The Next Astoria Book & Supper Club: Garlic & Sapphires

I'm excited to see that after a longer respite (everyone needs the summer off), my friend Lisa who heads up the Astoria Book & Supper Club is back to her delicious goings-on.  Her next book discussion and themed dinner will be coming up in October, and I was delighted to see that the subject is one of my favorite Ruth Reichl books, Garlic and Sapphires.

Focusing on Ruth's career as the NYT food critic, the book talks about her fun and irreverent escapades, as she works her way through some of Manhattan's finest restaurants.  Lisa's dinner pays a homage to all the luxurious bites in this book, so you're in for a real treat with this one.  Here's the proposed menu:

Garlic & Sapphires inspired dinner menu:
Sunday October 13th at 7:00 p.m.

Hudson Valley Fois Gras with truffles served over baked New York state apples in season
Seasonal vegetable risotto topped with truffle oil 
Caesar salad 
Grilled Porterhouse steak served with Lisa's potatoes (her take on au gratin) 
New York style cheesecake

$40/person, BYOB

RSVP to Lisa.

The Next Astoria Book & Supper Club is Coming

Image by Astoria Book & Supper Club

I told you about it before, and now it's back again with a bang - the Astoria Book & Supper Club is at it again with another exciting event.  And with everyone's busy summer schedules, you have until mid-September to get your act together with the book, which is A Confederacy of Dunces.

Lucky for us, the book is set in New Orleans, and the menu will reflect just that - taking advantage of the vibrant rich flavors and seasonings, characteristic of this region.  Just take a look at this seriously tastebud tantalizing menu:

A Sazerac cocktail and homemade Cajun-style potato chips 

Char-Broiled Oyster

Shrimp and grits balls - a play on shrimp and grits, these are deep fried: crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside

The Ignatius dog - what happens when you cross a hot dog with classic Muffaletta

Crispy soft shell crab - with remoulade sauce and roasted corn salad

King cake - with a hidden baby Ignatius

Saturday, September 15th at 7:30 p.m. Dinner will be served at 8:00 p.m. 
$40/person and you can also BYOB or add $15 to include booze
To find out more, check out Astoria Book & Supper Club