POWELLVILLE, Md. (AP) — Just why it has taken about 150 years for the Powellville United Methodist Church here to put out its first-ever cookbook is a mystery, because the recipes used for generations at church and civic dinners have always drawn widespread approval.
“Prior to this past January, people came up to me and said it would be nice to preserve recipes that have long been prepared and served here and in the community,” said Kevin Smith, chairman of the church council and lay speaker. “So we formed a committee to work on a cookbook.”
In addition to Darlene Hammond, Pearl Seaton, Amy McGlinchey, Smith, Jane Inman and Libby Brittingham, fellow committee members Diane Smith, Jessica Smith, Dee Dee Jones and Tracy Tilghman also worked on the project.
“Libby Brittingham, 90, was an inspiration for this cookbook,” Hammond said. “She has been in the church and helping in the kitchen for as long as I can remember, and over the years, people have asked for her recipes. That’s why we did this, to have specials recipes available to anyone who wants them.”
Powellville United Methodist Church is made up of two sanctuaries, White’s Chapel and St. John’s. In 1968, the two congregations were merged and White’s Chapel, once just a few hundred yards away, was moved beside St. John’s Church, which has been on-site since 1916. White’s Chapel — where dinners are served — also serves as a community hall for the merged congregations. The congregation provided numerous recipes from within as well as from friends and family.
Recipes were also sought from the parishioners of Friendship and Mount Pleasant churches, now on the three-church charge.
When the cookbook idea was being considered, Smith said the committee hoped to find 150 recipes.
“By May 1, we had 560,” he said. “The community, overwhelmingly, has supported us.”
During a special church service July 1, the cookbooks were formally dedicated to the Powellville United Methodist Church Women.
They ordered 454 cookbooks. In just 21 days, and at $15 each, the group sold 85 percent of the order.
“The Lord blessed us real good,” Smith said. “In two-and-a-half weeks, the publishing cost of these cookbooks — $3,442.70 — was paid in full. I admit, I wondered a number of times if we would sell enough books to pay the publisher. We didn’t want the money to come out of the general fund. We wanted this project to be self-supporting.”
“Money from the cookbook sales will be used for kitchen equipment and supplies and children’s programs and materials,” Hammond said.
“Folks are buying the cookbooks for Christmas gifts, wedding and birthday presents,” Smith said. “Some are buying them because their family recipes are in the book. Most people want this because it is a piece of church history.”
“As soon as word got out we were working on a cookbook, people made reservations right away,” Brittingham said.
As for the recipes that were long-used and cherished by church and community cooks who are now deceased, they have a special significance, according to Inman.
“They are now recipes from our ‘angel cooks,’ ” she said.
“The cookbook title, ‘A Little Bit of Heaven,’ came from a comment the late Albert Jones made, that ‘Powellville was a little bit of heaven,’ ” Smith said.
“People wanted the cookbook because the food we serve here (based on some of the recipes) is so good here,” said a laughing Hammond.
“When we cook in that kitchen, it’s the old-fashion way,” said Seaton, president of the Powellville United Methodist Women. “Meals are made from scratch.”
There’s baked corn, chicken and dumplings and chicken salad that’s made from scratch. Brittingham remembers that, years ago, church ladies in the kitchen went around the rural neighborhood “beggin’ for chickens” for church festivals and dinners. In those days, recipes, made from scratch, were really made from scratch and really fresh.
“People gave all kinds of things like eggs, potatoes and chickens for our dinners. The chickens were live. We brought them here, killed them, plucked them and cooked them right away,” Brittingham said.
Throughout the years, the church ladies served several dishes that have made them famous, like their chicken and dumplings, baked corn, fried oysters, wet-style cornbread, oyster fritters and chicken salad.
“The most requested dessert is probably Libby’s Coconut Meringue Pie,” Smith said.
The coveted recipes, with many cherished family recipes, are in the book. It’s all about Eastern Shore recipes for Eastern Shore folks.
