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Pamper Her With,
Sensuous Lingerie For l'he Holidays!

Gourmet Groups Cook
Up Food And Fun

ROGER M. SHOWLEY SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

he printed menu, titled ty (San Diego), we want to net-
"The Tastes of Au- work with people who live up
tumn," featured Gin- here. This is a wonderful, won-
ger Pumpkin Bisque, derful way to do it."
A third reason for getting a
Barbecued Turkey with Rose-
mary-Garlic Baste, Risotto With club going is to learn more about
Peas and, for dessert, Caramel food by cooking for others. With
Apple Cheesecake. Each course cooking classes and specialty
was accompanied by an appro- cookbooks so prevalent, today's
foodies need a way to hone their
priate wine.
But the venue was not a developing skills.
"It's fun to get together with
trendy downtown restaurant of-
fering a $60 fixed-price dinner. your friends and share the joys
It was the home of Beverly and of cooking," said Karen Jimenez,
who started a gourmet club in
Larry Boysen.
The occasion? The monthly San Diego.
meeting of a private gourmet
GETTING STARTED
club, whose five couples rotate
A gourmet club can start with
hosting elaborate meals, with
group of business associates
a
each couple preparing a dish who like to socialize. It can be a
that fits a theme.
group of friends whose busy
"For us, it's a better value for schedules make it difficult to get
the money," said Darlene Mont- together regularly. But it usu-
gomery, a teacher who, with her ally requires one person to take
husband, Don Hamilton, start-
the initiative.
ed the informal club five years
A group can be any size, but
ago. "You can spend $50 or $60 successful gourmet clubs seem
for a dinner at a restaurant and to number between eight and
sometimes be disappointed. 12, some married, some single.
With this, you can spend $10 to Children are normally not in-
$15 and have a wonderful meal vited. Guest couples sometimes
with friends."
are included, especially when
For the fast-paced '90s, the one of the regulars is absent.
gourmet club fits many needs,
Participants often are about
according to Shari Shields. the same age and live in the
Three years ago, the Seattle au- same neighborhood. But they
thor turned the concept into a also include grandparents and
national organization, the In- young parents, foreign visitors
ternational Gourmet Grub Club, and people from other parts of
and published two books to help town. While participants' pro-
curious cooks graduate from mi- files can vary widely, they all
crowaved leftovers and potluck share an adventuresome spirit.
smorgasbords.
Some clubs meet monthly ac-
"People are spending more cording to a schedule worked
time at home cocooning and out at the beginning of each
spending more money on their year. Others meet every two or
homes, turning more to the three months. Meals are usual-
home for entertainment," she ly at night and on the weekends,
said. "This just fits right in. It's but in the summer, a gathering
definitely a lot more fun than
pizza and beer and an afternoon might be an afternoon clambake
at the beach. The meetings can
football
game." Walkoe and her last from two to six hours, de-
For Wendy
sister Marcella Courtney, who pending on the season and
I recently moved, a gourmet club theme.
offered a chance to make new PICKING A THEME
w
friends.
The theme is what sets the
"We're in our 30s," Walkoe gourmet group gatherings apart
said. "Our contemporaries are from potluck dinners. Shields'
not into the bar scene, even if second book, Creative Theme
Lu_ they're not married. We don't go Parties, offers 12 ideas for par-
to a lot of concerts, like we did ties, some tied to holidays, oth-
when we were younger, and es- ers to cuisines.
pecially living in North Coun-
Examples include "Taste of
Thai," "French Country Gath-
Roger M. Showley is a writer
ering," "East Indian Escapade"
with Copley News Service.

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