Everyone loves a good cookbook filled with favorite recipes. Next year, cookbook fans will again be able to share recipes and prepare dishes from some of their favorite skaters.
Back in 2009, Michelle Bingham Capron was president of the then active Glens Falls Figure Skating Club in Glens Falls, New York. Capron put together the cookbook Figure Skaters Favorites as one of the club’s most successful fundraising projects.
“We were able to get recipes from about 270 skaters at various levels from all over the world, including Scott Hamilton, Kurt Browning, Joannie Rochette, Cathy and Chris Reed, Mirai Nagasu, Carolina Kostner, Amanda Evora, Meryl Davis and Oksana Baiul,” Capron said.
The book was a huge success, and Capron thought about another book for some time.
“Many of the skaters who are competing now were very young when the first book came out,” Capron said. “I wanted to include as many skaters as possible at all levels — both recreational and competitive — and as many professional skaters and coaches as possible.”
Capron also wanted to include many past competitors and professional skaters.
“As I began researching contact information for skaters, I increasingly wanted to include skaters from past eras. I want to sort of preserve their legacy of skating through the cookbook.”
Capron wants to donate portions of the proceeds of the new book to the U.S. Figure Skating Memorial Fund.
“It will be a nice way for me to help skaters and pay tribute to the 1961 World Team and their family members,” Capron said.
In fact, Capron hopes to include recipes contributed in memory of deceased skaters and coaches.
“I have managed to connect with several family members or friends of skaters who passed on, and many of them are very pleased that their skaters will be included in the cookbook. So many skaters have left us such a special legacy, and I am so happy to help everyone remember them through the cookbook.”
Some of the many skaters who already committed recipes for the new edition are Jozef and Jennifer Sabovcik, Gabrielle Daleman, Sheryl Franks, Sandra Bezic, Brooklee Han, Courtney Hicks and Kim Navarro.
“Everyone from the skating community is welcome and encouraged to submit a recipe,” Capron said.
Skaters and coaches can submit through a form on the book’s website, SkatersCookbook.com, or email Capron at SkatersCookbook@gmail.com. The deadline to submit a recipe is mid-October 2019.
“I also encourage everyone to include a brief note about why they like the recipe or the history of the recipe in their family,” Capron said. “I also encourage everyone to include a brief skating biography. They are also welcome to send a photo either on or off the ice. Photos won’t be included in the book but will be posted on the book’s website and Facebook page.”
Capron enjoys putting the cookbooks together and believes readers enjoy them as a way to connect to a favorite skater.
“It is a lot of fun connecting with so many great skaters at all levels and seeing what sort of recipes they submit,” Capron said. “It’s also interesting when they also include notes about why they like the recipe, or the recipe is a family tradition. I think people really enjoy the recipes and the notes. It gives them a little peek into the skaters’ lives and helps them feel connected to the skaters in some way.”
