By Kathryn Zahn

When I think about the West Coast of Florida, one of the first things that comes to mind is “Fish”.  There is never a shortage of fish here in the Tampa Bay area, and one of the best things is that you can get it fresh…catch it yourself or buy it right off the dock.

A while back ago we came upon one of the best “straight off the dock” fish markets while having lunch in Bradenton at The Cortez Kitchen, the Cortez Fish Market. They are located in the same parking lot and the prices are very very reasonable for the fish being so fresh.  We wandered into the market, and in addition to the fish they have a full array of spices.  My husband loves fish and I am constantly trying to think of new ways to cook it for him.  I spotted the lemons and knew that piccata was it. 

I am a personal fan of the recipe “Grouper Piccata” found on page 82 of Capture of Coast.  The recipe is easy and the fish is delicious.  Since then I have made this dish for my mother, my father-in-law, my next door neighbor and everyone has loved it…Hopefully you will too …. :O) Bon Appétit!

Grouper Piccata (Capture the Coast p. 82)

• 1 pound fresh grouper
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¼ cup white wine
• Zest and juice from one lemon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 3 tablespoons capers
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse the fish and pat dry.  Mix the flour with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper in a shallow dish.  Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Dip the fish in the beaten egg and dredge in the flour mixture to coat.  Place in the skillet.  Sear for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.  Place the fish on a baking sheet, reserving the drippings in the skillet.  Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until the fish is nearly cooked through.  Add the wine, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic to the reserved drippings in the skillet.  Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half, stirring constantly.  Stir in the butter and capers.  Heat until the butter melts, stirring constantly.  Return the fish to the skillet.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Place the fish on two serving plates and spoon the sauce over the top.

By Cindy Valdez

The first Rule of Cooking that I explain to my children when teaching them how to cook something new is, “Read the instructions all the way through before you do anything else.”

The Jelly Roll Cookie recipe that I made today taught me that I need to be reminded of this rule every now and again, too.

It’s a super simple recipe with a small number of ingredients and also happens to be very similar to another slice and bake cookie I made over the holidays, so as I was skimming over the instructions I figured I knew what I was doing and just jumped in without even finishing reading them.

Start by creaming together one stick of butter (I used unsalted) and one stick of margarine with two three-ounce packages of cream cheese.

I used very cold ingredients and sliced into chunks before throwing them in the food processor would help to speed up the creaming process.

Add two cups of sifted flour (one cup at a time) to the butter and cream cheese mixture and mix until combined.

Here’s where I began to mess this up royally…

Put the dough, mixing bowl and all, into the refrigerator for 2 1/2 – 3 hours.  (I wanted to hasten the process so I put the dough on wax paper, patted it into a bit of a round, wrapped it up and put it in the freezer for about an hour.

Just before getting wrapped up and going into the freezer.

Divide dough into two equal parts and roll out each. (I didn’t divide the dough and I’m pretty sure this was a crucial step; dividing the dough would’ve made for much thinner, more delicate dough once rolled out which probably would’ve resulted in a light and airy cookie…not at all what I ended up with.)

Generously spread one 12 ounce jar of guava jelly on top of both of the rolled out dough (but not too heavily). Sprinkle with 1/4 lb. of chopped pecans.

 I only sprinkled nuts on half of my rolled out dough in case anyone wanted to try a jelly only version.  This was Mistake #847.

 Roll up dough (each roll is usually about a foot long).  Place in greased pan and refrigerate overnight.  (Again, in an effort to speed this along – who wants to wait til the next day to eat cookies? – I put the rolled up dough in the freezer.  Besides, slicing dough that’s been chilled in the freezer is so smooth and easy.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Slice cookies and place on greased cookie sheet (I used parchment paper instead, though I don’t think it made any difference one way or the other), bake 10 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pre-baking; instead of looking like jelly rolls they look more like jelly flops.  I’m guessing this has something to do with the weight of the dough.

