Supper Club

 

 

 

By Jillian Owens

 

I wasn’t always able to cook. This may surprise some of you who see my all-to-frequent Facebook and Instagram posts featuring my latest culinary creations, but not for those who have known me for a long time. As kids, my sister and I were discouraged from using the kitchen for anything more complex than making a sandwich or a pot of ramen (Too messy!).

 

I’ve upgraded considerably since then.

 

When I graduated high school and was suddenly on my own in college, I realized I was severely lacking in this basic life skill. This wasn’t an issue when I was living in a dorm with a mandatory meal plan. But when I began renting my first apartment, a dodgy triplex that has since been converted to the much nicer Cock & Bull Tavern, I suddenly had a kitchen but no clue how to actually make edible things in it.

When a friend, tired of coming over for dinner that almost always translated to “Spaghetti” purchased this book for me, I knew I had a problem.

 

 

Originally published in the 50’s, Wolf in Chef’s Clothing is a picture book for men designed to help them learn how to cook with the goal of impressing whatever young woman they were attempting to woo.

 

 

It was time to step up my culinary game. Not for the sake of wooing, but in an effort to reduce my takeout bill, which was becoming an issue. I started with the aforementioned book and have worked my up to loftier cookbooks, like Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

 

This stew took 5 hours to prepare, and was well worth it.

 

Cooking has since become much more of a pleasure than a chore…something I do to unwind after a stressful day or to treat my friends to unique and delicious meals. I started hosting an “Orphan’s Thanksgiving” dinner for friends who were unable (or just didn’t want to) travel to their family’s homes.

 

Why yes, that is a Krispy Kreme strawberry trifle made with local strawberries and homemade whipped cream.

 

While at an art event with a few friends, we began talking about how we didn’t think we cooked enough.

This sparked a great idea. We would start a supper club.

The concept is simple. Once a month we all gather together at one of our homes. The host would choose a theme and everyone would have to cook a dish fitting with that theme. My favorites to date are, French Food, Squares, Soups, Fancy Sandwiches, The Letter Q, and It’s Not What It Seems.

 

A smattering of supper clubbers

 

Our supper club has been going strong for four years. It gets better every year, as our cooking skills continue to improve. But it’s about more than just developing our culinary prowess. Good food has an amazing power to bring people together. Stories are shared and bonds are made tighter. The act of providing nourishment to those you love is one of the sweetest forms of kindness I can think of.

 

Supper Club sets sail!

 

Do you enjoy cooking? Do you enjoy eating? Do you like your friends? If your answer to these questions is Yes, why not start a supper club of your own?

Feel free to let me know what creative themes you come up with.

 

 

Jillian Owens is a writer, marketer, designer, and eco-fashion advocate. When she’s not gallivanting about, she’s busy refashioning ugly thrift store duds into fashionable frocks at ReFashionista.net or creating compelling content for the clients of Riggs Partners, where she works as a digital marketing specialist. She also reviews local theater productions for Jasper Magazine and Onstage Columbia, and is a contributor for The Good Life Blog and The Free Times. Any comments, questions, or crude remarks can be directed to [email protected].

 

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