How long does it take to create the perfect hard boiled egg?

What if there’s no corn at the farm stand?

Is there a story behind the strawberry butter?

These questions are best answered by a chef. Or better — six different chefs.

On Monday, July 14, forget the beach for a few hours and head to Lola’s Southern Seafood for a special five-course lunch tasting with recipes from six different Island chefs.

The event, which begins at 2 p.m., is sponsored by Edgartown Books, Martha’s Vineyard Magazine and Edible Vineyard. Tickets are $50 and available for sale at Edgartown Books. Copies of each book will be available to purchase for signing. And there will be plenty of time to ask the chefs questions about their books, cooking and farming.

Featured cookbook authors include Melinda Fager, author of Living off the Sea on the Island of Chappaquiddick; Jessica B. Harris, author of High on the Hog: a Culinary Journey from Africa to America; Robert Lionette, who helped develop and contribute recipes for Morning Glory’s Farm Food: Stories from the Fields, Recipes from the Kitchen; Susie Middleton, author of Fresh from the Farm: A Year of Recipes and Stories; and Catherine Walthers, author of Raising the Salad Bar.

Each course will be cooked by the staff of Lola’s. Restaurant owner Kathy Lola Domitrovich pulled recipes from each of the “five very different” cookbooks to create the menu. “I was trying to pick a well-rounded menu for the event. The challenge was to make sure each recipe would fit with the next one, and that each dish was something Vineyard-y,” said Mrs. Domitrovich. “But I also tried to stay within the southern theme, which is what Lola’s is known for,” she added.

Writing a cookbook is not an easy task, Ms. Domitrovich said, but each of these five Island authors do it exceptionally well. “They keep it simple and I admire that,” she said.

Ms. Middleton said she’s been part of author panels, book talks and restaurant events before, but never something like this, “Not with five other authors,” she said. And she’s looking forward to it. “I think it’s going to be fun. Everyone has a different perspective on food and it’s always fun to be with your peers and hear what they have to say.”

For Ms. Middleton, the event will be a nice break from working on her Green Island Farm in West Tisbury, where among other things she has been busy tending 550 laying hens.

So that question about making perfect and delicious hard boiled eggs? Monday may be a good time to ask. She’s probably got that one covered.

Tickets for Cook the Vineyard are available at Edgartown Books or by calling Nicole at Martha's Vineyard Magazine at (508) 627-4311. For more on this and other summer events, go to eventsmv.com.