Recipe: How to Start a Supper Club

HOW TO START A SUPPER CLUB
From: Eater's Digest by Lorraine Bodger

Consider the supper club. It's like a book club, but instead of devouring words, supper club (or dinner club or gourmet club) members gobble up good food that they and their friends prepare and present.

Here's what mystery writer Hallie Ephron Touger (whose nom de plume is G. H. Ephron) says about her club: "We get together once every two months or so, rotate houses, and cook a meal extravaganza that none of us could do alone. Each dish is labor-intensive, but since all you have to make is one thing, it's doable."

There are no hard and fast rules for organizing a supper club; different groups do it different ways. You'll want to form your club with congenial people (friends or acquaintances) and agree on your objectives: Are you out for the gourmet cooking experience? Are you just out for a good time? Are you interested in expanding your knowledge of food? Any goal is a good one, if you all agree on it.

Next decide how often and when you'll have your dinners - and your planning meetings. Some groups do all their menu planning and assignments by e-mail or telephone, but other groups think half the fun is getting together to hash out the menu. The actual dinner venue generally rotates from club member to club member; everyone should have a turn to host, though if the club is large you may have to split up and dine at two or more homes at each dinner.

Menu planning is the heart of the matter. Most groups pick a theme of some sort: a particular cuisine, such as Mexican, Greek, Indian, or Thai; a special food, such as soft shell crabs, apples, or fresh pasta; seasonal food, such as lamb, asparagus, and strawberries in spring. But menus can zero in on almost anything, so here are some other possible themes: special place (beach, Provence, Shanghai); method or technique (barbecue, roasting, stir-frying); holiday (Valentine's Day, birthday, July Fourth); cookbook (classic, vintage, dessert); family recipes (Grandma's best, holiday traditions, childhood favorites).

Budget may or may not be an issue - how much will you spend and how will you divvy up the costs? It's essential to figure this one out from the get-go, or you're going to end up with inequities and resentment, Don't forget to include the cost of wine in your calculations, if you serve wine. You might want members to supply the appropriate wine for whatever course they're preparing, or you might assign the choice and purchase of wines to one or two different members each time. Remember that this is a communal activity, so everyone's preferences should be addressed.

Dividing up the assignments should take into account the skill levels of the cooks; less skilled cooks may have to do the easier dishes they may want to try dishes that challenge. Take turns with different parts of the meal, too: no one should always do the appetizer or dessert unless that's the way you decide to structure the club.

Not every dish will work every time, not every meal will be four-star, but that's part of the supper club experience - making friendships and history along with food.