Many years ago Henry and I began participating with small groups of people who were interested in learning about and preparing cuisines of the world. Included were regional foods of this country and the foods of other lands, both peasant and haute cuisine. It was really fun eating and drinking our way around the world.
We did this in the company of many of our RPC friends. Some of the best cooks I have met are members of Riviera. The early “cooking clubs” segued into a more adventuresome “Dinner Club” which meets whenever we can all find an open date on the calendar. The current group numbers twelve. This allows for menus that reflect the complexity of many cuisines. In all the years we have done this we have never repeated any recipes.
In the current group I have volunteered to be responsible for creating the menus for many of our dinners. I have an extensive collection of cookbooks which I love exploring…reading many like a good novel. I like researching the fit of the food to the culture and learning about history through food. What’s really fun is selecting dishes that compliment one another and waiting to taste them until the evening of the dinner. I have learned to trust the taste buds of my imagination. After the menu is set, the recipes are assigned. The recipes are selected to challenge our cooking skills and use ingredients that may not be familiar to us. It pays to know when fresh grown ingredients are in season. I learned that the hard way when the recipe I assigned myself required pomegranates… they were nowhere to be found! That’s when one learns how to substitute creatively. It’s been trial and error… but even the errors are usually tasty!
Another aspect of these dinners is the pairing of wines or beers or other beverages to the dishes being served. Henry is our resident wine expert. He makes suggestions, but encourages the rest of us to make selections we think will be a good match for our special dish. One of the lessons learned is that wine does not have to be expensive to be glorious with a given dish. We all love finding unexpected treasures.
A warm and inviting ambiance is created by the host/s. Finding the right music, table décor and any special touches commands the use your creative juices. You can be as minimalistic or decorative as you desire…just have fun.
Conversation is an integral part of these gatherings. Many a good story amuses and enlightens and we all go away with a better understanding of the cuisine in the spotlight and our dinner companions.
I would encourage you to create and tailor your own group to experience the pleasure of discovering new tastes with people whose company you wish to enjoy. Bon Appetit!
