by Georgia Lange
Two of my favorite things to do this summer have been reading and cooking, which I rarely have time for during the rest of the year. Something about feeding both my body and my brain makes me feel at ease with everything, as though I am on vacation from life even when I am home. As I was sitting around the other day, munching on a delicious Moroccan salad that I had prepared and reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (a fabulous book that everyone in America seems to be reading this summer), my mind started to wander a bit. I remembered that I needed to write down the recipe of the savory dish I was contentedly devouring for a couple of friends who had loved it after having been force-fed by me the previous time I had made it.
As I was reaching for yet another random scrap of paper to save my place in the book, lightning stuck my brain (ZAP!). How brilliant would it be to design and construct bookmarks that contain recipes for delectable goodness? I loved the idea instantly, and decided to make a few examples. One side of the bookmark includes the ingredients and measurements for the dish; the other side provides the list of instructions. Both pop into a bookmark sleeve for a finshed looking product. As an added detail of adorable fun, I made some miniature food out of colored Sculpy, an oven bake clay. [You won’t want to use your oven for this; I recommend using an old toaster oven that will only be used for baking the clay. Set it up in a well-ventilated area.] I then attached the miniature food charms to the tassels on the bookmarks, which made them that much cuter.
This is a great idea for gifts or as an item that you can sell. Find something that you would like to make for your next potluck or dinner party (if you try this over Thanksgiving, you won’t have any problems working out what gifts you can give your loved ones for the holidays!). Get some feedback on your dish; and if it was a success, and everyone starts begging you for the recipe, then you’ve got your work cut out for you. As a gift, this genius little bookmark will inspire your friends to stimulate their intellectual sides and their bellies! As my best friend says, “The way to my heart is through my stomach!” You can’t possibly lose on this one.