A moment of happiness with the Knox Heritage Summer Suppers Cookbook

This afternoon, I finally got to hold in my hands the Knox Heritage Summer Suppers Cookbook--a three year labor of love. It is such a wonderful moment when something you've envisioned not only becomes real but looks exactly as you envisioned it. Kudos to Robin Easter Design for making it happen. And thanks to everyone who contributed a recipe or otherwise helped make this dream a reality.

Here it is--all 320+ pages of goodness.

You can purchase the book now at the Knox Heritage website. You can also purchase it at these upcoming events.

Thursday, December 8, 5-7 pm at Union Ave Books (refreshments from the cookbook provided)
Saturday, December 10, 12-7 pm  at The Holiday Market/Beth Meadows' booth downtown
Saturday, December 10, 4-6 pm at Bliss Home at the Gallery Shopping Center on Kingston Pike (refreshments from the cookbook provided)

From now through December 31, you can purchase a cookbook for $20. (In 2012, the retail price will increase.) All proceeds from the cookbook go to support Knox Heritage's mission: working to preserve structures and places with historic or cultural significance in Knox County.

And how's this for a deal? On December 8, 5-7 pm, for every Summer Suppers cookbook you purchase at Union Ave Books, you'll receive a 10% discount on an item at the bookstore. Thank you for your support, Union Ave Books!

Besides over 300 recipes, the book includes histories of the Summer Suppers, Knox Heritage, and the East Tennessee Preservation Association; vignettes about local treasures such as Savage Gardens, Cruze Dairy, the Historic Homes of Knoxville, Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams, and the Henley Bridge; reminiscences about Summer Suppers--and Lee Ingram's fabulous covers from the Summer Supper booklets.

Look for a story about the cookbook in the News Sentinel on December 1. Here's the dish I made for their photographer this afternoon.

Pesto Potatoes--a dish featuring sauteed potatoes, onions, green beans, and cannelini beans tossed with pesto--served at "Fresh from the Garden 2005." That's what we're having.