Entertainment
28 November, 2022
Babinda local publishes her best recipes
COFFEE shop owner Francesca Alley has embarked on a successful venture publishing a book of her and her family’s recipes which compiles the best her Sicilian heritage has to offer and all-time Australian favourites.
Ms Alley’s first book, Cooking With Francesca, has been a great success in Babinda, with clients, neighbours, friends, and locals asking for the book to cook some of her famous recipes.
As an active community member, Ms Alley’s dishes are known around Babinda, and this was the opportunity for her to allow others to enjoy her cooking in their home.
“I worked in pharmacy for 49 and a half years,” Ms Alley said.
“I resigned in March, and I thought, what do I do with my life now?
“My kids were always on my back saying, “you need to write your recipes down before something happens to Nonna or you”.
“So I decided to write down her recipes and what I cook for my family,” she said. Although there were over 100 recipes, and she could write another book with more, the task only took her a couple of weeks; she then decided it was time to get it published.
“My mum is 93, and while she still remembers, she tells me you need to put a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but I said – mum, I need measurements now,” Ms Alley said.
“I felt lost without my job and my passion and I thought I needed to do something, so I started to write down all my recipes.
“In the beginning, it was just for my family and nieces, a 25 book publish, but then I ended up publishing 200, and I probably will have to do another run because my friends and other people would come to me asking for a copy.”
For Ms Alley, it is an inspiring opportunity to share the recipes that her family, neighbours and friends love. “I’m glad that people can enjoy my mum’s cooking and my cooking, and they can share it on their table with their family,” she said.
“If you want a book, call me or my coffee shop, Francesca’s Coffee and Cakes, at the Babinda State Hotel, and I will autograph it and mail it. “In the future, I might venture into writing another book, this time about my family history.”
For more information and to acquire Cooking With Francesca, call Francesca at 0409495265 or visit the Babinda State Hotel.