As I’m sure you can imagine, given the density of the dough since I didn’t bother to halve it, I needed the full 15 minutes of bake time plus an additional three minutes just to get the dough baked through.  Of course, by the time it was done, the jelly had all but melted into a congealed film of goo on the parchment paper; only the cookies with pecans held onto the guava jelly.

Major disaster.

After cooling, I did a little taste testing to see whether or not the taste was affected by my mistakes.  The jelly only cookies were bland and pretty flavorless, but the cookies with the pecans were actually quite good.  These would probably taste considerably better had I made them the way they’re supposed to be made.

So, since I have all of the ingredients on hand to make these a second time, I’ll give it another go tomorrow, this time following all of the directions as written.  I’ll post an update as soon as they’re done.

Moral of the story?  Read the instructions all the way through before you do anything else.

Jelly Roll Cookies (The Gasparilla Cookbook, p. 278)

1 stick butter

1 stick margarine

2 3-ounce packages of cream cheese

2 cups sifted flour

1 12-ounce jar of guava jelly (good idea to have second jar on hand in case you need extra)

1/4 pound of chopped pecans

Cream together butter, margarine and cream cheese. Mix in flour 1 cup at a time. Set in refrigerator for 2.5 to 3 hours. Divide dough into 2 parts and roll out each. Spread jelly on top of dough generously but not too heavily. Sprinkle nuts on top of jelly. Roll up dough (each roll is usually about a foot long). Place in greased pan. Refrigerate over night. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice cookies and place on greased cookie sheet. Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 3 to 4 dozen.

By Juno Paramadevan

I opened up the invite for my friends’ Annual Girls’ Holiday Cookie Exchange and nervously thought about what kind of cookie to make this year. My girlfriends are all great bakers and the cookies keep getting more impressive every year we do this exchange so I knew I needed to make something extra special.

Usually I look up various recipes online and pick the most interesting one (hoping for the best!) but this year since I had purchased all the cookbooks in The Junior League of Tampa’s collection I decided to pour through them to find the perfect recipe. I knew it would be a safer bet than searching online since they have all been well-tested and I have never had a Junior League dessert I didn’t like!

I finally found one that looked really delicious yet easy to make in Savor the Seasons, which of course is the best in the collection for holiday recipes! Holiday Raspberry Cookies seemed like a classic recipe that I had all the ingredients for in my kitchen except for the raspberry preserves. They came out wonderfully and tasted fantastic! The best part was that I experimented with some different fillings including Nutella and peanut butter and they still tasted great! I would highly recommend trying some of your favorite spreads or any variety of preserves like strawberry or apricot. Happy Baking!

Holiday Raspberry Cookies (Savor the Seasons, p. 116)

• 2 cups (4 sticks) margarine, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1 egg white, beaten
• Raspberry preserves
• Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the margarine in a mixing bowl. Beat in the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat until blended. Sift the flour into the mixture and mix well. Roll or pat the dough on a floured work surface. Cut with a cookie cutter and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread preserves over half the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Yield: 4 dozen cookies

By Kathryn Zahn

When I first found out that I was going to be tasting and writing about the recipe Ham Jambalaya I was so excited because what immediately came to my mind was one-pot dinner. After working all day, picking up two kids from different schools, and trying to have dinner on the table for them and my husband by six, an easy recipe for dinner is always what I am looking for.

When I think of southern or Cajun jambalaya I think: chicken, shrimp, sausage, ham, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, celery…you know hearty and full of meats, vegetables, and rice; and as I jotted down the recipe at the end of the day before I ran into Publix, I knew with a sinking feeling that the dinner that I had planned on was not going to be enough food for them.

My intention is not to give this recipe a bad review, it is more for us to sit back and say, “Yeah, sometimes the recipes we pick don’t go as planned or taste like we would want them too…but that’s ok.” We learn through trial and error and they can’t all be perfect, right?

What this dish really consists of is 2 cooking onions, 2 cups of canned tomatoes, 1 cup of rice, and 1 cup of ham. Now if you do the math that is just a little over 4 cups. I put a scoop onto each of my kid’s plate and what you see in the bowl is all that was left for my husband and me. I ended up having to make each of them a salad, threw in some buttered bread, a big glass of milk, and then dessert. My husband ate what I served him and then proceeded to dig around in the refrigerator for more food.

