Pre-Sales Begin for 9th Edition by Fairfield Hitory Club: “From Our Table to Yours, Southern Style”
In simpler times, it was said that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. And while our modern sensitivities as to who is doing the cooking might be different, the truth is there nonetheless. Food speaks a language of love that is always a part of our human story. It is more than survival. It is kindness and comfort, laughter and love. With it, we celebrate and we mourn; we fall in love and we fall apart. Often a certain meal or a traditional dish harnesses the power of memory to take us back to a treasured moment in time—maybe a wedding day, or a cold night at the deer lease; maybe Mama’s house at Christmas, or a first date. Marking the momentous to the mundane, the food we share becomes part of our story.
So strong is the food connection that our history might well be written on the back of a torn and faded recipe card. The way we cook and eat is passed down through the generations to bind us to the traditions of our families, churches and communities. Most small towns will never grace the pages of a history book, but you need look no further than your kitchen shelf to find a living history rich with characters, connections and stories on the grease-stained pages of a hometown cookbook. What a treasure it is to find your mother’s faded handwriting on a well-worn page. It is in this way that our heritage is passed on through the generations.
The Fairfield History Club is proud to present “From Our Table to Yours, Southern Style”, for release later this fall. The ninth in the series of History Club cookbooks, the book features over 550 recipes collected from local residents and their friends and families. The collection reflects an evolution of the way we cook and eat, with many new ideas and adaptations alongside the tried and true recipes of our mothers and grandmothers.
The first cookbook in the History Club series was published in 1947. That first cookbook, and the eight books that have followed have been used to raise funds to support the activities of the Fairfield History Club. Among the projects the club has supported over the years include the purchase of the first firefighting equipment in Fairfield, holding immunization drives, setting up the first public library and giving many scholarships over six decades. Today, the club supports many charitable causes with an emphasis on women’s issues, education and conservation. It also continues to fund the ongoing restoration and preservation of the Historic Moody Bradley House.
FHC President Donna Tyus Schaufert said, “We are very excited to present our new cookbook. This is truly a legacy project for our club. Many families in town have collected every one of them, and we take great pride to add our generation’s contribution. The project is the culmination of several hundred volunteer hours of our club members over the last two years. It is a beautiful, functional cookbook that truly shows off the character and uniqueness of our little corner of the world.”
“From Our Table to Yours, Southern Style” is a limited edition. The book will be available for pre-sale from October 1 – October 21, 2018. Pre-sale price is $30. The books are expected in November. For more information, contact any History Club member, or contact Donna Tyus Schaufert at 903-389-8102.
