Local Flavors: New cookbook is sweet to the taste

‘Desserts,’ from the Central Coast Printmakers, offers 30 treats, with illustrations by the artists

Katy Budge

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With their latest cookbook, “Desserts,” the Central Coast Printmakers present some sweet treats for the eyes as well as the palate.

Patterned after their successful “Hors d’Oeuvres” publication, “Desserts” serves up 30 illustrated recipes from the group’s membership.

“Since some of us are from other parts of the world, many of the desserts have an international flavor,” said Tricia Reichert, who coordinated the cookbook with fellow printmakers Evy Justesen and Mary Kay Ghiglia.

“Food is a grand tradition with our group,” added Ghiglia, “and we asked for desserts that would reflect the lifestyle we have here: creative dishes made with simple, fresh ingredients.”

The recipes run the gamut from Dutch Cookies to Corteau’s Chocolate Chip Cookies, from Italian-inspired Lemon Biscotti to Lillian’s Lemon Bars, from an English Summer Pudding to Passover Charoses, from Wheat Free Pecan Drops toOMy Gosh Chocolate Sauce.

Naturally, each artist also created an image to celebrate some aspect of his or her dessert, such as a carrot for the Ginger Carrot Cake, a pair of mischievous black birds pilfering the nuts for Mama’s Nut Bread, and a juggler for the Easy Boy High Protein Bars. The printmaking techniques in the book are varied as well and include etching, aquatint, lino cut, monoprints, and solar plate etching.

As with the “Hors d’Oeuvres” cookbook, “Desserts” is a fundraising effort for the Central Coast Printmakers, which was established 25 years ago through the San Luis Obispo Art Center. With proceeds from the previous book, the group established—and hopes to keep providing—scholarships for students attending Leslie Sutcliffe’s printmaking class at Cuesta College. The most recent recipients were Nicole Sigman and Jon Wilson.

“Food is definitely important,” said Justesen, “but we really want to keep the art of printmaking alive and educate the public about the joy of printmaking.”