When will the first cookbook/dining guide be published? (And what’s happening while we wait?)
October 2022 update: We’re still chipping away at it! To be among the first to hear when an official premier date is confirmed, drop us a line to join the mailing list!
After meeting with our printer (Print Solutions Inc.) in December 2019, we targeted publication of Tacoma Aroma: Savor the Flavor for May/June 2020. But then COVID-19 happened and activity slowwwed waaaay dowwwn.
Meanwhile…
Chefs and mixologists submitted their recipes, tips, and seasonal pizza topping ideas. We visited their kitchens and bars to photograph them in action.
#TacomaAromaRecipeTest-ing is happening, drawing on community members to assist with the testing.
Partnerships with local nonprofit organizations that will receive 25.3% of the book profits are confirmed.
Tacoma Spoonscape stickers and postcards are being offered at local shops to help raise funds for publication.
If you want a tee-shirt, look for Tacoma Aroma Flavor at community events or visit our online shop. And if you want to go all in with your gritty support (and get your name in the book), watch for our NPR-style-fund-raising-gifts options: aprons and shopping totes designed and stitched for us by Productivity Parlour.
Writing and layout of the book is in process.
And all sorts of businessy-wuisnessy markety-warkety stuff is ongoing — like preparing to launch a crowd-funding campaign and fund-raising events.
To keep tabs on our progress (or lack thereof), follow TacomaAromaFlavor on IG and join the aromatic community!
Did I hear this is going to be a series?
You heard right!
All books will feature Fresh Local Organic Seasonal Sustainable food systems, and the first several will be 253-centric. (Depending on how those go, we may expand to other communities.) We haven’t finalized which will come first, but here’s what we’re thinking for the next two…
One book will showcase local eateries and producers who offer “Dog-friendly Dining,” such as food trucks; or who support animal welfare in other ways. Recipe contributors will share stories about their interactions with animals—whether those animals have hair, fur, feathers, fins, or scales. That book will benefit local nonprofit organizations that benefit Animal Welfare—in our homes, farms, zoos, or in the wild.
Another book in the series will feature “Breakfast with the Arts,” and will benefit local Arts organizations. We’re hoping to pair artists with chefs, spurring further creativity. We’d especially like to highlight young artists, perhaps partnering with local schools and inviting students to create works of art, whether those be object-oriented (paintings, photographs, sculptures, etc.) or performance-based (dance, music, theater, etc.) We’re still working out the details, but there may be a contest, with winning entries featured in the book. ~Something along those lines. Stay tuned.
You keep using that word, “local.” Do you only mean Tacoma?
When it comes to ingredient sources, we consider the Pacific Northwest to be our local food system.
In terms of restaurants, businesses, and nonprofits, we’re focused on the 253 area code, which centers on Tacoma but includes neighboring communities. The first book includes eateries from Federal Way, Milton, Parkland, Steilacoom, and Gig Harbor.
The book is called Tacoma Aroma: Savor the Flavor… why are non-Tacoma restaurants included?
Good question!
Although we consider ourselves Gritty Tacomans, our lives don’t halt at the city limits. We’ve collected favorite eateries from across the 253, and we want this series to reflect that broader community.
Plus, the industrial “Aroma of Tacoma” wafted beyond Tacoma’s boundaries. If nearby towns had to endure the stench back in the day, they should also enjoy the modern benefits of neighboring with T Town. ☺
When does the crowd-funding campaign launch?
To be notified when we launch the crowd-funding campaign, send us a message with your email address. We promise not to spam you or otherwise hurl pork products in your direction. Thanks for your interest. Please tell you friends!
Tacoma Aroma Flavor 