Feeding the need to read, Bookstock – Metro Detroit’s “Biggest and Best Used Book Sale” – runs April 23-30 at Laurel Park Place, Livonia. Bookstock offers tables laden with books where bargains abound – including the area’s largest collection of gently used cookbooks. This year, Bookstock offered something new: It called for recipes from amateur chefs across Michigan to compete for prizes and bragging rights in Cookstock, the first-ever cooking contest to benefit literacy and educational programs in metro Detroit.
Billed as a “Bookstock Kitchen Adventure” – Cookstock will highlight the best one-dish healthy meals judged by Detroit culinary celebrities John Vermiglio of Grey Ghost, Kate Williams of Lady of the House, Detroit Free Press restaurant critic Mark Kurlyandchik and Detroit News Features reporter and star foodie Melody Baetens.
What will the winning recipes be? An amazing stir-fry, a slow cooker stew, a hearty soup?
You can find out at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, 5 p.m., at Laurel Park Place when local news stars Tati Amare (WDIV Local 4), Carolyn Clifford (WXYZ-TV 7) and Sherry Margolis (FOX2) join Presenting Sponsor Mike Morse and Bookstock Honorary Co-Chairs Rochelle Riley and Neal Rubin to announce the winners.
The first-prize winner will spend the day with the chefs of Grey Ghost to prepare an exclusive six course menu for four AND will prepare the winning dish on WDIV Local 4’s Live in the D. The second- and third-place winners, respectively, receive a Wolf Countertop Convection Oven and $100 Gift Certificate to Beau’s, Mex or Social restaurants.
Marking 15 years of supporting literacy and educational programs in metro Detroit, Bookstock has generated nearly $1.7 million for projects throughout Oakland County and Detroit. More than 800 volunteers work together throughout the year to organize and staff the week-long Bookstock sale.
“Our Annual Bookstock sale always has been a feast for readers and collectors,” says Bobbi Gutman, a longtime Bookstock volunteer and Cookstock Co-Chair with Detroit Free Press Columnist Rochelle Riley. “As the sale has grown every year, we try to put a fresh new spin on each day of the sale. As we sorted through the abundance of books (a process that takes volunteers months), we noticed that we have an extraordinary collection of beautiful cookbooks. And we thought, why not make a day of it to celebrate cooking and the talents of metro Detroit’s amateur chefs. So we created the contest — Cookstock.”
As her closest friends know, Rochelle Riley is a passionate cook (approximately 12 times a year, by her count). She also is a passionate advocate, chronicler and crusader for the cause of improving adult literacy in Detroit – a 16-year mission that includes her annual Every December Fundraiser for Literacy that benefits the Dominican Literacy Center and the Mercy Education Project. She has been a co-chair of Bookstock ever since.
Rochelle said her Bookstock journey began when she wrote a column “about two amazing women, Roz Blanck and Jodi Goodman.”
“Fifteen years ago, they took over a long-standing book fair that might have otherwise died and turned it into the state’s largest used book sale to benefit literacy,” Rochelle said. “The next year, they asked me to join them as an honorary chair, I said yes. And it has been my honor to serve.”
Bobbi added, “Every one of us working on Bookstock is very committed to what we have been able to do for a variety of literary organizations.We are all volunteers, involved in some organization or aspect of literacy – everyone a little different with a different purpose, but all our efforts are local, working to make a real difference in people’s lives.”
Browsers and Buyers at Bookstock will also enjoy:
- Bookstock’s Pre-Sale Kick-Off: On Sunday, April 23: the fun begins from 8:15 to 11:00 a.m, $20 admission
- Monday Madness – Monday, April 24: There will be giveaways for the first 1,000 shoppers. And one lucky shopper will receive a $500 VISA gift card.
- Teacher Appreciation Day and the B.E.S.T. Awards: On Tuesday, April 25: 3:00 to 9:00 pm, 50% off to all teachers with a valid ID. The B.E.S.T. Awards are the winner of an essay-writing contest for 4th grade Detroit Public School Community District students) presented at 5 p.m. and broadcast live on WDIV-Channel 4.
- Bookbuster Special Days – Thursday, April 27 and Friday, April 28: 3:00 to 9:00 pm. Buy three books and get the fourth book *free (*least expensive item). Spend $25 or more either night and be entered in a special drawing for Red Wings tickets, a Pistons-signed piece of the Palace floor, or a stay a Tree Tops Resort in Garland.
- Half Price Finale, Sunday, April 30: All remaining books and media will be sold for half price!
Bookstock is brought to the community by the Jewish Community Relations Council/AJC and the following organizations: Akiva Hebrew Day School, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, Brandeis University, Delta Kappa Gamma, Frankel Jewish Academy, Hadassah-Greater Detroit Chapter, Hillel Day School PTO, Jewish Community Center of Ann Arbor, Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit Women’s Philanthropy, JVS, National Council of Jewish Women, Oakland Literacy Council and ORT America. For more information about Bookstock, call the Bookstock hotline, (248) 645-7840, ext. 365, or visit bookstockmi.org.
Laurel Park Place is located on 6 Mile Road east of I-275 in Livonia.
