“Where Have All the Crackers Gone?” May 12, 2012

Join award-winning author Janis Owens as she explores the history and resilience of the Florida cracker. Taste some of the delicious recipes from Owens’ recent cookbook, “The Cracker Kitchen: A Cookbook in Celebration of Cornbread-Fed, Down-Home Family Stories and Cuisine.” Learn the origins of the word in Elizabethan England, an anthropological explanation of this unique and fiercely independent group of people, and the values they hold dear, including a deep love for family, country, stories, and food. Janis Owens, a Florida native and graduate of the University of Florida, has published three novels. Her essays have appeared in various publications including The New York Times and Writer’s Digest. Today she lives in Newberry, Fla., with her husband, three dogs, many chickens, and a pair of Old Spot pigs.1 p.m. – Meet and greet; food sampling.1:30 p.m. – Presentation, followed by Q&A and book signing. Members $10; non-members $20. Call (407) 836-7010 for more information or to register. Space is limited.

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