Three Weissmans of Westport

The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine was selected by Abbie.  She hoped it would be a light and fun read at a difficult time.  It was a bit more serious then she had wished. Set in Connecticut it is a story of a mother and her two adult daughters and their struggles both separately and with each other.  People liked it and it was a good conversation starter. The lesson learned was not to take even a moment with the ones you love for granted.

The Cocktail

For the cocktail we took a recipe for a Connecticut Bullfrog and modified it for our friends who do not care for gin. We named it after the central location of the novel.

The Westport

Makes one if using a one ounce shot glass

·       2 parts vodka

·       1 part white rum

·       1 part fresh squeezed lemon juice

·       1 part maple syrup

In the interest of serving a group we mixed one cup vodka with one fourth cup of the other ingredients in a pitcher and shook in a cocktail shaker to chill.  Strain and serve.

The Appetizers 

What is the best accessory to a cocktail these days? Roasted garbanzo beans! These are crunchy snacks that are actually good for you and people LOVE them. To make:

·      Prepare a one pound bag of garbanzo beans according to directions.  This means starting 1 to two days ahead to allow for soaking and then boiling.

·      Drain the beans in a colander until most of the moisture is gone

·      Toss the beans with two to three table spoons of olive oil

·      Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt or seasoning of your choice

·      Bake at 350° for approximately 45 minutes.  Stirring every 15 minutes.  The cooking time varies.  You want them crispy not burned!

If you do not have time to cook the beans from scratch canned beans will work too.  Just drain really well.

The Meal

The menu for the evening featured Red Curry Sloppy Joes. These were featured in our favorite magazine, Sunset. These work really well for entertaining because you can make the slaw the night before, it is actually better when it sits for several hours or more.  Also, you can cook the meat mixture ahead and let it simmer on low.  Double the recipe though.  They are that good!

When all else fails Talenti gelato and sparkling Cava are a perfect way to end the night. Our favorite flavors are the Caribbean Coconut and Sea Salt Caramel but we are not picky!

Hosting next is Skylar with All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Big Little Lies

Our book club members are HUGE fans of Liane Moriarty.  She is the author of Husband's Secret and What Alice Forgot. Her newest book Big Little Lies did not disappoint. Now, we realize that these books are more of a fun read rather than intellectual giants but we believe you need balance in life and book club! These books also allow a temporary escape from day to day life and lend themselves to lively discussion.

The Appetizer 

To start Cindy served Pea Pesto Crostini with Prosciutto.  This is a recipe from Cooking Light magazine.  We love the recipes from Cooking Light because they involve the use of real food rather than processed low-fat ingredients. However, we used whole milk ricotta.

The Cocktail

The book focused on events that occurred during a school function and the catalyst for these events was a “pink fizzy drink”. We recreated this cocktail by making a strawberry simple syrup, adding one ounce of vodka and topping with sparkling wine.  The amount of syrup you use per drink varies depending on how sweet you want it. As a caution: these are dangerous!

To make the strawberry syrup bring 1 cup water and one cup cane sugar to a boil, once the sugar is dissolved add one cup strawberries and simmer for about ten minutes.  Let the mixture cool and blend in your food processor.  Chill for at least an hour before serving.

The Meal

For the meal we served a sandwich that is always a surprisingly big hit: A Rueben.  The sandwich is comprised of sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing on Rye bread.  We are big corned beef enthusiasts.  In March we stock up at Whole Foods and put the extras in the freezer.  If you cannot find corned beef you can use thick sliced deli pastrami. To make the sandwich:

·      Toast the bread in the oven for a few minutes
·      Flip the bread over and place a slice of  Swiss cheese on each piece
·      Top with the sliced corned beef that was cooked according to package directions
·      Toast for a few more minutes so the cheese melts

·       Remove from oven then top with sauerkraut and Thousand Island
·      Done!

We always choose Bubbies sauerkraut and Litehouse Thousand Island, which is from an Idaho company! We served the sandwiches with kettle chips. 

Look for our 90’s Rock album out next year.

Such a good time! Really! Read this book and try the Pink Fizzy. Next up The Three Weissmanns of Westport  by Cathleen Schine.