When food historians seek insight into time and place, they often turn to church cookbooks. With the November 2016 release of The Global Banquet Cookbook: Recipes from the Global Grace Café Community, the Reformed Church of Highland Park is opening a delicious window onto its diverse constituency. Befitting a congregation of 44 nationalities and counting, the church is home to the Global Grace Café. Spanning foodways during weekday lunch—Syrian or Indian dishes might be on the menu one day, Nigerian or Jamaican the next—it may be the most inventive restaurant in town. The food alone justifies a visit. Most amazing, though, is the mission: The ministry raises funds for a broad immigrant and refugee support initiative.
Jenn Hall 