Book Club: Commonwealth

Books that make for the best discussions are ones that people can relate to their own lives.  Books about families over generations lend themselves to many conversation topics.

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett is novel that tells the story of two families joined together by a chance meeting and the dysfunction that reveals itself over decades.  This book has it all: infidelity, divorce, blended families, sickness and love. Definitely read this book  and examine your own family dynamics.

The Cocktail

A classic gin and tonic

·       2 ounces gin

·       4 ounces tonic water

·       Lime wedge

Serve over ice.

The Appetizer

Baked Crab Dip

This creamy dip is a perfect started when served with crackers or toasted baguette.  

Here is a similar recipe to the one that was served.

The Dinner

Salad Greens with Feta, Dried Cranberries and Vinaigrette

Fish Stew

The Dessert

Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Buttercream Frosting

It was as delicious as it looks and gluten free!

Future Book Club Members

Next up will be Skylar hosting a brunch.  The book will be The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. 

It is a quirky romantic comedy.  One of the best types of novels!

Thanks for the fun Laura.

Book Club: Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

“A few years back, when I finally got smart enough to go to a therapist, she asked me how I had held things together all these years.

It didn't take long to come up with an answer. 'That's easy. I belong to a book club” 

― Lorna Landvik, Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

What's more fitting for our book club than a novel about a book club. Skylar's book selection was Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons. The book couldn't have been more fitting because like the women in the book, our book club has become so much more than just a gathering to discuss whether we like a book or not. It is a night away to share our troubles, catch up with friends and just enjoy good company. 

The cocktail of the evening was a refreshing cucumber mint gimlet made with fresh mint and cucumbers from Skylar's garden. 

Cucumber Mint Gimlet *makes 4

1 cup of good gin or vodka

3/4- 1 Cup fresh lime juice (about 5 limes)

5 Tsp light agave nectar or simple syrup

1 medium sized, cucumber diced

Large handful of mint leaves

Muddle cucumber, mint and agave or simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add a few ice cubes to a cocktail shaker followed by lime juice and alcohol of choice. Shake ingredients and strain over iced. Garnish with mint and cucumbers. 

Katie knows how important book club is so she makes the long (5 hour drive) to be there. 

On the menu for the evening were pasta skewers with grape tomatoes, sugar snap peas and a dill-mustard sauce, mozzarella, cantaloupe, and jamon bites, a harvest salad with kale, apples and a apple cider vinaigrette and the main course was chicken pesto sandwiches.  

Can't forget about dessert- Vanilla ice cream with salted caramel sauce and a vanilla wafer. 

This book was liked by all of the members. A great story of strong friendship, love, and all the ups and downs of life. 

FCM Book Club: Where'd You Go Bernadette?

Jamie was a wonderful host to our discussion of the book Where’d You Go Bernadette, by Maria Semple. We loved the book and her meal!


A Seasonal Ale Perfect for the Antarctic Setting

Delicious Stuffed Mushrooms

Bacon Wrapped Chicken and Greens with Basil Infused Vinaigrette

The main dish was fabulous! A chicken breast pounded flat and stuffed with whipped chive cream cheese, wrapped in bacon and broiled in the oven. Find a similar recipe here. If you can not find whipped cream cheese make your own like Jamie did with her electric mixer. The salad  was topped with a dressing that included a basil infused extra virgin olive oil. Just remember to use fresh greens not bagged when serving a light dressing. Jamie served a warm apple crumb cake for dessert. We could not help but have two servings!

Blue Curaçao Liqueur Gives a Glacial Color

The cocktail of the evening was a Cry Baby Blues which you make by combining:

·         4 1/2 oz strawberry guava juice

·         1 oz Blue Curacao liqueur

·         1 oz triple distilled vodka of your choice

Shake in a cocktail shaker.

The Ladies...Poppy too.

Thanks to our good friend, Glen Tulloch, for the recommendation! We could all use a little of Bernadette’s spirit......Glen's too. 

The Elegance of the Hedgehog: November Book Club

Abbie hosted November’s book club. Her book selection, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, can be difficult to get through. She may have known it was going to be a tough one before we even started because she offered a prize to anyone that finished. Of course the best part of book club a lot of time is not the book but the food and drink.

Abbie made delicious Pomegranate Martinis and while not everyone finished the book everyone finished off their martini. 

Dinner was a salad with homemade French dressing and a cassoulet. No dinner is complete without dessert! The dessert was tarte aux pommes (which is just an apple tart in French) served with French press coffee.

If you manage to make it through the book the ending of the novel really is beautiful and worth the struggle.

Abbie also provided Thankful journals at the beginning of November so everyone could write down a few things they were thankful for. It is always important to remember all the things we have to be thankful for.

The FCM Book Club: The Aviary

The October meeting of the FCM Book Club was hosted by Cindy.  She loves decorating for the month of October and plans way in advance.  Please see The Great Pumpkin Harvest.  Her chosen book was The Aviary by Kathleen O’Dell.  She was in hopes that it would be as wonderful as the October pick of last year, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

The weather was so unseasonably warm we were able to gather outside.  Cindy’s yard is perfect for outdoor Fall parties. There was even a fresh carpeting of yellow leaves.

The evening started out with pumpkin martinis and appetizers that included festive deviled eggs and Cindy’s much loved spinach dip.

 

To keep dinner simple we dined on all beef hotdogs roasted over a crackling fire and a bean soup that was topped with freshly grated cheese and chopped onion. Pumpkin ale was served with dinner.

After dinner we discussed the book around our fire bowl.  Overall, we thought it was worth reading.

Desert was served inside when it started to get a little chilly. Champagne accompanied a Chocolate Espresso Soup topped with Marshmallows. Please see recipe here.

Skylar found the marshmallows at Whole Foods and we used a dash of Appleton Estates rum.

Up next is Abbie hosting The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.