Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 19, 1995 TAG: 9507190079
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EXTRA EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: STACY JONES STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
A reasonable person might also conclude from the state of the duo's kitchen - no refrigerator, no visible spices and a stove ensconced in plastic - that this is not the home of two cookbook authors.
We all know where hasty assumptions can lead. Williams and Sandy are indeed the authors of a far-out cookbook called ``gASTRONOMICAL COOKING'' that combines their loves of cooking and star-gazing.
They're currently navigating the stormy sea of kitchen renovation; hence the room's disarray.
``The refrigerator came today, but it was the wrong size,'' said Williams in a voice that percolates with vivacity.
``It fit in the slot, but we couldn't open the door,'' continued Sandy. ``It was way too big.''
Both earth science teachers - she at Northside Middle School and he at Hidden Valley Junior High School - Williams and Sandy like to promote the sciences at every opportunity.
``There isn't anything that you do that doesn't involve the weather, the water, the earth or the sky,'' explained Williams. ``But most people know absolutely nothing about it.''
They will after reading the pair's cookbook.
The 40-something teachers relaxed in their living room - surrounded by photos of the moon, stars and comets - to discuss their publishing feat and, of course, science.
Niles the cat lounged on the couch, head turned away, snubbing the intruders. Maris, their other cat, was nowhere to be found. (Fans of television's "Frasier" will appreciate the cats' names.)
Printed in black and white, the soft-covered culinary guide looks more like a college lab manual than a cookbook. Sandy's cover photo of the North American Nebula - a collection of stars - doesn't change that perception.
Inside, beneath the recipes for ``Saturn Satay,'' ``Pleiades Peanuts'' and other dishes, are photographs of their celestial counterparts. No pictures of the completed dishes made it into the book.
``Any person with an astronomy background would get it,'' said Williams of the 44-page cookbook.
``And probably no one else,'' Sandy added.
For example, the recipe for ``Galaxy Rolls'' appears above a photo of the Whirlpool Galaxy. A subhead, ``Beautiful spirals of cinnamon,'' refers to the characteristic spiral arms of a galaxy.
``Our original idea was to market the book to astronomy people,'' said Sandy. ``And we still plan to. I just have to organize the mailing list.''
If Williams and Sandy seem unconcerned about the book's success, it's just their way.
``It was just something to do,'' shrugged Sandy.
Like the time they got cabin fever during the 1994 ice storms and burned off energy by going from music store to music store to play on new pianos and guitars.
``We pulled out all the sheet music in the place and just put on a show,'' they recalled dreamily.
But back to the cookbook.
``It got so goofy after awhile,'' laughed Williams. ``We spent one afternoon howling over all the corny names we came up with.'' Names like ``Cassiopeia Casserole,'' ``Sweet & Sour Quark,'' ``Comet Crispies,'' ``Martian Meatballs,'' ``Sunspot Salad'' and ``Big Dipper Dip.''
Still, insisted Sandy, ``the recipes are legitimate.''
The idea was conceived last summer during a family Fourth of July gathering when Williams' sister, Diane, suggested that the twosome write a cookbook. After mulling it over for awhile, they dove in with both mouths.
The venture began by ``bugging family members for recipes'' and getting them to be more specific about ingredient amounts.
``They'd say, `add two sprinkles of this, a handful of that,''' explained Williams. ``They didn't know how many cups or teaspoons, which is what I needed.''
Eventually, all the family secrets were in hand and measureable. It was time for the testing phase to commence.
``We used to be skinny,'' joked Williams, who gained 15 pounds during the process.
``As we were gaining weight, I kept asking myself `what are we doing?' '' she screamed.
By the end of August, the cookbook had been printed.
One of Sandy's personal favorites, "Pluto Pollenta," originated from his Italian great-grandfather, who lived to be 118.
``Oh, that's spectacular,'' moaned Williams before Sandy could describe the ingredients. ``I grew up on grits, so this was new to me.''
The dish, served as a layered cassarole, is made of cornmeal and four cheeses and is topped with a well-seasoned tomato mixture that the couple named "Sagittarius Sauce."
``My grandfather used to stir it in a big tub with a mop handle, then spread it out on a big, metal kitchen table,'' said Sandy. ``We'd eat it right off the table.
``It's fabulous, just wonderful,'' he raved, licking his lips and rolling his eyes heavenward before lighting a cigarette.
Another choice entree is the "Supernova Chicken," which elicits almost as much passion as the pollenta.
``Mmmmm,'' smacked Sandy between puffs of his cigarette. ``I could eat that all day. It's delicious.''
His ardor is sparked by the most basic of ingredients - chicken breast, egg, soy sauce, rice and flour - coated with the couple's ``Orion Orange Sauce.''
``It takes some time and has a number of steps, but it is worth it,'' Sandy said.
Most of the recipes in the book are simple to make and don't involve a lot of unusual ingredients, Williams said. The majority are borrowed from relatives, but a few are original creations of the authors.
``Equinox Meatloaf'' is a relic of Williams' post-college, low-resources days. One of Sandy's contributions is ``Pegasus Pancakes,'' which came into being because of a mixing mistake.
``I made the batter too thin and threw in a box of flavored oatmeal to thicken it up,'' said Sandy. ``It worked out really well.''
Although the recipe that appears in the cookbook uses fresh apples, chocolate chips, cinnamon and brown sugar, ``people can add whatever they like,'' he said. ``The recipes are flexible. This is just one of the ways we do it.''
Since meeting three years ago, Williams and Sandy have made a life together doing things few others would dare.
``I met him at a science teachers' convention and complimented him on his photos,'' Williams explained.
``Then I invited her to my place to look at the rest of my collection,'' laughed Sandy, who has had nearly 100 of his astro-photos published in books, magazines and other media including ``gASTRONOMICAL COOKING.''
Williams has explored Canada's Bay of Fundy and studied glaciers in Alberta. She also stopped in Hawaii to study volcanos.
``Yeah, right,'' teased Sandy. ``No one believes you went to Hawaii to study.''
While the cookbook was an experience to remember, the couple's publishing effort has not been a monetary success.
``We had fun,'' said Williams. ``But we haven't paid for them yet.''
``We check our post office box every now and then for orders,'' Williams said.
``But all we see are cobwebs,'' injected Sandy. ``Sometimes, to make us feel better, the postal workers will put other people's mail in our box.''
Still, Williams is already planning for their next cookbook, which will have a meteorology theme.
``How about `Tornado Tuna' or `Hurricane Hash,''' she offered, eyes gleaming.
``Maybe, in a year or two, after we clean out the closets of the ones we have now,'' smiled Sandy.
Until then, the twosome will continue to pursue their hobby of roaming the skies with Catie, Genny, Freddie and Sadie - their telescopes.
Like the license plates on Sandy's Saturn suggest, they are hoping for nothing but CLR SKYS.
To order ``gASTRONOMICAL COOKING'' send $13.53 per copy (includes tax and shipping) to: Saturn Software, P.O. Box 476, Salem, VA, 24153.
by CNB