New benefit cookbook available: 'An Artist's Food for Joy'

Following the publication of two previous benefit cookbooks, both of which have sold out, Edgewood Orchard Galleries owners Nell and J.R. Jarosh have compiled a third benefit cookbook, "An Artist's Food for Joy," that is now available for sale.

The full $25 purchase price for the cookbook will be donated to various nonprofit organizations benefiting children, with the goal of selling all 8,000 cookbooks and raising $200,000.

The cookbooks may be purchased at Edgewood Orchard Galleries, 4140 Peninsula Players Road, Fish Creek, and other select locations in Door County. 

In 2003, the year before Edgewood Orchard Galleries was going to celebrate its 35th anniversary, Nell, the gallery manager at that time, was discussing with her mom and gallery co-founder Anne Emerson what they should do to celebrate the happy milestone.

Nell's suggestion of compiling a benefit cookbook of favorite recipes from gallery artists, family and friends felt just right, and in 2004, when the gallery turned 35, "An Artist’s Food for Thought" was published.

Thanks to the generosity of Castle-Pierce Printing of Oshkosh, who fully donated the printing costs, and thanks to the store owners who sold the book and the people who bought it, $76,000 was raised and donated to local, state, national and international organizations fighting hunger. 

As the gallery’s 40th anniversary approached and with the first cookbook sold out, the idea came to create a second benefit cookbook with new recipes and new artwork, and Nell and Anne began working on "An Artist’s Food for the Soul."

With help from artist, Idea Gallery owner and friend Dan Cross, the second cookbook was created and made available for the gallery’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2009. "An Artist’s Food for the Soul" raised another $150,000 that was donated to a wide variety of programs benefiting children.

As Edgewood Orchard approached its 50th anniversary season, thoughts of a third cookbook began to percolate. Nell and her husband J.R. began with the goal of bringing their favorite elements of the first two cookbooks into this third and likely final effort. 

Two years ago, they reached out to the artists they represent at Edgewood and asked them to create artwork inspired by food, cooking or their favorite recipes. These new works were combined with images of artwork and photographs from the past 50 years and paired up with each of the more than 250 recipes included in "An Artist’s Food For Joy."

Thanks again to Castle-Pierce Printing and several other generous donors, all publishing costs were covered, so the full purchase price of every cookbook can be donated.

More information is available on the gallery website, edgewoodorchard.com. The gallery's hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day through Oct. 27 for its 50th anniversary season.