JILL FLEMONS, Doreen Ramage and Diana Whyte (1. to r.) worked for a year testing and tasting the reci- of the North Shore Family Services Society. Recipe for a good cause AS ANY cook knows, you can never have enough cookbooks. By Peggy Trendell-Whittaker News Reporter Even if your top shelf is al- ready overflowing, there's nothing to equa! the culinary in- spiration gleaned from flipping through a book full of intriguing new recipes. And now, with a new cookbook that’s on the market, shoppers don’t have to feel guil- ty about spending money on yet another volume — because the proceeds from this book ali go to a good cause. The North Shore Family Ser- vices Society (NSIFSS) has pro- duced More Fast & Fantastic, a sequel to the bestselling Fasr & Fantastic that has helped the society raise funds since its ini- tial printing four years ago. The sale of approximately 46,000 books has netted the non-profit society $45,000 which wat directed to its sexual abuse programs. Profits. from Afore Fast & Fantastic, which is printed) on recycled paper, will also help fund work with sexual abuse vic- tims, and other troubled indi- viduals and families. Says Diana Cowden of the NSFSS: “The needs (for sexual abuse programs) are greater than ever, As more and more inci- dents are brought to the public's attention, it seems fo bring ovhers out.’” The committee responsible for the production of More Fast & Fantastic was chaired by Dorcen Ranmige, who was also the driv- ing force behind the first collec: tion of recipes. Her cookbook committee in- cluded Diana Whyte and Jill Flemons. The volunteer commit- tee ‘‘tasted, tested, selected and tejected’’ the more than 450 rec- ipes that were submitted by local residents. A new feature of More Fast & Fantastic is its effort to promote an awareness of healthy cating. All recipes have been analysed by UBC’s School of Family and Nutritional Sciences, and those that mee: the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s recommended guidelines for fat and salt con- tent are marked with a Heart- smast symbol. Such ‘tHeartsmart’’ recipes include No Wait Wheat Oat Bread, Irresistible Orange Scones, Chicken Dijon and Scallops in White Wine. Recipes from such well-known locals as singer Ann Mortifee, CBC radio hosts Otto Lawy and Jurgen Gorhe and Vancouver Sun fooc itor Barbara Mc- Quade are uv included. The cookbook is $12.95 and available at many local super- markets, book and gift stores, or at the offices of the NSFSS — 303-126 Gast 15th in North Van- couver or Suite A-I410 Clyde Ave. ia West Vancouver. ft will also become available from local non-profit groups who choose to sell the book as a fundraiser. The NSFSS sells such organizations books for between $9 and $10, depending on quan- tity, resulting ina profit of ap to $3.95 per book for the group selling the cookbooks. The North Shore Family Ser- vices Soviety, a member of the United Way, has touched the lives Of approsimately 14.000 North Shore residents. bor in- formation on the ceakbook, call the society at Y8S.S28]. NEWS AS THE anxiously awaited sequel! to the North Shore Family Services Society's first fundraising cookbook, ‘‘More Fast & Fantastic’’ offers a selec- tion of recipes sure to please the mosi discerning gourmet. photo Cindy Goodman NEWS photo Cindy Goodman pes included in More Fast & Fantastic, a publication | ! | __ Wednesday, December 5, 1990 - North Shore News ~ 53 ANNE GARDINER Give festive gifts to cooks FROM A small thank you to something extravagant, gifts for cunks can be fun Lo give. A garlic braici or wreath fes- tooned with green satin ribbon is one of our favorites. And braids are not just to lcok at. Add a garlic press, and it’s the cook who controls the flavor. Whole garlic cloves, removed after cooking, leave subtle reminders of their presence in poultry dishes and stews, Well-minced garlic adds robust intensity since mincing maximizes the contact between the chemical alliin and the enzyme alliinase. The reaction between these two compounds liberates the powerful character of garlic. Whole nutmeg and a fine- toothed grater bring fresh flavor and aroma in time for seasonal egg nogs. If you had lived in 18th century England, the grater may have been sterling silver, pocket sized for taking to the table. Ground spices quickly lose their oomph, so it’s infinitely better to graie as needed. A jar of mixed, whole pepper- corns - red, green, black and white - offers an intriguing smat- tering of color. Their peppery fla- vors are subtly different. Black pepper ferments in the sun while browning enzymes work their magic to develop wrinkled, blackened skin. Somewhat less pungent, pearly white pepper is left unfermented, soaked in water and its skin rubbed off. Green pepper picked when very young is still quite soft and can be added whole for dishes with piz- zazz. And the red is just another stage of ripeness on its tropical vine. Whisks are more than handy kitchen tools. Tiny whisks biend fat and flour together efficiently so sauces are less likely to lump. Large balloon whisks with fine, flexible wires beat perfect egg white foams. They effectively divide air into ever smaller bub- bles for puffy omelettes, majestic meringues and delicate cakes. For the cake decorator, baking strips are a boon. Available in stores that specialize in cake dec- orating supplies, these cleveriy designed insulating strips contro! the heat so the baking process is more even. While baking strips aren't thagic, hey’re gocd common sense. A layer of canvas and a layer of aluminum coated fabric are fused together in long strips. You moisten them sith water and fasten them tighily around the outside edge of the cake pan be- fore it goes into the even. Normatliy, the sides of a baking pan get hot first and the cdges of the cake coagulate, while feav- ening agents are still at work rais- ing the centre of the cake. Baking strips insulate the pad so the batter tises evesty without high-use centres and crusty edges. Vhe tinisheal fovel surface is perfect for decorating. WILSON