The elegant, artist-designed Bourn Cookery Book III is the result of collaboration between Wysing Arts Centre and Mark and Jo Proud of Manor Farm. Started originally to raise funds for St Helena & St Mary Parish Church in Bourn, previous editions in 1992 and 2007 documented the favourite recipes of the village’s residents.
Recipes for the new book, which will ontinue the tradition of raising money for the church, have again been contributed by families and businesses within the village – but also by artists and those associated with Wysing since the time of its transition from farm to art centre some 25 years ago.
Margaret Greenwood and Pat Russell, creators of the first two books and who kindly allowed the tradition of the Bourn Cookery Book to continue, also provided recipes. Contributions, including those from current resident artist Seb Patane’s Sicilian Spaghetti, An Approximation and Jo Proud’s Manor Farm’s Marinated Pork in a Creamy Pepper Sauce, range from a simple sandwich to more complicated cakes.
The idea for Bourn Cookery III arose when artist Giles Round was working at the centre as an artist-in-residence in 2011 during which he discovered the first Bourn cookery Book, creating a dinner with recipes from the book and on tables and even crockery that he had made whilst at Wysing.
Donna Lynas, Director of Wysing Arts Centre, said: “It has been lovely working on this project which has been a real look into the past for us, with some of Wysing’s original founders of 25 years ago contributing recipes to this book.
“Some of the recipes have also come down the generations through the family members of our Bourn neighbours and working on the book has been a unique way to bring all of those histories into the present, through a shared interest in food and cooking. All of which has been brought together in artist Giles Round’s elegant and simple book design.”
The book was made possible through the ongoing support and encouragement of Jo and Mark Proud of Bourn’s Manor Farm.
Jo, whose family has been living at the farm for generations and who actually helped illustrate the first edition, said: "It is a great community project and we're really pleased to have been involved with something that celebrates the history of families in the village and delicious food."
Mark added: "What is interesting is that the new book also shows how the village has changed and has become more diverse. The people submitting recipes, whether residents or artists, have got connections with places all over the world, which means there's also a huge diversity of good food."
To celebrate the publishing of the book, contributors are bringing their dish for a community feast at Wysing on October 26.
The book will be available at a specially discounted £5 on the day. It is free for contributors.