Shared Tastes

Kathy Beery’s roast beef rolls, Bonnie Sakatjian’s sausage fondue, Sheila Sanders’ apricot noodle kugel and Wanda Sutman’s Kentucky-style Burgoo (the traditional stew served in Kentucky on Derby Day) could brighten any holiday feast.

Trouble is, how does a host get these four Ventura County women to prepare their dishes for a family gathering?

Actually Beery, Sakatjian, Sanders, Sutman and many other cooks are more than willing to share their recipes, which is exactly what they are doing in their recently published cookbook, “A Taste of Tradition.”

The hard-bound book’s 350 recipes, representing a variety of culinary backgrounds, were provided by members of the Anacapa Chapter of the Assn. for Office Professionals.

Most of the proceeds from sales of the cookbook, which is selling for $12.95, will support the chapter’s professional development and scholarship programs for administrative specialists, with $1 benefiting Interface Children Family Services of Ventura County.

“We worked with our members and had them talk to friends and family and asked them to submit the recipes,” said Sutman, who organized the cookbook. “We tried to encourage people to stick with the theme [of culinary traditions] and give us a recipe that meant something.”

There are recipes in the categories of appetizers and beverages; breads and rolls; soups, salads and vegetables; main dishes and casseroles; meat, poultry and seafood; pies, pastries and desserts; cakes, cookies and candy; and assorted other items. Cooking hints, tips for entertaining and other information are dispersed throughout the three-ring-bound collection.

“We usually do some sort of community service project like a canned-food drive that we do for the holidays, but this is the first time for something like this,” said Beery, president of the 20-member association, one of 733 chapters for administrative personnel in the United States and abroad.

“There are other chapters that have had cookbooks,” Beery said. “They’ve had the little spiral-bound cookbooks, but this is pretty extensive.”

To order a cookbook, send $12.95, plus $1.75 for shipping and handling, to PSI--Assn. of Office Professionals, Anacapa Chapter--Cookbook, P.O. Box 2327, Camarillo 93011. For more information, call 497-4795.

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Ventura County restaurateur Giovanni Tromba will host a wine-tasting dinner tonight at his Pastabilities Restaurant in Ventura. The establishment offers special wine dinners every other month.

The gourmet Italian meal will feature five courses and four wines. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $45 per person. The restaurant is at the Ramada Clock Tower Inn, 185 E. Santa Clara St. For reservations, call 648-1462.

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Lisa Hicks, owner of the Wine Lovers wine bar and shop in Ventura, will host an art reception at 7 p.m. Saturday. The artwork of W.P. Lothe will be featured. Admission is free.

And for those planning a little further ahead, Hicks will get folks into the holiday mode Dec. 21, when she offers samplings of about a dozen varieties of champagne.

The tasting will feature champagne producers from France and California, including the Taittinger and Iron Horse wineries. Hors d’oeuvres of shrimp and caviar will accompany the drink.

Cost is $35. Wine Lovers is at 1067 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura. For more information, call 652-1810.