Book Club: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin is an easy and entertaining read.  It is a great choice for a book club group because it lends itself to a lively discussion. 

All of our members enjoyed it for many different reasons. Abbie hosted this gathering with the help of Cindy's decorating and Skylar's shopping assistance for ingredients she could not get in her small town grocery.

The Cocktail

      ·       3 cups cranberry juice *make sure it is 100% fruit juice

·       1 ¼  cups fresh lime juice 

*that is a lot of juicing but it should be fresh

·       1 ¼  cups tequila blanco

·       1 cup orange-flavored liqueur

       *We like 03 Premium Orange Liqueur. It has a nice flavor without a big price tag.  Avoid bottom shelf triple sec at all costs. It has a plastic taste.

·       ice cubes

·       frozen cranberries

Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher.  Serve over ice in a glass rimmed with a coarse salt and sugar mixture.

The Food

TuscanCarbonara click for recipe 

Spinach Salad with Warm Sesame Dressing

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Carbonara is a rich and delicious dish. It cannot be made before your guests’ arrival so the key to effortless service is to have all of your ingredients prepared ahead of time. Have your pancetta (a salt cured Italian bacon typically found in grocery stores at the meat counter) and onion finely chopped and your egg yolks separated. Also, make sure your cheese is grated and measure out your heavy cream. Have your pasta water ready to boil. Do follow the directions exactly.  Direct heat when adding the egg yolk mixture will lead to a gooey mess.

This spinach salad is a recipe Cindy has been making for years.  It is always a favorite, even with those who do not usually like spinach. In a saucepan combine 4 tablespoons white vinegar, 3 tablespoons cane sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon canola oil.  Cook until thick.  Add 3 tablespoons sesame seeds.  Toss over 1 pound baby spinach and add 3 to 6 slices of crumbled crispy bacon.

The Finish

The perfect finish to a decadent meal: dark roast coffee and Irish Crème with short bread from Zeppole. An inexpensive dark roast that we often serve is the Spanish Night Owl Roast from Whole Foods.