Gourmet group, supper club, dinner club - whatever you call it, it's an ideal social activity for stay-at-home parents.
You have limited opportunities to interact with your spouse, socialize with other couples, and enjoy grown-up food either away from home or at your own table. As a gourmet group member, you can reap all those benefits in a single evening.
What Is a Gourmet Group?
A gourmet group meets regularly to enjoy meals prepared by members of the group. A typical group size is four couples. Anywhere from three to six couples will work, depending on the size of your table. Groups generally meet once a month and rotate homes where the dinner is held. The host couple may select a theme and recipes or might simply ask each couple to bring a particular course.
What Are the Benefits of a Gourmet Group?
Before the group meets, couples can enjoy time together preparing their assigned recipes. If only one partner enjoys cooking, pairs can shop together for ingredients they might not otherwise buy. Couple time can become family time if you involve the kids in measuring and pouring ingredients or helping with clean-up.
For the cost of the ingredients in your own recipe, you'll enjoy an entire gourmet meal, usually at somebody else's home. Unlike a typical restaurant meal, a gourmet group gathering will deepen your friendship with other couples. Most of us lack the money or time to plan frequent date nights, fancy meals, and social outings with other couples. Combining these features into one evening a month, the gourmet group is an ideal option for stay-at-home parents.
How Do I Start a Gourmet Group?
Think of two or three couples you'd feel comfortable inviting to dinner. If you know someone who loves to cook, that's great, but it's not a requirement. When you ask the couples you've identified to participate in the group, emphasize the "group" part of this activity before the "gourmet" part. Host a trial dinner before asking anyone to commit long-term. Choose a simple theme, assign simple recipes, and see how it goes.
When at least two other couples have committed to the group, determine the frequency of your gatherings and the rotation for hosting. It's a good idea to schedule dates a few months in advance before everyone's calendars fill up. You might establish themes in advance as well - or let each host couple select a theme and announce it shortly before their dinner. Decide whether the host couple will assign specific recipes or generic courses (e.g., appetizer, entree, dessert) within the theme. Finally, discuss childcare arrangements. Will all the kids gather at a non-hosting couple's home to stay with a shared babysitter? Is it okay for nursing mothers to bring their babies? Will you include the kids in some gatherings? Discussing these questions upfront will guard against hurt feelings down the road.
What Do I Do When It's My Turn to Host?
Start by selecting a theme and several corresponding recipes. Alternatively, your group may have pre-assigned themes and you might simply assign each couple a course or two, such as a salad and drinks. Ethnic and seasonal themes work well - "A Night in India," for example, or "Farmer's Market Fare." Start at Suite101's Entertainment Article Index for more theme ideas. For recipes, browse cookbooks at your public library, back issues of magazines like Cook's Illustrated and Cooking Light, and Web sites like Epicurious and Food Network.com.
Send an invitation announcing the theme at least one week before the event. Enclose a copy of each couple's recipe inside their invitation. Shop for and prepare your own recipe, as well as any themed table settings or decorations you choose. Remember to arrange childcare, if needed, and to plan an easy meal for your kids and babysitter. Make space in your oven or refrigerator for your guests' dishes, turn on some mood music, and wait for your guests to arrive.
