With the 32nd annual Blueberry Festival just a few short months away, staff at the Greater Brewton Area Chamber of Commerce are beginning their work aimed at publishing  cookbook to commemorate the event.

Chamber Secretary Michelle Hart said the book will contain as many as 200 recipes — and this year, she hopes they are all from local cooks.

“We try to get as many recipes as we can into the cookbook to make it special,” Hart said. “We have had to rely on services in the past to get enough recipes in the book to fill it. We really want to fill the book with recipes from our local folks — those who like to cook and those who like to eat.”

Hart said there is no restriction on the kind of recipe that can be sent for inclusion in the special book.

“We used to do cookbooks with just blueberry recipes in it,” Hart said. “Over the last several years that has changed. We are including recipes of any kind — especially those from local cooks, in this cookbook. So pretty much any recipe someone wants to submit will be published in the book.”

Hart said categories include dinners, desserts, breads, salad, main dishes, appetizers, drinks or just about anything edible since the book typically includes a miscellaenous section dubbed “this and that” as well.

“We do have a sponsor for the cookbook that help pay for the cost of printing,” Hart said. “We are so thankful that BankTrust of Brewton steps up to cover that sponsorship cost for us.”

Hart said recipes can be submitted now through the March 16 deadline.

“We have to get everything prepared for the printers and get it to them in time for the books to be ready by Blueberry Festival time,” Hart said. “Our target date is to have the books back from the printer and ready to sell by June 1, just a few weeks before the Festival.”

Each recipe submitted by a local cook will be properly accredited with the name of the cook, Hart said.

Cookbooks will sell for $10 each once they are printed and shipped to the Chamber offices later this year.

To make a submission for the book, include the name of the recipe, ingredients needed, directions and the name of the person making the submission. Please also include a phone number or other contact information in case of questions by those preparing the recipes for publication.

Send recipes by mail to Greater Brewton Area Chamber of Commerce, 1010A Douglas Ave., Brewton, AL 36426 or drop them by the offices at the Brewton City Hall complex. For more details or directions, contact the chamber at 867-3224.