Home Cookin' Illustrated

Doug Janousek, Union Point's resident personal chef and cookbook author, is excited that his his long-awaited art and recipes book, Home Cookin' Illustrated, is ready. The book features interviews with the participating artists, personalized menus and recipes, and original artwork. "I think the concept for this book is really different and intriguing," he said. "Talking with the artists and getting their take on food, as well as on their art was just amazing." The artists include painters from Augusta to Athens, Eatonton, Union Point, Greensboro, Watkinsville and Oxford who work in acrylics, watercolors, pastels, oils and a variety of mixed media. Janousek created personalized menus for each artist and came up with his recipe versions from a variety of cuisines including a Mediterranean mezze, or buffet, for Union Point artist Anne Jenkins; an Irish-inspired menu for cover artist Lillie Morris of Evans; a Hungarian/Slavic styled menu for Lake Oconee area artist Mev Rozsman, as well as several other food styles like Low Country South, Southwestern fare and his upscale tasting menu, "33 Bites to Fulfillment," he served last Spring at The Washington Grass Inn with executive chef Gloria Slaughter. Lake Country artists include Jenkins of Union Point and Rozsman, as well as Cameron Hampton of the Hampton Fine Art Gallery, Jan Whyllson, Nan McGarity of the Historic Mill Studio, Judy Phlegar and Gail Vail. Also taking part in the project is Darlene Simmemon of Eatonton, Will Eskridge of Athens, JoAnn Kolbus of Watkinsville, Margaret Warfield of Oxford, and from the Augusta area, Gail Smith and Lillie Morris of the Broadstrokes Gallery in Evans. Rounding out the book is a chapter and menu with Matt Garofalo of The Oconee Cellar. Matt provides wine pairings for most of the menus as well as tips on how to do a tasting in your own home.

I have been cooking since I was a youngster, with Mom as my first and in many ways best teacher. She taught me the importance of making sure no one leaves the table hungry, which means that the food needs to not only look good and smell good, but taste good, too. My formal education began with earning my bachelor of science in Journalism and English with a minor in political science, graduating cum laude in December 1984. Journalism has taken me all around the United States, from Florida to Alaska and most of the points in between. I even spent some time working in the Caribbean. During that time, while I was writing and editing newspapers, I was also cooking for friends and family, and soaking up the local food cultures. In 2004 I arranged my life to change careers and attend the Le Cordon Bleu program at Orlando Culinary Academy in Orlando, Florida, where I graduated summa cum laude in December 2005.. At OCA I learned the classic French techniques to go with the recipes I have been honing over the years. I use the freshest ingredients possible and strive to make my meals as wholesome and good tasting as possible. For the last several years I have also worked as a freelance food/recipes columnist, as well as a personal chef in Orlando and beginning in July 2007 in Union Point, Georgia. In 2006 I coordinated a cookbook with several other personal chefs, acting as editor/publisher/co-writer (Twelve Seasons Under the Florida Sun available at www.shop.homecookinbooks.com). And I've now completed Home Cookin' Illustrated, my second cookbook, where I created personalized menus for a number of Georgia artists and they in turn have provided artwork to illustrate this unique book.