The overwhelming ingredient in this dish is the canned tomatoes. If you love canned tomatoes, then you’ll love this dish. If you don’t, then most likely you won’t. We prefer fresh in our house. Canned tomatoes just have this distinct taste and it doesn’t matter how long you sauté them or what you sauté them in, they have a tendency to overpower the other flavors of the dish. Aside from this, my husband and I probably would have liked it more if more bacon was called for. In addition to using the grease, crumbling and adding the bacon to the dish would also add a little extra flavor to it. I also didn’t see the need to bake the dish for 30-40 minutes. If you simmered down the tomatoes, most of the liquid should be gone, so I am not sure what the extra time was needed for. I tasted it before and after the baking and to me it was exactly the same.

My kids loved this dish. If you have children and they eat rice, it was easy to make and I am certain that they will love it too.

It says 4-6 servings, and as a side dish then yes, I would agree to that. I don’t really have any recommendations as where to serve this dish; maybe at a potluck get together where there are a lot of different dishes to sample and taste. As for a dinner, we like to focus around protein and vegetables. The little bit of ham that it calls for was not enough for us, so it needs a complimentary meat as well as another vegetable or salad.

Keep in mind after reading this that not every recipe is for everyone. If you love these ingredients, then by all means cook away…you won’t be disappointed. As for us…I’ll be waiting for my next assignment… Bon Appétit!

Ham Jambalaya (The Gasparilla Cookbook, p. 111)

• 2 slices of bacon
• ½ clove garlic
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 cups canned tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 cup chopped or ground ham, ground preferred

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove from skillet and drain. Saute garlic and onion in bacon drippings. Add tomatoes and parsley. Season with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer 15 minutes. Add rice and ham and mix well. Bake in casserole in 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. Serves 4-6.

By Kelly Elkins

This corn chowder recipe is the absolute perfect comfort food! I was feeling under the weather so I decided that soup would make me feel better. Since I didn’t have the energy to cook, my husband stepped up to the plate. I was nervous that he didn’t get enough fresh corn cob since the recipe calls for 4 cups of corn, but 4 medium size corn cobs did the job. Since he loves bacon, he decided to add a little more than the 5 strips the recipe called for. I’m glad he did because the extra bacon made it that much more delicious! We decided not to add any chicken or crab meat, but I think we will go this route the next time we make it. It turned out amazing and he told me that it was an easy recipe to make.

Corn Chowder - EveryDay Feasts, pg. 34

5 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups chopped onions

2 tablespoons flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup half-and-half

4 cups fresh corn

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the bacon in a large stockpot over low heat until wilted and the fat is rendered. Add the butter and cook until the butter is melted. Add the onions and saute for 10 minutes or until translucent. Add the flour and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or just until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the half-and-half, corn and salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may add 1 cup chopped cooked chicken or 1 (8-ounce) container cleaned fresh crabmeat and a dash of Tabasco sauce and cook just until warmed through.

Yield:  6 to 8 servings

By Suzanne Oaks Brownstein

Ahhhh…the pleasures of fall. Football on Saturday afternoon. Kids jumping through piles of leaves. Those cute boots coming out of the back of your closet.

Wait, did the high really hit 81 degrees today in Tampa?? Guess I’ll be sweating in those boots.

But one of the real treats of fall that works in all temperatures is pumpkin. If you’re one of those folks who’s on her twentieth straight day of Pumpkin Spiced Lattes from Starbucks, you might be wondering if there’s more to pumpkin than seasonal caffeinated liquid.

Fortunately, there are some great recipes from JLT cookbooks that put a delicious twist on pumpkin – and can be perfect additions to holiday get-togethers (whether you’re hosting your friends and family or bringing a table gift if you’re the guest).

