Auxiliary Finds 'What's Cooking in the Valley'

When it comes to good eats, most would agree home cooked meals trump all.

And now, for the first time in nearly 50 years, Long Valley has a cookbook to call its own, thanks to the Long Valley Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary.

The group, which is in place to support the firefighters physically during calls and monetarily with fundraisers throughout the year, decided to come up with a different way to benefit the group this time around.

The brainchild of member Lorie Ebert, the auxiliary came up with a cookbook filled with favorite recipes from the group’s members, the company’s firefighters, and other friends and family from the Long Valley area.

“People are interested in giving good recipes,” said Beth Ort, corresponding secretary for the auxiliary. “The cookbook has 150 recipes, mostly new, but some old from the original.”

That original Ort refers to was the 1963 cookbook created by the auxiliary. This time around, the book includes a bunch of “this and that,” Ort said, from appetizers to entrees and desserts.

“What’s great about the recipes is they’re recognizable,” Ort said. “These are homemade (recipes) that anyone can make.”

The book–titled What's Cooking in the Valley–took about 5 months to complete, Ort said, and was edited by auxiliary members Sandy Gartelmann and Ebert.

Being sold for $10, the collaboration of recipes can be purchased in a variety of ways from the auxiliary. Customers can email lvfcladiesaux@hotmail.com for a copy, or visit the Long Valley Green Market or Ort Farms.

The cookbook will also be for sale during Hot Dog Weekend at Ort Farms on Oct. 6 and 7, in addition to the annual Holiday Shoppe at the fire station on Dec. 8.

All proceeds benefit the auxiliary and Long Valley Fire Company.