COSBY-Plans to celebrate Great Smoky Mountains National Park's 75th anniversary next year are really starting to cook.

On Tuesday, Cocke County Tourism Council members announced plans to publish a cookbook featuring stories and recipes from the Cosby area of the park. Portions of six counties, including three in East Tennessee, form Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

For the past year and a half, committee members from the six counties have worked diligently planning next year's celebration of the Park's 75th anniversary.

Several Tourism Council members met Tuesday afternoon with Sandra Foster, Cosby Community Library Director, to sketch out plans for the book.

"We all know that our county abounds in good cooks," said Tourism Council chair Marie Bittinger. "What better way to celebrate this momentous milestone than by focusing on the good foods and history from this portion of the park?"

Tourism Council members also announced that a portion of the book's profits will go to the building fund of the Cosby Community Library.

Currently the Cosby Community Library shares space with the Cosby Volunteer Fire Department near Cosby High School.

"Our community has grown so much, and continues to grow rapidly," said Foster, "and we are in desperate need of larger quarters. We are very grateful to the Tourism Council for including us in this project."

At Tuesday's meeting, committee members settled on the book's format, opting to divide the publication into twelve parts, one for each month of the year.

Included in each section will be stories from Cosby pertaining to that month and a menu for a meal typically served in the Cosby community. "For example, the January section will feature New Year's traditions and recipes for a New Year's meal," said Bittinger.

Anyone wishing to submit recipes for the book may drop them off at the Cosby Community Library or mail them to the library at 3292 Cosby Highway, Cosby, TN 37722.

Recipes can also be e-mailed to the Cosby Community Library at cosbylib@planetc.com  or to the Cocke County Tourism Council at tourism@cockecounty.com.

The Cosby Community Library is open Mondays-Wedesdays-Fridays from 12-6.

For further information about the project, call the Cosby Community Library (423) 487-5885 or (865) 322-0239.