Food and books are a natural pairing.
Just ask any book club member.
Which is exactly what authors Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp did in their just-released, revised edition of “The Book Club Cook Book,” (Tarcher/Penguin, $21.95). They surveyed members of 500 book clubs around the country to find out not only what their most popular books were, but also what they served at the meetings where those books were discussed.
“These are not all typical, meet-in-the-living-room book clubs,” said Krupp. “Some only read African-American authors, some only read Pulitzer Prize winners in order of award. We even included a book club for the homeless.”
At Gelman and Krupp’s request, several authors contributed recipes inspired by their own books, including Rebecca Skloot (“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”), Jennifer Egan (“A Visit From the Goon Squad”), Helen Simonson (“Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand”) and Queen Noor of Jordan (“Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life”).
“There have been authors who say, ‘I can’t cook,’ but then we say, ‘That’s OK. Do you have a family recipe?’ Then they just light up,” said Gelman.
There are 100 books in the volume, from Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” to Arundati Roy, “The God of Small Things,” to “The Coldest Winter Ever,” by Sister Souljah. Each book reference contains a plot summary and at least one recipe, including a few brunch-ready cocktails (Glogg for “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” Banana-Pineapple Smoothie for “A Prayer for Owen Meany,” mojitos for “Love in the Time of Cholera”).
And like anyone who has been a member of a reader’s group, Krupp and Gelman have learned one thing: “Bringing food into the meeting actually enhances the discussion.”
Kir Royale Cocktail
Makes: 1 drink
Pair with “Sarah’s Key,” by Tatiana de Rosnay
1 to 2 tablespoons Creme de cassis liqueur
6 ounces champagne
Pour creme de cassis into a chilled champagne flute. Top with champagne.
Per drink: 187 calories (percent of calories from fat, 0), no protein, 12 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium
Southern Cheese Straws
Makes: About 40 straws.
Inspired by “The Optimist’s Daughter,” by Eudora Welty
3/4 cup medium or sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1-2 tablespoons ice water
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Stir the cheese and butter together. Add the ice water and blend.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and cayenne. Stir into the cheese mixture until blended. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill until very firm, at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350º F. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Using your hands, on a lightly floured surface roll each piece of dough into ¼-inch-diameter cylinders. If the tubes get unworkably long, just cut them into more sections. Cut dough into straws 7-8 inches long.
Place the straws on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
When cool, store in airtight container.
Per straw: 30 calories (percent of calories from fat, 62), 1 gram protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 2 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 20 milligrams sodium
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