What does a fine dining restaurant have in common with an independent bookstore?
Both appear to be endangered species in a rapidly changing cultural and economic environment that seems to favor star chefs flipping burgers and mega online booksellers offering internet downloads.
But Linton Hopkins, chef/owner of Restaurant Eugene, and Frank Reiss, owner of A Cappella Books, share a common vision for bringing food and books together. The two recently teamed-up to create a salon setting they call the Eugene Author Dinner Series.
“As much as a tiny new and used bookstore in Little Five Points and one of Atlanta’s most esteemed fine dining establishments seem like they’re worlds apart, we’re both very aware of how much we have in common,” Reiss said.
“We’ve gone through a lot of thought about what a fine dining restaurant is,” Hopkins said. “Obviously, we believe in them. But they need to be relevant or they will get crushed. It’s the same for an independent bookstore. What is the relevance that we bring to the community?”
Hopkins and Reiss offer one more answer to that question on Nov. 22, when Mark Kurlansky shares his new book, “Edible Stories” (Riverhead Books, $16), during a dinner at Restaurant Eugene.
Kurlansky is the New York Times best-selling and James Beard Award winning author of multiple food-related books, including, “Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World,” “Salt: A World History” and “The Food of a Younger Land.”
“Edible Stories” is a novel in 16 parts, tied together by food, or as Kurlansky puts it, “the bond that can hold people together, tear them apart, or make them become vegan.” In one story, there’s a bean curd Thanksgiving turkey, in another, a potentially toxic creme brulee.
Happily, Hopkins will avoid those dishes and cook four courses inspired by four of Kurlansky’s other titles.
“Kurlansky has such a great collection of work,” Hopkins said. “I received a copy of ‘Cod’ as a gift from my seafood purveyor when I was sous-chef in Washington, D.C. I bought ‘Salt’ for myself when that came out. And his translation of ‘The Belly of Paris’ by Emile Zola is wonderful.
“Making the menu will be so easy. I’ll have turnips from the turnip truck in ‘The Belly of Paris.’ There's beautiful cod in season right now, and Hawaiian sea salt is sort of the latest thing.”
On Dec. 6, the Eugene Author Dinner Series continues, when chef David Tanis of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., visits with his new book, “The Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys.” David Sweeney of Atlanta’s Dynamic Dish restaurant will be the guest chef with Hopkins for an evening of vegetable-centered recipes.
“Like so many of today’s most accomplished chefs, David Tanis focuses on fresh, local produce, and simplicity,” Reiss said. “Linton’s idea to bring in David Sweeney from Dynamic Dish to cook with him was a great inspiration, and, I think, reflects the spirit of community that we feel we share.
“We're all pursuing our passions and we face all sorts of economic pressures, but we understand that we're also part of making our city as interesting and vibrant as we can, and that involves reaching out and working with other like-minded people.”
Event preview
Eugene Author Dinner Series, Nov. 22, $95, includes four-course dinner with wine pairings, copy of “Edible Stories” by Mark Kurlansky, author reading and book signing. Restaurant Eugene, 2277 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 404-355-0321, restauranteugene.com