In our second round of the JLT “Iron Leaguer” competition – in which cookbook committee members are pitted against each other in an anonymous taste test at the General Membership Meeting – pumpkin took center stage. Krista Dietrich, assistant chair of the cookbook committee, chose the Marble Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust from Savor the Seasons, while Elizabeth Watson, co-chief of the cookbook marketing team, took on the Pumpkin Coffee Cake from Tampa Treasures.

A Q&A with both ladies reveals insight about recipe selection and how to think on your feet when a kitchen challenge arises. You can see the competitive edge required should you ever find yourself in a “cook-off”. . . .

How did you choose your recipe? 

Krista: I chose from Savor the Seasons, my favorite cookbook from our JLT Culinary Collection, and knew I couldn’t go wrong with pumpkin plus cheesecake plus gingersnaps – all of fall’s best flavors!  I almost made a traditional pumpkin pie but wanted to challenge myself and excite the voters’ taste buds.

Elizabeth: I chose my recipe because it highlighted the secret ingredient of pumpkin and contained other great fall ingredients like cinnamon and pecans.

Are you a fan of pumpkins?

Krista: HUGE fan! I love to eat anything with pumpkin in it and and am known to overdose on Pumpkin Spice Lattes [Aha! A fellow traveler], pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes — you name it. I also love to decorate with pumpkins and grew up on a farm where we had our own patch up north. “Mildly obsessed” you might call it.

Elizabeth: I’m a huge pumpkin fan – of both their appearance and their flavor.

How did you size up your competition? Were you intimidated?

Krista: For all I knew, Elizabeth could have been the next Martha Stewart, so I had to prepare like I was taking down a world class chef.

Elizabeth: Krista is a great chef and very inventive. But I am, too – so I didn’t feel a bit intimidated.

What did you do to mentally prepare for this “Iron Leaguer” cooking contest?

Krista: I meditated deeply and became one with the pumpkin.

Elizabeth: In terms of mental preparation, I made sure to be very organized. I created a detailed grocery list to procure my ingredients and made sure to follow the recipe step by step. This preparation paid off!

Did you experience any challenges in preparing your dish?

Krista: I have never prepared this dish before so I was a little concerned since I couldn’t taste test it. Plus, the recipe called for the oven to heat up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit and my oven only goes to 500, so I had to adjust some of the cooking times. This had me a little worried.

Elizabeth: I struggled with baking time as my oven can be inconsistent. I solved this by rotating my pans and setting a timer a few moments shy of the baking time to test the bread with a toothpick for doneness.

Were you happy with the final product?

Krista: I was very happy with it – I got a chance to taste the leftovers and shared it with family. I have requests for the holidays already!

Elizabeth: I was thrilled! The bread was delicious.

What advice do you have for future competitors?

Krista: Bring your “A” game. We have some seriously talented chefs in our League and our cookbooks can make even the serial PB & J maker look like a gourmet chef.
Elizabeth: Cook with confidence!

So who took home the prize (well, there is no actual PRIZE prize, but contestants do get mentioned in a blog!)? The winner of the Great Pumpkin War was. . . Krista!

In truth, both dishes were delicious. Why not kick off your holiday morning with the coffee cake, and then bookend your turkey dinner with the cheesecake? Pumpkin madness!

By Jaime Brewer

I have always loved the smell of pumpkin…especially around Thanksgiving time.  The ironic thing is, I haven’t always necessarily liked the taste of pumpkin.  It’s like when people tell me they love the smell of coffee, but don’t like the taste.  Personally, I don’t understand those people since I live on coffee!  But, I get their point.  I used to love to cook and bake and then things happened (husband, dog, children- in that order) and cooking and baking became something I did for my family to survive and not necessarily as therapy like it used to be.  That’s why I tend to steer towards recipes that aren’t overly complicated and include a smaller amount of ingredients.  So, when I was asked to bake something for the Junior League Cookbook blog, I jumped at this recipe of only 9 ingredients.

The first thing I did was gather my ingredients and the necessary utensils.

