We have been in a supper club for over 25 years with three of the same families and added an extra family a few years into it (who had a wine cellar). When our supper club started two of us had children in kindergarten and one had a child a year younger. Our children ranged in age from 2nd grade to 4 years old, and a last child was born while we were going--6 children in all. Today they range in age from 26-36!
We were all into food and wine and we were also looking for a way to have a nice meal with friends that didn't break the bank, and without the interruption of children. We three women met one night to lay the groundwork and draw straws on who would host first, and I won or lost depending on your perspective. We decided that whoever hosted did all the cooking for that month, one family did nothing, and one family hosted all the children (overnight)--and we all brought wine to go with dinner. And each month it rotated. For our first meal, Clay and I killed ourselves cooking and brought out the china and crystal. I cooked pompano in papillote--and what else I couldn't tell you. It was great fun and a tradition was started.
We have all gotten more comfortable cooking
as time has gone on, and while we do still put a lot of effort into the meals, supper club is more than the food - it is the connection of deep friends. We have traveled together, we have laughed and cried together, and we have been there for each other. Last year we lost one of our members, and each time we come together there is a hole, but we know he is there in spirit.
Supper club has been an important part of our lives, and we have such a good time. There have been some flops--and each one is probably the most memorable for each household. For ours it was Clay doing a shrimp boil in a humongous pot--the water took forever to boil and we had eaten and drunk everything in our house before the meal was served, but we had fun.
Tonight Margaret and Kari made a wonderful Cuban dinner, inspired by Margaret's recent trip to Cuba. It was phenomenal.
And even more phenomenal are the friends we shared it with!
