Some things just go together. Chocolate and peanut butter. Strawberries and rhubarb. And now good books and great dining. That's the spirit behind a fun new partnership between Victoria's beloved community book store, Bolen Books, and the best cooking school in the world (I teach there so I'm allowed to be a little biased), The London Chef.
The duo have come up with The Good Book Club, which brings good books to life on the plate. Participants get a copy of the book selection when they sign up, then an evening at The London Chef with other readers to discuss the book while dining on a meal inspired by the book itself. At some meetings the author will even be one of the dinner guests! To start, The Good Book Club is meeting every six weeks or so, and organizers hope to host the club once a month as interest picks up. It sounds incredibly fun for readers looking for a new club, or existing book clubs looking to spice things up a bit. Plus, fall is just a lovely time to cozy up with a new book.
The first title chosen was The Dinner by Herman Koch. Readers gathered around the long wooden dining table Thursday night to reflect on the story and share some book-inspired flavours prepared by Chef Dan Hayes. I haven't read it yet, but The Dinner is on my to-read list now, right after I finish Delicious by Ruth Reichl which is currently on my night stand.
Interested in The Good Book Club? Registration is $75 per person which includes the cost of the book. Check The London Chef website for upcoming titles and dates.
What food-focused novel is your favourite?