By Louis Pin, Postmedia Network
The new recipe book for the 2018 International Plowing Match in Chatham-Kent was formally released Wednesday prior to the annual Rural Urban Awards Dinner.
Featuring hundreds of recipes from around the municipality, the 2018 IPM Cookbook has everything from desserts to entrees, and all with a local flair.
Leon Leclair and Darrin Canniff were at the dinner to discuss the cookbook and plans for the 2018 IPM.
The event is expected to draw up to 100,000 visitors to Chatham-Kent.
“This is one of the big souvenirs that will be on the roster for the 2018,” said Simon Crouch, spokesperson with the event committee. “I was at the 2016 (plowing match) a couple months ago and people were running around saying ‘why can’t we buy the 2018 already? We can buy the 2017, we can buy the 2016’ … you now can.”
The cookbook has been under development for two years.
“We sent out the first media saying “we are looking for recipes folks”, got two [responses] in in the first week and panicked,” Crouch said, smiling. “[Soon] we got them in by the hundreds, and said how are we going to go through all of these recipes?”
All submissions were either from people in Chatham-Kent or those recently removed from the municipality. Priority was given to recipes emphasizing local produce and photographs throughout the book reflect Chatham-Kent.
Those pictures were taken by Krystle VanRoboys, a local photographer and agriculturalist.
“Top notch,” LeClair said. “Quality people did the work … we’re very proud. The influx of the number of recipes that came in is a testament to how many people want to be involved in this match. It’s going to be a community-wide event.”
“When you look at these books, volunteer,” Canniff added. “No one was paid to do this … it’s a complete voluntary thing. We’re expecting to [sell] 10,000 to 15,000 of these books.”
It’s the second International Plowing Match Cookbook to come out of Chatham-Kent. The last time the municipality was host to the event, 1979, they printed a far smaller edition, only 20 pages or so.
The new edition is almost 500 pages.
The book will be sold for $15, and can be purchased at North Kent Mutual Insurance in Dresden. All money raised will go toward funding the IPM. Any money left over after the event will be distributed to local charities and nonprofits in Chatham-Kent.
For more information on the book or event, be sure to check out plowingmatch.org/ipm2018.
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