There is an extra ingredient in the recipes in Anne Halpin's self-published cookbook.
Memories.
Halpin's book, "A Taste Of Memory: A Cookbook", is a memorial to her mother, Milly Boley, and her husband Lou's mother, Evelyn Halpin.
The idea for the cookbook sprang from a brochure she read at Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice Inc. Anne's mother had been ill and received care from the hospice before she died. The brochure suggested one way to deal with grieving was to take on a project.
"I can not say enough good words about those people (at the hospice) and the organization," said Halpin.
While going through some of her mother's boxes, Anne found some of her recipes. She thought about using them to create a cookbook. Then she thought that others might have recipes and memories to share, so she decided to ask.
"I solicited recipes from friends, co-workers and family members," Halpin said during an interview Tuesday afternoon at Warsaw Community High School.
Halpin teachers English at WCHS. She has taught for 34 years, 24 of those years with Warsaw Schools.
More than 60 people contributed recipes. Some contributed one or two, while others contributed more than a dozen.
She started working on the recipe book in August 2007. Copies of the book arrived 20 days ago. She had the book published at Exchange Publishing Co. in New Paris. It contains more than 400 recipes.
"I was just really thrilled, thrilled to see it," said Halpin. "I was really happy to see how it came out."
The book is divided into sections, including appetizers, breads and rolls, desserts, soups and salads, main dishes, vegetables, miscellaneous and "Just for Fun."Having it accurate was the hardest part about putting the book together, she said. The people who submitted the recipes knew what they meant, but it wasn't always clear to Halpin when she was typing them up. Pam Chastain and Shirley Bolinger assisted Halpin in her efforts.
After she had the whole book together, there was the question of having it proofread. Steve Waldeck and Ian Trafny helped her format the book.
"All these people, listed in the book on page 6, really helped me," said Halpin.
While putting the book into shape, Halpin said she tried quite a few of the recipes.
"When I'd be working, I'd cook whatever I was working on because it made me so hungry," she said.
"There was a delicious blueberry banana dessert I tried. It was just so good."
Whenever she made the recipes, Halpin said, she thought of the person who supplied the recipe. If it was one of her mother's recipes, she'd think of her own mother.
Halpin said, "I think the hospice brochure had it right. A project really helps a person heal. It helped me through the grieving process. It was very rewarding."
Every person who sent Halpin a recipe got a copy of the book. She'd get letters in return that were very nice, she said. Some of the people who didn't send a recipe in, she said, later regretted it.
Some of the people who contributed recipes included Gayle Westover, Joe Conlon, Karol Piecuch, Sue Harman, Connie Stavropulos, Dr. Jennifer Lucht, Jennifer Shepherd, Roberta Tucker, Joy Carlson and Kelly Clemens.
"I've tried several recipes and I think it's so wonderful," said Westover. Some of the recipes date back to the mid-20th century. They are recipes that will remind people of their mothers or grandmothers, she said. They may be recipes that have been lost or forgotten until now, but are still wonderful.
"Plus, I think it's a great tribute to mothers and would make moms a great gift," said Westover.
The book also contains photos of Halpin's immediate family and Milly Boley and Evelyn Halpin. They can be found at the beginning of each section.
Halpin had 200 books published. She has 100 left to sell for $21 each. To purchase a book, e-mail Halpin at ahalpin@maple.net or call her at 574-267-7557.
A copy of the cookbook will be auctioned off Sept. 13 at the Cancer Gala, Westover said.
