Wallace State to host cookbook talk and signing for Alabama’s bicentennial

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College and the Cullman County Bicentennial Committee are pleased to sponsor a talk and book signing with Danna Standridge, author of “Time to Eat, Y’all: Celebrating the Culinary Heritage of Sweet Home Alabama,” a cookbook celebrating the state’s bicentennial.

An alumna of Wallace State, Standridge will share how the book came about and sign copies on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 11 a.m. in the Bailey Center Auditorium. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Standridge, the wife of fellow Wallace State graduate Rep. David Standridge, compiled hundreds of recipes from Gov. Kay Ivey and every legislator in the state. She mixes in funny, heartwarming stories featuring her own family, which has called Alabama home since 1818. From making do in hard times to graduating from “the children’s table” to soldiers coming home from the war, Standridge shows how food is at the heart of our history no matter what part of the state we call home.

The book features cherished family recipes from every county in the state. West Indies Salad evokes Alabama’s Gulf Coast, while Sorghum Syrup Skillet Cake is a treasured North Alabama family recipe. Some, such as Executive Chef of Alabama Jim Smith’s Lane Cake, are uniquely Alabama.

“I hope it encourages everyone to celebrate our first 200 years by cherishing family traditions and making new ones,” Standridge says.

Proceeds from the sale of “Time to Eat, Y’all” ($20) support the Alabama State Capitol.

“Our bicentennial is the perfect time to think about preserving our history,” notes Alabama Bicentennial Commission Executive Director Jay Lamar. “The proceeds from the cookbook will contribute to keeping the Capitol beautiful for generations to come.”

Standridge, an accomplished home cook and avid cookbook collector, is a former teacher and Alabama Cooperative Extension employee. As president and chaplain of the Alabama Legislative Club, she worked to create the Alabama Legislative Art Gallery, which features Alabama artists and is housed in the Capitol. Standridge and her husband live in Blount County.

Copies of the cookbook will be available for purchase at the Nov. 14 event. Copies can also be purchased at the Cullman County Museum or by visiting www.shopalabama200.com.