Growing up in Philadelphia, the young Margaret Guthrie became a fan of Thoroughbred horse racing and also learned to ride. She remains a devoted equestrienne. Her interest in food began when she was a tennager and continued after her years at Brown University. She has written numerous cookbooks, including The Best Recipes of Wisconsin Inns and Restaurants, The Best Midwestern Restaurant Cooking, and Quivey's Grove. She collaborated on Prairie: Cuisine from the Heartland and A Taste of the Northwoods. Guthrie's articles have appeared in The New York Times Book Review and its travel section, the Christian Science Monitor, the Milwaukee Journal, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and numerous magazines, including Audubon. Guthrie, who has three grown children, lives in Philadelphia.

Q: How did the idea for Racing to the Table come about?

A: The idea originated with Jackie Duke to whom I had introduced myself by proposing an article for Keeneland Magazine on burgoo, one of the more interesting American regional dishes. I kept after her on other food-related topics and eventually she asked me if I would be interested in doing a cookbook "for us." Now, asking me to combine two of my favorite things and offering to pay me to do the combination is as close to heaven as I'm going to get. She asked for a proposal and Racing to the Table was it.

Q: How did you become a fan of Thoroughbred racing?

A: I was learning to ride at the same time that Citation won the Triple Crown. I had a little bedside radio (yes, that's how long ago it was) on which I listened to the races, and I started a scrapbook with newspaper and magazine articles about his races.

Q: Tell us about your cooking background.

A: I started cooking when I became a teenager and my appetite dictated that I take an interest in what I was going to get to eat. At thirteen I asked my parents to give me James Beard's Fireside Cookbook. I wore out the first copy and found another when an acquaintance was moving and giving up some of her cookbooks. I kept collecting and cooking and eventually I began to write about food.

Q: How did you go about researching horse racing in the various parts of the United States?

A: I had been to some of the racetracks, knew some of the PR people and started with them. I also used the internet. I had worked for an internet company and so had a pretty good idea of just how great the web can be when you're looking for information. I found racetrack sites, local historical societies, regional dishes -- all on the internet. So between the internet and the publications from the tracks, I had a pretty good foundation.

Q: How did you go about compiling the recipes in the book?

A: Compiling the recipes for the book was relatively easy. Once I explained the premise of the book, people were enthusiastic and were good about contributing. There were the usual few who said great idea and just never
came up with anything. Others responded immediately, many commenting on what a great idea it is.

Q: What was the most fun in putting this book together? Testing the recipes?

A: The most fun, without question, was meeting the people, most of whom I talked to on the telephone or e-mailed and a few communicated by snail mail. The people who contributed recipes to this book share with me a love of good food and a love of and admiration for Thoroughbred horses. Testing the recipes was fun, too, but meeting the people involved was the best!

Q: Do you have some favorites among the recipes in this book? Any recommendations?

A: I do have some favorites. I have never been a fan of bread pudding. It's always seemed to me to be dry, unappetizing looking, and not tasting of anything much. Then I made and ate the Sun Dried Apricot and Coconut Bread Pudding from Calder Racetrack. I would go to that track just for that dessert -- and usually you can't get me away from whatever is chocolate on the menu. Speaking of chocolate, the Chocolate Bliss from Dudley's in Lexington is easy to make and one of the most sensual, rich, wonderful chocolate desserts I've had in a long time. There's a summer salad with grilled shrimp, there's Kentucky Burgoo which I love in the winter time. There are some great fish recipes. There's Rose's Corn Bread which I have been eating since I was a kid... I can recommend just about everything in the book, honestly.

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