1 pie shell, unbaked

¾ cups canned pumpkin

1/3 cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

2 eggs

1 cup milk (small can evaporated milk plus enough plain milk to make 1 cup)

½ cup white corn syrup

Then, I went to work simmering the pumpkin over low heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Ten minutes later, I removed the saucepan from the stove and stirred in the next 4 ingredients (sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger). Next, I beat the eggs – first by hand before I realized it would take me an hour to get the mixture frothy, like the recipe called for, then with an electric mixer.  Definitely use an electric mixer and beat until frothy!

Once the eggs were frothy, I added the milk and corn syrup and mixed together. Then I added the egg mixture to the pumpkin mixture and beat together until they were well combined.

Next, I poured the mixture into the pie shell. Once thing I would have liked to have known beforehand was that the recipe actually made more mixture than would fit in the 9-inch pie shell. Had I known, I would have also purchased some of the smaller tart shells and made a few child sized pies as well!

Then it was off to a 450 degrees oven for 15 minutes and then to a 300 degrees oven for another 40 minutes.

I have to say I’m pretty proud of my very first pumpkin pie.  Not only did my house smell delicious for an entire day, but I was ready for friends who unexpectedly showed up for a play date!  FYI, if you make this for Thanksgiving or any other fall day, have some whip cream on hand!  Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy!

By Kelly Elkins

This recipe is very easy to make! I’m not one to find any joy out of cooking but this was a recipe I will definitely continue to make now that I know how easy it is.

I did make a few changes due to preference and time constraint. Instead of making the garlic oil, to save time I just used regular olive oil. Also, I forgot to buy fresh garlic at the store so instead of running back to the grocery store, I used minced garlic that I had in the fridge.

Next, I decided against the fresh bread crumbs because I had some seasoned bread crumbs in the pantry and thought they would be a quick  alternative. Everything went smoothly without any hiccups. My husband and I enjoyed it so much that we decided to make it as our contribution for Thanksgiving dinner. It was delicious even with the few shortcuts, but I decided next time I make it, I will do everything exactly like the recipe calls for. I can’t imagine how good it will taste then!

This is a moderately easy recipe that even an amateur cook can make with ease.

1 1/2 tablespoons garlic oil

2 large shallots, minced

2 cups milk

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/8 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

10 roasted garlic cloves, mashed

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

8 ounces (2 cups) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

8 ounces (2 cups) cubed Black Forest ham

1 pound bowtie or elbow pasta, cooked al dente

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons garlic oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the shallots and saute for 4 minutes or until tender. Whisk in the milk, cream, thyme, lemon zest and garlic. Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes or until reduced to 2 3/4 cups, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and the Cheddar cheese gradually, stirring until blended. Add the ham and mix well. Add the pasta and toss to combine. Spoon the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and 3 tablespoons garlic oil in a bowl and mix well. Sprinkle over the prepared dish. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and the bread crumbs are golden brown. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

Ask for Black Forest Ham at the deli counter to be cut into 1-inch slices. Cut into cubes at home.

Yield: 6 servings

By Lisl Unterholzner

One of the great things about The Gasparilla Cookbook is that it pulls together the best recipes from the various cultures that collide in our area, mainly Cuban, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Southern and more. You may be wondering if and how Swedish Meatballs have anything to do with Florida’s West Coast. Well, I don’t know the background of Mrs. D. A. Kafka, who submitted this recipe. I can tell you that part of my own ancestry is Swedish, and that my great-great-grandfather was one of five brothers from Sweden who came to the Tampa Bay area in the late 1880’s.

Today, the easiest way to enjoy Swedish meatballs is to stop by IKEA, and I’m definitely a fan. But the recipe from The Gasparilla Cookbook is a great place to start if you have the time and the inclination to cook from scratch. For one thing, the texture of these meatballs is phenomenal- super light and fluffy. Plus, the Almond Noodles that accompany them are seriously addictive.

There are a few things I would tweak. For one, the recipe calls for you to sauté 2 tablespoons of minced onion in ¼ cup of butter. You can easily knock that down to 1 tablespoon. The texture of your meatballs will also be affected by the bread you use to make bread crumbs. I used some white bread from the Publix bakery, maybe the Italian Sandwich bread, tearing the slices into pieces and giving them a whirl in the food processor to make pretty fine crumbs.

