By: Izzy Silverman
At Purchase College Library’s First Annual Edible Book Fest, members of the campus community voted on and taste-tested book-inspired creations. With 15 entries on the ballot, the competition was no picnic.
People taste-testing the entries taken in the Purchase College Library. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
While the International Edible Book Festival has been happening in early April since 2000, this is the first one that’s happened on campus. Instigated by the Director of the Library, Tony White, and brought to fruition by Student Success Librarian, Lorraine LaPrade, there are plans to make the festival a yearly tradition.
While this year’s festival was small, they hope that now that their foot is in the door the event will grow with time and gain more engagement from the Purchase College community.
“I think it was really cool and fun to see all of these displays. I hope that they do this every year because it’s really creative and maybe I’ll participate next time,” said attendee Ruby Hentoff.
“The event is a time for folks in our Purchase College community, including Broadview folks, to come together and create some wonderful bookish-themed art,” LaPrade said. “It’s a great way to bring folks together and do something different in the library.”
Having begun at 2 p.m., with voting ending and taste-testing starting at 2:45 p.m., the event was attended by students and other members of the Purchase community. “I decided to come because it looked really fun,” said attendee Stella Mahler. “I love food, I like books, and my dear friend Dana was making Grapes of Wrath.”
The four categories were: Best Literary Theme, Best Visual Presentation, Best Non-Baked Creation, and Funniest/Punniest Creation. Each winner received a gift bag and a can of La Croix.
The three winners were [From left to right] Lauren Gomberg, Tony White, and Lorraine LaPrade. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
Best Non-Baked Creation & Funniest/Punniest Creation categories were both won by Lauren Gomberg with "Digesting Shakespeare" based on Shakespearean characters. “I do love mac & cheese, so I love the Mac-beath,” Mahler said. “Although I am an "Annie’s" supremacist and they’re using Kraft’s so it kind of misaligns with my values.”
Gomberg’s "Digesting Shakespeare" creation. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
The Best Visual Presentation category was won by White with "War & Piece (of Cake)" based on the book, “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy.
White’s "War & Piece (of Cake)" creation. (Photo by Izzy Silverman)
The Best Literary Theme category was won by LaPrade with "Raising Sunflowers". Raising Sunflower was based on the book “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry.
LaPrade’s "Raising Sunflowers" creation. (Photo by: Izzy Silverman)
“It was so much fun,” said winner Gomberg. “I will absolutely do it next year!”
Other entries include:
"Pop on Pop" [left] and the "Sorting Hat Cupcakes" [right]. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
"Pop on Pop by Eileen DeGiuseppe was a play on “Hop on Pop” by Dr. Seuss.
Inspired by the “Harry Potter” series were the "Sorting Hat Cupcakes" by Kristen Heinrich, each cupcake filled with the color of a Hogwarts house.
“I really like the sorting hat cupcakes. I think that’s such a great idea, and they look beautiful,” said Mahler.
"Harry Potter & the Goblet of Chai" [left] and "Lord of the Onion Rings" [right]. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
"Harry Potter & the Goblet of Chai" by Leigh Colby is a play on “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” by J.K. Rowling.
"Lord of the Onion Rings" by Darcy Gervasio inspired by “The Fellowship of the Ring” by J.R.R. Tolkien, was a compilation of two types of onion rings, three types of dip, and a ring-shaped snack.
Olivia Reinkraut’s "The Lembas: Bread of the Elves" creation. (Photo by Izzy Silverman)
"The Lembas: Bread of the Elves" entry by Olivia Reinkraut was also inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien, sharing their namesake with a bread found in “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
“It looks beautiful! It’s like wrapped in a leaf and it’s so creative and it looks delicious,” said Mahler.
“I’d probably make the Elves bread,” said Remi Bryan.
Carrie Marten’s "Creepy Carrots" creation. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
"Creepy Carrots" by Carrie Marten is a collection of orange M&M’s in carrot packaging based off of the carrots in the children’s book, “Creepy Carrots!” by Aaron Reynolds.
"Great Eggspectations" [left] and "Rubber Chicken a la Bibliotheque: or War & Peck" [right]. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
"Rubber Chicken a la Bibliotheque: or War & Peck" and "Great Eggspectations" by Andrew Pelle, both play on words of “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy and “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens respectively.
“I think I probably read that cookbook. I used to love reading cookbooks as a kid,” said June Finkelstein.
Lauren Gomberg’s "Book Worms" creation. (Photo by Izzy Silverman)
"Book Worms" by Gomberg was a gummy worm-centered entry, including a giant gummy worm with eyes.
"(Donut) Holes" [left] and "One in a Minion" [right]. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
"(Donut) Holes" by DeGiuseppe was inspired by the book “Holes” by Louis Sachar.
"One in a Minion" by Rebecca Oling was an assembling of twinkies and milanos wrapped in fruit roll-ups with eyes, along with a quote taken from the children’s book, “Minions Who’s the Boss?”
“I didn’t know Minions had a book but if I did, I probably would have read it,” said Bryan.
"Give the Mouse the Cookie" [left] and "The Grapes of Wrath" [right]. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
The entry "Give the Mouse the Cookie" by Jaime Naudecker was based on the classic, “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie” by Laura Joffe Numeroff.
"The Grapes of Wrath" by Dana Freeman was inspired by “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck.
“Grapes and chocolate, classic pair. Classic pairing,” said June Finkelstein.
Freeman standing next to "The Grapes of Wrath" entry. (Photo by Natalie Tulloch)
"I saw the email about the Edible Book Festival. I did one in the fourth grade, a long time ago, and I made a book cover. So I was like, 'Oh my god, this is just like when I was a kid,' said Freeman. "So I was thinking about books that I had, that could be used as a pun or something. And I was like, 'Oh my god, The Grapes of Wrath are perfect.'"