Judy Gorman has written three award-winning cookbooks
Photos by Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin

Author and former syndicated food columnist Judy Gorman headlines a summer menu of food-related courses at the University of Hawaii-Manoa.

Gorman wrote the 408-page "The Culinary Craft," which captured an R.T. French Tastemaker's Award for best general cookbook of 1985 and sold 30,000 copies. Her 400-recipe "Judy Gorman's Vegetable Cookbook" won an International Association of Culinary Professionals Award for best vegetable cookbook of 1987. She authored the 500-recipe "Judy Gorman's Breads of New England" in 1988. The latter two cookbooks sold 25,000 copies each. "Judy Gorman's Vegetable Cookbook" (MJF Books, 1986) is still in print.

Gorman will be the host of a three-hour workshop July 13 on her sort of hook, line and recipe approach to cookbook writing with a "hook," or special angle; a one or two "line" blurb to entice readers into each dish; and a thoughtful, personalized treatment of each "recipe."

To succeed, a cookbook must be more than a collection of recipes, Gorman contends: "Today's cookbook buyer is more sophisticated and you need a hook. You need to niche-market your cookbook to a very narrow topic. There are two or three standard cookbooks that cover the whole gamut of general cooking that still sell," she concedes, "but sellers today are focused toward one type of food or one type of preparation for example, bread baking or pasta making or fish or sushi."

Focus a cookbook from a particular perspective, Gorman adds, such as that of a restaurant owner, or of someone who grew up in an Italian or a Jewish neighborhood, or of a nostalgic memory of grandma's favorite cookie.

Then, a session on blurb writing will include brainstorming on tasty words and unique recipe aspects such as appearance, smells, preparation and source of the dish. "One of the hardest and most important things is to draw the reader into a recipe," says Gorman, who serves as director of education for the downtown YWCA. "In a good cookbook, every recipe is preceded by a one- or two-sentence blurb."

Finally, Gorman will give a mini workshop on recipe formats, from the very detailed Julia Child style, to the simple church-cookbook "put the meat in the pan and fry" style. "I'll show the extremes, and the styles in between," says Gorman.

Above all, "Today's cookbook needs to have some kind of very personal tie," says Gorman, who was a pioneer in teaching microwave cookery. "A person can rewrite a standard recipe in a personal way by using fresh herbs or different spices or a different way of preparing.

"The key is how to make a cookbook marketable. What attracts a publisher to you as a cookbook author, basically, is something about yourself that makes this cookbook a very personal work." Recipes follow from her award-winning cookbooks. The blurb for the first recipe says, "A puree of roasted red bell peppers and cream cheese makes a delightful dipping sauce for spears of Belgian endive."

6 red bell peppers
1 large package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
6 small heads Belgian endive, separated into leaves

In the container of a blender or processor, combine the roasted peppers, cream cheese, salt and paprika. Whirl until smooth and pour into a large bowl. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 3 hours or until lightly set.

Just before serving, fold in the whipped cream and transfer to a large glass bowl. Arrange the spears of endive around the perimeter of the bowl, standing them upright in the mousse. Serves 8 to 10.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 180 calories, 17 grams total fat, 11 grams saturated fat, 60 milligrams cholesterol, 140 milligrams sodium.

1 bunch watercress (about 5 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
4 (1/2-inch-thick) rounds ash-coated or plain Montrachet cheese (4 ounces)

Meanwhile, combine the mustard, salt and cayenne in a small bowl. Blend together with a fork or small whisk. Add the vinegar, oil and walnuts, stirring briskly to combine. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Arrange the sprigs of watercress in the shape of a fan on individual salad plates.

Place a slice of Montrachet cheese on the watercress at the point where the stems converge at the base of the fan. Stir the dressing to combine the ingredients and pour over the watercress and cheese. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 290 calories, 29 grams total fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 280 milligrams sodium.

1-1/4 cups 100-percent bran cereal (not flakes)
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup prepared applesauce
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour, scoop measured

Add the applesauce, sugar, baking powder and salt to the softened bran. Stir to blend. Pour in the egg mixture and mix well. Sprinkle on the flour and blend with a wooden spoon until a moist, lumpy batter is formed. Spoon into the muffin cups and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then tilt the muffins on their sides or transfer them to the rack to complete cooling. Makes 12 muffins.

Approximate nutritional analysis per muffin (using nonstick vegetable spray and butter): 140 calories, 6 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 30 milligrams cholesterol, 350 milligrams sodium.