Appetizing renditions

The artwork of two Columbia County residents will appear in a cookbook that both tempts the taste buds and pleases the eyes.

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Home Cookin' Illustrated features the work of 13 artists from Georgia with cuisine that ranges from Ireland and Hungary to coastal Georgia and the Northwest.

"I sat down and wrote a menu and recipes for each artist," said Doug Janousek, a Union City, Ga., chef. "Meanwhile, they created or provided artwork to go with their chapter."

Appling resident Lillie Morris created the cookbook's cover design.

"Being from the South and knowing that it was going to feature Georgia artists and cooking, the first thing that came to mind was a skillet," she said, "and I just turned the skillet into a palette and tried to combine the cooking and art ideas."

Morris described her design as a collage piece made from acrylic paint and different types of hand-made papers. The piece took about 12 hours to finish, she said.

"Instead of a kitchen utensil and food in the skillet, there's paint and a brush," she said.

Morris' artwork is greatly inspired by Ireland, and her section in the cookbook incorporated scenic images of Ireland. She also is a musician, so the section includes collages of fiddles.

The chapter includes a four-course meal of Irish dishes, such as corned beef and potato tarts, cheddar and ham scones, and a Guinness cake for dessert.

"You just never know what that kind of exposure could mean to an artist, so I'm very pleased to be included," Morris said. "It was an extra bonus to have my piece featured on the front."

Janousek said the cookbook contains 19 chapters, with one section devoted to wine. The book includes biographical information and interviews from each of the artists.

The recipes are personalized to the artists and their work, he said.

"I think art and food are both very sensual and intimate expressions by the people creating with them," he said. "To me, they seem like a very likely combo."

The cookbook also features the artwork of Martinez resident Gail Smith.

Smith, originally from Brunswick, Ga., submitted images of marshes and lowlands of the coastal area that coincided with Janousek's chapter on Lowcountry cuisine.

"It sounded very interesting to be able to have a chapter of your own and paintings in a cookbook," she said. "I thought that would be really nice to do that."

Most of Smith's artwork was created with oils and pastels, she said, and the artwork took about a month to complete.

The cuisine in Smith's chapter includes Vidalia onion and prosciutto bruschetta, pork chops stuffed with oysters and crab, and blackberry dumplings for dessert.

Janousek self-published the cookbook through AurthorHouse.

Home Cookin' Illustrated soon will be available online for $55 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble Booksellers, he said.

Customers also can order the cookbook through Janousek, who will receive the books by the end of October.

For information or to purchase a copy, contact Janousek at djanousek@home-cookin.net, or visit www.home-cookin.net.