Supper Clubs Broaden Culinary Horizons

It's a bright and sunny Friday morning as Ruby Hile, 69, of Fort Smith, Arkansas makes her way to her local wine shop. She is on a mission to purchase the last of the items that she needs for her Supper Club's gathering the following evening. "The theme for this time is Tuscan Delights, and I'm certain that everything will be marvelous," explains Ruby.

For her Supper Club, named "The Super Saturday Night Supper Club", Ruby joins a group of six friends twice a month. The host couple is in charge of the main dishes and the wines. The other members provide the appetizers, side dishes and desserts.

"It's been such a wonderful adventure in cooking and wines for all of us," says Ruby. "We have tried so many foods and wines that we probably wouldn't try otherwise."

For a recent gathering of the The Saturday Night Supper Club, the group had a Cuban Night. The menu included Cuban Black Beans, Chicken Empanadas and Fried Plantains. That evening featured Latin music and everyone reminiscing about their favorite tropical vacation.

"That's the beauty of our Supper Club," says Ruby. "Not only do we enjoy great food and fellowship, but the evenings evoke happy memories and plans for the future too." Ruby adds that her own children are toying with the idea of starting supper clubs of their own.

Some Supper Clubs get so enthusiastic about sharing cuisine and wine that they plan trips together. Others attend cooking classes and wine tastings together. These outings can be extremely inspirational for future meetings. Guests can also be invited to attend the meetings. Winemakers and chefs are great choices and can add a lot to the evenings. Local authors are also exciting guests to invite.

So how do you start up your own Supper Club? Below are the simple steps.

1) Choose your members. Select people that you enjoy spending time with or are interested in spending time with. A manageable size for a Supper Club is anywhere from four to eight people.

2) Decide how often you'll meet. Some supper clubs gather twice a month. Others meet once a month. Keep in mind that you might need time to research recipes and even test out recipes.

3) Develop guidelines for the meetings. Will the host(s) be in charge of providing everything or just certain items? Will the entire group select the theme or menu for the meetings? Also remember to consider any food allergies that your members have when creating your menu.

4) Research resources for your meetings. Are there any great gourmet food stores in your town that can help you find recipes or ingredients? What websites do you like to use for creating menus? What resources are in your town to help you figure out wine pairings for your menus?

5) Remember to share the recipes from each meeting with all members of the group. Some Supper Clubs even have a member compile the recipes into a cookbook for the members as a holiday gift to the group.

6) At the conclusion of each gathering, decide the hosts for the next meeting as well as the theme and food category assignments.

Keep things simple for your first gathering by doing something like a dessert exchange or a fun cookout. During the first meeting, brainstorm a name for your group. Review the guidelines for the meetings and then select the host and theme for the next gathering.

"We have tried all kinds of themes - Wolfgang Puck recipes, crab recipes, recipes with a main ingredient that's green, Greek recipes, Southern cooking, and recipes from our family members," says Ruby. "Each one has been wonderful and exciting."

Some themes lend themselves to adding entertainment to the evening. For example, during their Cuban event, Ruby's group added Latin music during the meal and then watched "The Mambo Kings" movie. When they did "Family Favorites", everyone brought pictures of their families and we perused them and shared stories about their loved ones.

"Watching cooking shows and examining recipe books at the bookstore have become great passions for me," adds Ruby. "The supper club has really deepened my love of food and wine, and it has encouraged me to try new foods and cooking techniques."

Participating in a supper club is a fabulous way to explore new cuisine and wines. Pull out your pots and pans and join in the fun!