Local Cooking Club - HOW?

[SuthrnFoodie]

Hi everyone!

Just wondering if anyone is or has ever been involved in a local cooking club? I've just moved to Eglin Air Force base in northeast Florida, and have a few interested AF wives here on base. If you have any suggestions or can point me in the right direction we would all greatly appreciate it. If all goes well I can report back here for anyone else who might be interested in starting a local club of their own. (I searched eGullet entirely for anything relative with no luck.)

Thanks so much eGulletiers!!

Tracey

[alanamoana]

Wow, I was just in Niceville/Valparaiso...that's in your neighborhood, isn't it?! My boyfriend's father is retired Air Force. At any rate, I'm not sure what you mean by cooking club, but it should be easy enough to "rent" space in the O-Club or NCO-Club (depending on rank, I guess...sort of like the bridge groups that usually meet there) to hold meetings. If you guys are interested in doing actual cooking that may be more difficult and you may want to consider rotating at different homes to hold the meetings. There may be ways you can find local chefs who would be willing to go to your homes and do a demo (for a fee, of course), that everyone can chip in for. There are many options, let's see what other ideas are out there.

[fifi]

I have never participated in a cooking club but I did read about a local one here. They had an interesting concept. They met at each other's home's, usually. The program was varied. Sometimes they would focus on a particular cuisine with members contributing a dish, maybe cooking on premises. They would include sharing what they had learned about the culture and the history of the dishes that they prepared. Everyone brought their source books so that questions that arose could be researched and discussed on the spot. Another activity was focusing on a particular ingredient. Another was using a particular book with members selecting a recipe or two to cook, then critiquing and discussing the book. They had other great ideas as well. Excursions to markets or restaurants was not excluded. One great idea was keeping a club diary so that as members came and went (excellent suggestion in your situation) the history and experience of the club could be shared with newcomers and previous member's contributions lived on. This particular club had been going for over 15 years! I always thought that if I ever joined a cooking club, that would be what I was looking for. They went far beyond getting together for a pot luck once a month. I would suspect that holding a group like that together would require some strong leadership and organization but it sure sounds worth it. Best of luck and let us know how it goes. Some of us may be able to offer organizational suggestions as you proceed so feel free to bump this thread up as needed.

Please allow me this opportunity to personally thank you, your family members, friends and neighbors for your service to our country.

Edited October 14, 2003 by fifi (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

Another option you might consider is doing some bulk cooking as a group. Prepare some soups, stews, pasta sauces, chili and casseroles that can be frozen and used as time and money saving dinners throughout the month. There are several websites devoted to OAMC (Once a Month Cooking) already, here are some links:

Frozen Assets @ AOL Hometown
Frozen Assets' