Chocolate Torte Recipe

"The first volunteer services cookbook, Favourite Recipes, was published in March 1979 and was such a success that it was reprinted in 1983," said the foreword of the cookbook, which was publicly unveiled at the hospital on Monday, June 20.

"The recipes in this book from volunteers, staff, family members and friends represent much-loved and fondly remembered meals as well as new recipes that have become family favourites."

Proceeds from sales will go towards the Volunteer Services Centre for Medical Imaging.

The volunteers are committed to raising $3 million towards the centre, which opened last year and features new imaging suites and state-of-the-art equipment.

In addition, the cookbook helps mark the 45th anniversary of the hospital's volunteer services.

"We thought we would make a cookbook in celebration," said Olga Dellidonne, president of the volunteer services board.

Cookbook committee convenor, Debbie Kuutan, said the 250 recipes in the book were collected over six months.

"It is fantastic. It is really good," she said.

"It is more than a cookbook. There are tidbits in there. You can take this and read this. It's a coffee table piece, I think."

It starts out with appetizers and dips, including the first recipe of the book "My family's favourite antipasto dish," from Janet Scrafield, a volunteer at the information desk.

"This takes a little time to make but is delish - and makes a great hostess gift," she wrote.

Other starter recipes include surprise spread, Muskoka happy hour dip, dhokra which is an Indian spicy cake and prosciutto-wrapped melon.

The section on soups and salads features selections such as spinach and strawberry salad, fish chowder, Spanish grandmother's soup, lamb and vegetable soup, rice salad, Pam's warm potato salad, crazy quilt salad, spicy Mexican tomato soup and harvest squash and pear soup.