Gourmet Groups Cook Up Food And Fun ROGER M. SHOWLEY SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS T wo elegant boutiques where you'll find an enchanting array of exquisite objects. Timeless creations that will be remembered and cherished for y ears to come. Perfect for holida y gift g iving. Presence II - featuring the ultimate in handcrafted jewelr y and custom designs, along with whimsical miniatures and ecclectic anti ques to perfectly accent the home. Mercury For Men — a collection of treasures for the successful man by more than 200 artisans. It's a taste of New York at the Claymoor. It's our pleasure to assist you in your gift selection. MENTION THIS AD AND RECEIVE A GIFT CERTIFICATE COMPLIMENTS OF PRESENCE II AND MERCURY FOR MEN. ■ Jewelry ■ Custom Designs ■ Antiques ■ Home Accents ■ Miniatures ■ Etc. • MEN'S ACCESSORIES ■ JEWELRY ■ ANTIQUES FURNISHINGS • EXECUTIVE GIFTS • ACCOUTREMENTS FOR THE MOTORCYCLE AND CIGAR ENTHUSIAST PRESENCE II AT THE CLAYMOOR 810-827-3344 29260 810 1358.3191 FRANKLIN ROAD • AT THE CLAYMOOR • SOUTHFIELD MONDAY-SATURDAY • 10 AM-5 PM OR BY APPOINTMENT he printed menu, titled "The Tastes of Au- tumn," featured Gin- ger Pumpkin Bisque, Barbecued Turkey with Rose- mary-Garlic Baste, Risotto With Peas and, for dessert, Caramel Apple Cheesecake. Each course was accompanied by an appro- priate wine. But the venue was not a trendy downtown restaurant of- fering a $60 fixed-price dinner. It was the home of Beverly and Larry Boysen. The occasion? The monthly meeting of a private gourmet club, whose five couples rotate hosting elaborate meals, with each couple preparing a dish that fits a theme. "For us, it's a better value for the money," said Darlene Mont- gomery, a teacher who, with her husband, Don Hamilton, start- ed the informal club five years ago. "You can spend $50 or $60 for a dinner at a restaurant and sometimes be disappointed. With this, you can spend $10 to $15 and have a wonderful meal with friends." For the fast-paced '90s, the gourmet club fits many needs, according to Shari Shields. Three years ago, the Seattle au- thor turned the concept into a national organization, the In- ternational Gourmet Grub Club, and published two books to help curious cooks graduate from mi- crowaved leftovers and potluck smorgasbords. "People are spending more time at home cocooning and spending more money on their homes, turning more to the home for entertainment," she said. "This just fits right in. It's definitely a lot more fun than pizza and beer and an afternoon football game." For Wendy Walkoe and her sister Marcella Courtney, who recently moved, a gourmet club offered a chance to make new friends. "We're in our 30s," Walkoe said. "Our contemporaries are not into the bar scene, even if they're not married. We don't go to a lot of concerts, like we did • when we were younger, and es- pecially living in North Coun- Roger M. Showley is a writer with Copley News Service. ty (San Diego), we want to net- work with people who live up here. This is a wonderful, won- derful way to do it." A third reason for getting a club going is to learn more about food by cooking for others. With cooking classes and specialty cookbooks so prevalent, today's foodies need a way to hone their developing skills. "It's fun to get together with your friends and share the joys of cooking," said Karen Jimenez, who started a gourmet club in San Diego. GETTING STARTED A gourmet club can start with a group of business associates who like to socialize. It can be a group of friends whose busy schedules make it difficult to get together regularly. But it usu- ally requires one person to take the initiative. A group can be any size, but successful gourmet clubs seem to number between eight and 12, some married, some single. Children are normally not in- vited. Guest couples sometimes are included, especially when one of the regulars is absent. Participants often are about the same age and live in the same neighborhood. But they also include grandparents and young parents, foreign visitors and people from other parts of town. While participants' pro- files can vary widely, they all share an adventuresome spirit. Some clubs meet monthly ac- cording to a schedule worked out at the beginning of each year. Others meet every two or three months. Meals are usual- ly at night and on the weekends, but in the summer, a gathering might be an afternoon clambake at the beach. The meetings can last from two to six hours, de- pending on the season and theme. PICKING A THEME The theme is what sets the gourmet group gatherings apart from potluck dinners. Shields' second book, Creative Theme Parties, offers 12 ideas for par- ties, some tied to holidays, oth- ers to cuisines. Examples include "Taste of Thai," "French Country Gath- ering," "East Indian Escapade"