The Cookbook
Backround
The cookbook was the pet project during my senior year at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. My classmates and I embarked on a unique project that would commemorate our time there. In addition to organizing a memorable end-of-year dinner, we devised the idea of creating a cookbook. This cookbook was a unique and fitting tribute to our four years at NOCCA, and it served as a testament to our love for the culinary arts and the bonds we had formed during our time at the school. It was fitting as only four of us were left in the senior class, and we had become close. We could cook, but this book tested our ability in a new medium to communicate our ideas effectively to readers working in their non-industrial kitchens at home.
Meet the Authors
Ethan Jones – I am a senior at Skidmore College. You can continue on my website to find out more about me!
Ella Baumgarten – Currently a senior at Centre College in Kentucky. She is on the pre-med track. Loves all things sour.
Alea Roy – Getting her Masters at Nicholls State in Louisana in nutrition. She is back at NOCCA teaching part-time.
Mia Hollingsworth – Studied Forensic Psychology at LSU. One of the sweetest people out there.
The Process
At the beginning of the year, the seniors set the goal to publish before graduation in May. After a month of brainstorming, we decided on a seasonal theme for our cookbook. Over three months of the fall semester, we tested recipes that best captured the essence of spring, summer, winter, and fall. It was a lot of trial and error, but one of my favorite recipes that made it into the cookbook was a delicious beef udon recipe that was the heart of winter, being warm and hearty. However, I constantly changed it to fit people’s needs in a home kitchen. It was important that the book appeal to foodies and people who enjoy the kitchen but have ingredients that could be found outside of restaurant suppliers.
Reflection
The book was finally published in early April 2020 after a delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The co-authors and I were going to announce it at the senior dinner, but that was also canceled due to Covid-19. So I looked to the future. We graduated on Zoom or our porches, went to college, and never looked back. However, despite the unfortunate circumstances, I am incredibly proud of the final product. I want to share that experience with you four years after the fact.
