Photo by Griffin Peterson Cookbook author Sarah Peterson, center, signs her book during the Lyon County Museum’s “Dish and Tell: Recipes From the Heart” reflection event on Tuesday

MARSHALL — Sarah Peterson discussed her new cookbook and family recipes at the Lyon County Museum with food lovers during a “Dish and Tell: Recipes From the Heart” reflection event on Tuesday

Her stories turned to lively discussion with those attending as they were swept into memories of their childhood and the family recipes that defined it.

Peterson shared insights on how her passion for making food for her family turned to her journey into writing a book. She also saved time at the end of her presentation for people to share some of their recipes.

Peterson said she didn’t always have a passion for cooking. She’s not a professional chef, and she didn’t go to culinary school.

She didn’t have a big passion for baking until she became a mom, and all of a sudden had to make meals every day for her children. She turned to who she calls the Keepers — the caretakers of her family’s dishes who held a key to the past.

“I really leaned into my mom and mother-in-law and asked for family recipes – dishes and desserts that I either remembered from when I was growing up or that they had made over and over again, so I knew they were tried and true,” Peterson said.

In 2022, Peterson started her blog, “Dish and Tell” where she shared some of her own and her keepers recipes. Over time, that evolved into sharing others stories. The format was simple. She would visit people in their homes to find the recipe and talk about where it came from. Then, some memories about the dishes tradition and the memories associated with it. Sometimes including making the recipe in the kitchen with them to learn all the little secrets on how to make it perfect.

As her blog grew, and Peterson got more and more stories, she knew she wanted to turn it into something bigger. Something that could last even longer and be shared beyond the confines of the internet. The Minnesota Historical Society worked with Peterson as she talked to 40 people and to learn 75 recipes and the stories from families that go with them.

“I started to think a book would have more longevity, and these stories deserved to be in something bigger than my little blog,” Peterson said. “I wanted to write a book not just for me but to honor them and the stories they shared.”

This February, Peterson’s book was published, and she got the opportunity to go around Minnesota and share the book and its stories with members of the community, as well as get some new stories from attendees.

One of those attendees included Staci Merganthal, from Verdi, and a friend of Peterson who she met early in her blogging career. She shared the recipe for her mother-in-law Marie’s Dill Pickle Pasta Salad that she makes for the Fourth of July Potluck.

Merganthal also shared her Grandma Janet’s white sugar cookies, which she made for Merganthal during the holidays. Merganthal bakes them a few times a year to share the memory of her grandma. Those cookies made it to the event, and attendees got to enjoy the taste of some white cookies topped with a load of sugar that melts in your mouth.

Another shared recipe came from Linda Barron of Ruthton. Her apple pie bars inspired a recipe for Rhubarb Pie bars that made it into Peterson’s book. To some of Barron’s family who have tried them it is “The only way to eat pie.” Peterson brought those rhubarb pie bars to the event as well.

After some discussion and stories about old recipes and their stories, Peterson held a signing ceremony for her book.