Local Cookbook Project Brings Valencia County Residents Together Through Food

Tommy Madrid III, a library technician at the Los Lunas Public Library, turned a simple idea into a community project that uses food to bridge social divides. Madrid admits he does not cook, but he organized Valencia County Cooking, a collection of residents generational recipes paired with the personal stories behind dishes, and the book has been available for sale at the library since September.

Madrid said he wanted a lighthearted way to bring neighbors together. “I wanted to come up with a fun initiative for our community to bring everyone together,” he said. The project is more than a book. Library staff and community volunteers are organizing a cooking competition at the library on March 13 focused on appetizers, with additional contests scheduled across the county throughout 2026. “We’re hoping for some sort of prize for first, second, third and then obviously anyone that submits a recipe will be put into the cookbook,” Madrid said. “Throughout all of 2026, we’re going to have these different competitions that go through different categories like appetizers, entrees and desserts. Our goal is that by the end, we’ll have an actual full fledged cookbook that we’ll be able to sell with the Friends of the Library.”

For Valencia County residents this project carries practical and cultural significance. Community cookbooks preserve family traditions and make culinary knowledge accessible across generations, a vital form of cultural continuity in a region with diverse food traditions. At the same time shared cooking events create social connection and can reduce isolation, an important determinant of mental health.

There are public health implications to consider as the initiative grows. Nutrition educators and public health officials often point to community cooking as a vehicle for promoting healthier eating patterns while respecting cultural foods. By centering recipes from local families, the library project offers a potential platform for nutrition messaging that is culturally relevant and community led. It also highlights structural questions about access to fresh ingredients and kitchen resources for low income households across the county.

As the competitions and book sales proceed, the project could serve both as a community builder and a springboard for partnerships with local health programs, food banks and schools seeking culturally grounded ways to support healthy eating. For now, Valencia County Cooking is doing the simpler, essential work of inviting neighbors to share food, stories and a common table.