Don’t use canned bread crumbs- the key is to make sure your bread is not too hard or to dry. Finally, I drained my meatballs on paper towels after browning, then wiped out the pan to remove the excess oil. If you have some browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, you could loosen them with a bit of chicken broth, then return the meatballs to the pan and add the cream.

This recipe did not make a ton of sauce, so don’t expect it to be a make-at-home version of IKEA’s. I see it as a wonderful recipe for a birthday meal or a dinner party. Most of the work for the meatballs is done in advance, and the noodles can be put into a casserole or serving dish and covered with aluminum foil to stand for at least 30 minutes. I served this to some very picky pre-schoolers, and they gobbled up the meatballs. They were less fond of the noodles, which was fine because I was happy to heat them up for lunch (along with a few – not many!- leftover meatballs) the next day.

So, enjoy your meal, or as they say in Swedish, Smaklig måltid!

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

2 cups soft bread crumbs, firmly packed

3/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons minced onion

1/4 cup butter

1 lb ground beef

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons flour

Fat or salad oil

1/2 cup light cream

Combine bread crumbs and milk; let stand 10 minutes. Saute onion in butter over low heat until soft but not brown. Combine beef, nutmeg, salt, paprika and egg. Add to bread crumb and onion mixture. Shape in small balls, about 1-inch in diameter. Chill at least 1 hour. Roll meatballs in flour; cook in a little hot fat or salad oil, turning to brown on all sides. Add cream, cover and cook 5 minutes. Serve at once with Almond Noodles. Makes 6 servings.

ALMOND NOODLES

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 8-ounch package egg noodles, cooked

Melt half the butter; add almonds and cook until golden brown. Add remaining butter, paprika and poppy seeds. To hot cooked noodles, add this mixture, tossing with a fork until thoroughly mixed. Makes 6 servings.

The highly anticipated anniversary edition of our award-winning cookbook was unveiled at the Junior League of Tampa Cookbook Chair Brunch on August 6^th at JLT headquarters for all past Cookbook Committee Chairs. The Brunch featured presentations by JLT President Allison Burden, Past Cookbook Chair Lisl Unterholzner and Current Cookbook Chairs Aspen Kahl and Denise Schultz. “It was amazing to have 50 years of past cookbook chairs together celebrating our flagship publication,” said Aspen Kahl. “It exemplifies their commitment to the League and the legacy of The Gasparilla Cookbook that we continue to build today.”

A classic menu of recipes from The Gasparilla Cookbook 50^th Anniversary Edition was served, including: Banana Bread (muffins), Garden Salad with Zesty Salad Dressing, Five-Cup Fruit Salad and Chicken Salad De Luxe Croissant Sandwiches.

Brunch attendees had the first opportunity to purchase The Gasparilla Cookbook 50^th Anniversary Edition and received an appreciation discount on the purchase of five or more books at the event. “It’s beautiful and I will delight in giving them as gifts,” said Sue Isbell, Past Cookbook Committee Chair.

“We sold 103 copies of The Gasparilla Cookbook 50^th Anniversary Edition,” said Denise Schultz. “The brunch was a great success and properly celebrated this special commemorative edition.”

The launch of The Gasparilla Cookbook 50^th Anniversary Edition also included several events at Datz Delicatessen. JLT members were invited to attend a series of “Lunch Box” events and a cocktail party featuring recipes from our timeless cookbook. For each of these events, Datz made a donation back to the League to support our community projects.

Datz featured a series of “Lunch Box” events from September 19^th through the 23^rd. Each event featured recipe selections from The Gasparilla Cookbook, presented at a three-course seated tasting and cooking demonstration. JLT Guest Chefs included Lynette Russell, Stephanie Wiendel, Lisl Unterholzner, Danielle Post, Suzy Mendelson, Andrea Layne, Denise Shultz, and Casey Carefoot.