It seems like everybody’s publishing cookbooks these days from famous chefs to Hollywood actors.
Even local dentists are getting into the act.
Over the past two weeks, Dr. Paul Ferri, of the North Oakland Dental Group in Oxford, has sold about 300 cookbooks featuring delicious recipes submitted by staff, patients, family and friends.
‘It’s been a big hit,? said Ferri, who lives in Clarkston and joined the longtime Oxford dental practice in 2004. ‘The response has been overwhelmingly positive.?
The 115-page cookbook, entitled ‘Classic Recipes: Cookbook for a Cure,? features 300 recipes for soups, salads, appetizers, beverages, vegetables, main dishes, breads and rolls, desserts and miscellaneous items such as venison dishes and sauces.
‘Everybody had a great time submitting recipes,? Ferri said. ‘We started asking for recipes in December and sent it for printing in February.?
Despite the popularity of the cookbook, Ferri isn’t looking to make his fortune in publishing and quit dentistry.
He’s actually doing it to help his 1-year-old son, Tyler, who has Cystic fibrosis (CF). Each cookbook sells for $10 and all the proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
CF is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide).
A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs leading to life-threatening lung infections and obstructs the pancreas stopping natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.
Many people with CF can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.
Ferri and his wife, Kelly, are both carriers for CF as is their daughter, Katelyn, who will turn 3 in June. They found out Tyler had CF by the time he was three weeks old.
Ferri intends to keep selling the cookbooks, of which he has about 200 left, until the Great Strides walk, a CF Foundation fund-raiser, in downtown Rochester’s Municipal Park on Saturday, May 16.
‘We’ll do another printing (if necessary),? he said. ‘We plan on turning the money in that day at the walk.?
For the record, Ferri’s favorite dish in the cookbook is the Chicken Prosciutto (page 53), a recipe from his mother, Mary Ellen Ferri. ‘It’s very good,? he said, noting he also enjoys the rum cake.
The office and patients had so much fun creating the first cookbook that Ferri indicated they might do a second one with a different theme.
‘Everybody has holiday-type recipes,? he said.
Those who wish to simply make a donation to the CF Foundation’s Great Strides walk can do so by visiting www.cff.org/great_strides/ and locating walker Kelly Ferri.
North Oakland Dental Group is located at 830 S. Lapeer Rd. For more information call (248) 628-9557.