbook? FRP. My Dad's assistant, Joette ,was the point person on getting this book together. Her contact at FRP was Bob Johnson. Guess who our contact at FRP is? You got it - but we like to call him Cookbook Bob. So now here I am 14 years later, having an even bigger part in this book and Bob totally remembered the Case book, my Dad and Joette. He actually said it was one of his favorite books to work on in his 25 year career. Score one for Bradford, PA.

I'll wrap it up for today. Now that I have introduced it, I'll be writing further about my recipe testing/tasting experiences plus the great moments and quotes from the group like, "I don't think it is necessary to thank people for eating."