It's like this, my mom and I have talked through the years about what we would do if we had a restaurant. We talked about what kind of restaurant it would be, what we would serve, that kind of thing.
Both of us agreed it would be a low key neighborhood soup and sandwich kind of place. If it were up to me I'd have it be more like...This is a bar that sells food. There would be a menu that would change daily with some constants, and we would sell leftovers at a reduced rate the next day. There are some things that are actually better the next day. Anyway that would be my idea.
I do have several relatives that own, and or have owned restaurants, and it's hard work and long hours, and no guarantees. I've seen it first hand and I know, it's hard. My idea would not be an option right now.
But I have another idea. A dinner club, a Daily Kos dinner club.
Follow me past the thing there.
I know I've told you a couple times about my eighty year old mom. She went to Russia by herself, African safari by herself, she drove from L.A. to Phoenix in one night all by herself, and last night she just got back from Rochester N.Y. all by herself.
She goes up there once every year or so to go to the Rochester Public Market just to buy cheese. And the guy who owns the cheese place always remembers her and not only gives her free cheese, but cheese at a much reduced rate. She buys whole wheels of both white and yellow cheeses, as well as others. You should see the huge chunk of Gruyere I told her to buy me. The cheeses this guy gets is some of the best I've ever tasted. The cheddars and Swisses are so rich, they're like candy. The guy gave her a huge chunk of Parmesan for free because she flies from Phoenix all the way up to his place to buy cheese. But my mom is special. She's one of those people that is not afraid to travel, and she makes friends where ever she goes. She gets perks in life simply because of her positive attitude. I know you hate her.
I picked her up from the airport last night so I saw all of the cheese as she was putting it away.
I said, "Now you have to make some fondue and invite Gordon Ramsay over for dinner."
She laughed. Then I asked her, "Do you think five star restaurants go up there to buy their cheese?" She said she didn't think so. It's her opinion that the owner wants to keep a low profile. To keep it all on the down low.
So I said, "Well if that's the case if you made a grilled cheese sandwich from that cheese, it would be of a higher quality and possibly more rewarding than if you had gone to a five star restaurant and ordered something with cheese." She laughed again.
Anyway I went over to my parents house tonight for dinner, we had spaghetti and meatballs. My four year old granddaughter made the meatballs. How's that?
Now I don't have a satellite dish or cable TV but, my dad does. So afterwards I was watching a few of those show business gladiator food shows on the Food Network. And I got an idea. And my mom liked it. It's simple, a dinner club.
I live in Phoenix so I'll use it as an example. The Arizona or Phoenix Kossacks get together maybe a couple times a year. And we pick some sort of theme and each member picks a certain dish they'd like to make. And we get together and eat.
I do not own a video camera recording device. My new $20.00 phone doesn't even have a camera, can you believe that? But I thought maybe someone who is coming could videotape and post the nights events here. Everyone could announce what they made, and in the diary that would be published include their recipe.
Then I thought we could compile the recipes into a cookbook.
There are two issues. One is you guys won't like the idea, so my life will be in shambles. The other is the fear some people might turn it into a competition. I don't want that. I don't want people not to join simply because they feel they couldn't afford to make a fancy schmancy thing.
The themes could be international cooking, regional, BBQ, picnic, movie night, and cocktail party Hors d'oeuvres, etc. Better bring a designated driver for the cocktail party night. In fact if this were a go, the cocktail party theme is the one I would choose to kick it all off. With good music and good food it would be a good friendly mood relaxing event. No pressure, no opening night jitters.
What I would bring to the cocktail party?
I would make a good sized pitcher of Bloody's Mary which would include all the ingredients needed for a good Bloody Mary. Then in lieu of a celery stalk I would garnish with either Alaskan King Crab Legs or skewer a few jumbo shrimps.
It would depend on how many people were coming. I think 10 is a good size. If 30 people wanted to join from the Phoenix area we divide it up in 3. Maybe do a simulcast dinner night.
If we did do a picnic thing then we could all meet at a park somewhere.
Anyway that's my idea.
Who's with me?