Historical Fall 2007 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Skinker DeBaliviere has been home to a bevy of authors – writers of fiction, specialists in education, historians, political scientists –and now we have a homegrown cookbook inspired by family and friends. Shirley Polk has lived on DeGiverville for four decades and she has served on the Community Council for over two. She’s well-known on her block and has long befriended school children and encouraged them. Cooking has been a major part of her life.
She watched her mother as a child and learned about many recipes from her.
She has continued to cook a lot over the years, particularly at holidays.
Her family and their recipes were a particular inspiration for this new cookbook, “What’s cookin’: Shirley in the Kitchen.” As the book states, “only the best make the best.” A particular inspiration for this cookbook came from the wonderful people Shirley encountered at the Canaan Baptist Church in New York City. Housed in a former theatre, the congregation draws people from many nationalities.
She received a lot of encouragement on her visits there.
She said that her favorite recipe is one from her mother for Black Walnut Cake.
She is also fond of the recipe for Sweet Potato Pie.
Her husband Al likes Big Daddy’s TBone Steak.
He also supplied a chicken recipe that comes from where he went to school. Quite a few books have been sold but there are some left for those interested in these recipes. You can write to Shirley Polk – SPP Inc., Cookbook Chair, 5755 DeGiverville, PO Box 4521, St. Louis MO 63108.
As Shirley says, “Keep cooking!”
Original photograph caption
Shirley Polk with her cookbook. Photographer not separately credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, Fall 2007.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2007_09.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
