These were the vital ingredients for the making of Our Berry Kitchen, a locally produced cookbook launched last month.

The cookbook is the result of the hard work of a small committee headed by a very passionate Jo Jorgensen, who came up with the concept 18 months ago.

Together with contributors Amy Willesee, Freya Hilkemeijer and photographer Chris Jallard, Ms Jorgensen has produced a professional cookbook.

Ms Jorgensen remained undeterred when told by people how difficult the project would be, saying “ignorance is bliss” when it came to executing the final project.

The money raised will assist in a library upgrade at the school. 

Mrs Jorgensen said it was a full circle project considering more than 95 per cent of the proceeds will go back into a space dedicated to reading.

The result is a 192-page cookbook comprising 150 recipes collected from parents of students at Berry Public School and local businesses.

“So many people with different skill sets came together to produce this,” Ms Jorgensen said.

“It wasn’t easy, but it is lovely we could produce something like this, not just for the school but for the community as well.

“We want parents to buy it, Berry locals to buy it, but we also want visitors to buy it. 

“We think it is a great memento of their trip down here.”

Recipes range from breakfast to dessert and each contributor was encouraged to include the story behind the recipe.

“People love the stories behind them,” Ms Jorgensen said.

The book has been very well received with more than 1000 sold since it was launched three weeks ago. Businesses covered the production costs so all sales proceeds go to the school.

The book is for sale for $35 in more than a dozen shops around Berry, including the Berry Sourdough Bakery and Cafe, Pompadour’s Chocolate House, Scullys and Co, with Dymocks Nowra and the Shoalhaven Tourist Centre also offering to sell the book commission free.

Books can be ordered online at ourberrykitchen.org.au.