Food lovers and bibliophiles enjoy cakes of their labors
By John WattsCookies, cakes, chocolate and…Nathanial Hawthorne? These were just some of the ingredients used in Kimbel Library’s Edible Book Fair on April 12. All Coastal Carolina University faculty, staff and students were invited to submit their own creations. Edible books are edible representations of any written work. They can look like a book in form and shape, be inspired by a book in form and shape, reproduce a book cover, or just have something to do with books in general. Fifteen edible books were entered by contestants from various departments on campus. More than 160 students, faculty, staff and community members voted for their favorite creation.
Rebecca Hamill, former pastry chef-turned English professor, was a shoe-in for the fair. Her edible representation of The Scarlett Letter using dark chocolate and raspberry sauce was a major hit. However, it was Susan McLean from counseling services who took the most votes with her creation of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (a completely edible recreation of Huck and Jim’s raft floating down the Mississippi). “Many of my co-workers sent me the invitation and insisted that I participate” says McLean. “They know that I love to make cakes that look like other things.” When asked about her choice of book, McLean said, “I read Huck Finn in an English class that I took here at Coastal and just fell in love with it!”
Of course, several librarians submitted edible representations of their favorite books. Reference specialist Marcia Balazs took second place with her book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. “It's fun because people have emotional attachments to both food and books so putting them together makes sense.”
The edible book fair was the kick-off event for National Library Week, a week-long celebration of all things library and a time to remember the contributions that libraries make to their communities.
Barbara Burd, dean of Library Services, reflected on the role of libraries, “In these tough economic times, it’s good to think about the important role of all libraries, whether on the college campus where we assist students, faculty and staff; in our schools, where we help to educate and prepare our children for success; or, in our community, where there is equal access for the advantaged and the disadvantaged and assistance for all who wish to become literate and productive citizens. Libraries are foundational to our society and to our future. National Library Week is a time to thank our patrons for supporting us and to acknowledge our librarians and staff for their dedication and commitment to excellence in Kimbel Library.”
This year’s edible book fair may have created a new tradition for the Coastal Carolina campus. Just as long as we have butter, sugar, eggs and readers!
