Rock Island Library Wants Your Quarantine Recipes

Opening a can of soup and making a cold sandwich got old at our house really fast, so like many Quad Citians we started getting creative in the kitchen.

I started Googling ingredients I had on hand and the interwebs gave me some pretty unique meal ideas. Then I started throwing in my own idea.

The Rock Island Public Library, in partnership with other local libraries, is collecting recipes for a Quad City Quarantine Cookbook. Contributors are encouraged to share what they’ve been making or baking to document life during the historically-significant pandemic of Covid-19.

“People have been quarantining themselves with their families, cooking from their pantries, and limiting trips to the grocery store. We believe it’s important to document this time with these recipes, and the stories behind them. We are excited to see the recipes that will be submitted, and archive them for future generations,” said Rachel Ippolito, Reference Librarian, Rock Island Public Library."

The library is interested in family recipes to comfort food, easy “dump” dinners to crock-pot feasts; any favorite dish, even if it’s not your own. Just indicate the source, and the library will give credit where it is due. Suggested categories include snacks, appetizers, desserts, baked items, and main dishes according to a QuadCities.com article.

To submit your recipe, email a copy to RiLibRef@rigov.org by June 30 and please include the following information:

• Your recipe
• Area of the Quad Cities you are from
• Your name (optional)
• One paragraph about the significance of your dish (optional)

Rock Island Public Library will assemble contributions into a digital cookbook that will be available for download from participating libraries.

For questions about the project, email RILibRef@rigov.org, call 309-732-7343, or contact Rock Island Public Library via the website, at www.rockislandlibrary.org