Cooking Stetson Style: Recipes and Photography

By: Janet Beshara Stetson

Janet Beshara Stetson was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She attended Oklahoma State University where she received a BS in home economics. After college, Janet moved to Dallas, Texas, where she worked in retail and then wholesale sales. She followed her food interests when she worked selling wholesale gourmet food items to specialty stores. She also made and sold wedding and party cakes. Janet taught classes demonstrating how to make fresh pasta.

Janet inherited her passion for cooking from her mother, Madeline, who was a very good and adventuresome cook. Her dad, Wadea was from a large family of Lebanese descent. Janet's knowledge of Mediterranean cooking came from her mother and many aunts, uncles, and extended family, all of who consider food a cause for celebration.

Janet married Barrett Stetson in 1978. Together they enjoyed entertaining family and friends at their home and did so regularly over the course of forty-plus years. This included hosting their son's wedding in their backyard.

Barrett lived for two years in Switzerland as a boy. He developed an appreciation for fine pastries which Janet learned to bake. Barrett was an especially good grill master

Barrett considered travel one of life's necessities. Because of that philosophy, Janet, Barrett, and their two boys, Neal and Glenn, traveled all over the United States and extensively in Europe. Janet's interest in food was enhanced by those experiences. She also honed her talent for photography, by which she documented their travels and memories. Many of those photographs are contained in this book.

Now retired in Dallas, Janet and Barrett enjoy spending time with their sons, daughters-in-law, and grandkids. The couple has passed along their enthusiasm for cooking, entertaining, and travel to the next generation. Janet considers their grandchildren "the dessert of life."