The McDuffie Museum needs help from local citizens for the Smithsonian Institute's Exhibit, "Key Ingredients," which will be in Thomson the beginning of 2009. Thomson is one of the 12 sites in Georgia hosting the traveling exhibit, which focuses on the historical, regional and social traditions of American food.
Researchers are compiling a book describing Georgia food traditions for the exhibit. Mary Anne Coussons, the executive director of Camellia Partners, Inc., sent a press release requesting Dearing, Thomson and McDuffie citizens to send in their old family recipe, along with a brief description or story about the recipe and/or any old photograph of the dish being made.
"Through these bits of information, the book can better explain the significance of the recipe to others," she said in the release.
Anyone with photos of church pot-lucks, family reunion dinners and class reunions from any time period are also requested.
"Someone cooked in your family," Ms. Coussons said. "Let's celebrate them through participation in our Georgia book. We need community participation in this."
As previously reported in The McDuffie Mirror, Ann McCleary, the director of the Center for Public History at the University of West Georgia, is compiling the recipes. Ms. McCleary said the book will only have 24 pages, but recipes that are not included in the book will be used on the exhibit's website.
A signed release form must accompany each entry, and can be obtained from Mrs. Coussons at The Depot or downloaded from The Mirror's website at www.mcduffiemirror.com. The deadline is March 3.
To learn more about the Smithsonian exhibit, visit www.georgiafoodtour.org., or call Mrs. Coussons at 706-597-1000.
