Below, you'll find extensive information on leading bbq cookbooks articles and products to help you on your way to success.

Church Cook Book Tasting Dinners - Selling Books, Having Fun
By Harriet Hodgson

Detailed planning is key to a successful tasting dinner. Select a date and start planning immediately. The plans should be in place at least one month before the event. These tips will get you started. If you have other ideas add them to the list. Your main goal is to make the tasting dinner fun.

1. Get volunteer "chefs." Ask cook book contributors to make a recipe for the dinner. Emphasize safe food practices, such as keeping hot food hot and cold food cold. The volunteer chefs should put a name label on all serving dishes and utensils.

2. Pick a general menu. You can't provide a sample of every recipe in the cook book, but you can include samples from each category. Make standing signs for these categories.

3. Appoint photographers. Ask two church members to take photos of the event, including food photos and close-ups of church members. Display the photos on the church bulletin board later. You may also include photos in the church newsletter.

4. Serve buffet style. Church members may have hot plates to keep food warm. Buy bags of ice to keep cold food cold. Place signs next to each cook book category.

5. Decorate the tables. You may decorate the tables with fresh flowers or medium-sized potted plants. Food displays are also appropriate. One table may have a bowl of red apples, another a bowl of yellow lemons. Unify the decorating colors with matching paper plates and cups. Place a display book on each table.

6. Give out free stuff. People tend to buy a product

if you give them something for free. Photocopy a few selected recipes from the cook book and put these handouts on the tables. If your budget allows, put a sticker under the seat of one chair at each table, and give these people free cook books.

7. Program. A short program will bring church members together. Ask a contributor from each book category to tell a two-minute story about their recipe. A special cookie recipe may have been passed from one generation to another, for example.

8. Sell cook books. Set up a sales table at the back of the room, away from the buffet line. At least two people should staff the table, one to promote sales and the other to handle payments. Thank every person who buys a book.

9. Set-up and clean-up crews. These volunteers are key to a successful event. People may come early, so the set-up crew should have everything in place at least an hour ahead of time. Ask one or two people to return forgotten serving dishes and utensils.

10. Follow-up. Email church members and thank them for attending the dinner. List the names of the volunteer chefs, photographers, set up and clean up crews. Tell church members the book is selling fast and, if they haven't bought a copy already, ask them to buy one. Print buying information -- price, contact person, place -- in a bright, eye-catching color.

Church members who have fun are more apt to buy a book, so you may want to recruit an announcer for the event.

Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson

We strive to provide only quality articles, so if there is a specific topic related to cooking food that you would like us to cover, please contact us at any time.

And again, thank you to those contributing daily to our bbq cookbooks website.