Edible Books in Jackson

but not at the Cowboy Bar

I literally came home with two crusts.

Jackson, Wyoming offers a wide range of entertainment. Last Saturday we attended a campy brunch that featured “The Real Housewives of Jackson Hole” glamming it up, some in drag, one dressed as Grizzly 399, most raising glasses of bubbly.  The Pink Garter Theatre is currently leased by Andrew Munz, a locally famous performance artist who aims to make the playhouse a fun community resource. Leaving the theatre after the show, we hit the wooden sidewalks running to get to our next event at a decidedly different venue.

The Edible Book Festival took place at the Teton County Library and the dozen or so entrants that ringed the perimeter of the assembly room looked nervous. Most were young—aged 8 to 13—and most of the books that were represented at the event were children’s books. Parents hovered, shoring up fondant trees and affixing bumblebee wings. There was a lot at stake: three prizes! Glory!

I had never entered the competition before; had never even heard of it and it has been around since 2000. But I’m game to do anything that offers a chance to connect with others who see the world through a culinary lens. I felt clearly out of my league and just settled back in my corner to enjoy the general mayhem and thought about all that I would be hauling home.

Judges did their judging before the doors were open to the public to determine Best Book to Belly Adaptation and Funniest/Punniest awards. Incoming attendees voted on the People’s Choice award. My own entry was inspired by the book “Under the Tuscan Sun” and was driven by a longing to see the sun after the endless Wyoming winter.  But my Tuscan Bread stuffed with pesto, Italian meats, and cheeses, seemed flat and pale between the bright yellow Magic School bus entry and the dancing pink Dumb Bunnies, both crafted from copious amounts of Rice Krispie Treat.

My tablemates, Deb Williamson from Moran and Louie Shahan from Hoback, the Dumb Bunnies creators, had no children to inspire them but joined the contest for the fun of it and, apropos, won “Funniest/Punniest” for their comical take on the Dave Pilkey series. Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree” was the inspiration for besties, Joy Hayashida-Ludington and Mira Borrego, middle school students who won the Peoples Choice award. Cyrus Loudenslager, the youngest contestant, won the Best Book to Belly Adaptation with his chocolate chip cookies shaped like anteaters to honor the “Aunt Eater” mystery series by author Doug Cushman

People circulated through the room, sampling the entries, and after a few minutes, I had a line. The only savory entry in the room, the word was out. More and more folks queued up for a slice of the bread and I promised two young girls, Brynn McDermott and Zizi Dowda who were my best customers, that I would share the recipe and technique. I went home without any leftovers, all 6 loaves gone. But now I know. Next year I will bring my 3-year-old grandson and a Rice Krispie creation.

Fold in the ends and lift and tuck as you roll the filled bread.

Tuscan Bread

Makes 2 loaves

2 pounds bread dough (I used a Cuisinart food processor recipe that was adapted with 3 cups All-Purpose flour, ½ cup whole wheat flour, and ½ cup rolled oats)

8 ounces pesto

16 thin slices of turkey with sun-dried tomato or baked ham or roast pork

16 thin slices of provolone

16 thin slices of Genoa salami or pepperoni

8 ounces grated mozzarella

¼ cup milk (for brushing on top)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Divide the risen dough in half and roll out as thin as you can until it is about 15-18 inches long and 12 inches wide. Spread with pesto and then layer the meats and cheeses on top. Tuck in the top and bottom (like you are folding a burrito) and carefully roll up the loaf nice and tight. Place the roll on a parchment-lined tray or two if you can’t fit them both on one tray. Cover with a towel and allow to rest/rise for about 20-30 minutes. Remove the towel and brush the top and sides of the loaves with milk and then take a sharp knife and cut through in several places along the length of the bread so the steam doesn’t build up and cause the bread to split. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the loaves are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Tip: You can really use any combination of meats and cheese in this loaf. Whatever you have on hand or cold cuts that you prefer. And a vegetarian one is easily made with just pesto, cheeses, roasted peppers, and well-drained cooked kale or spinach.

Before and After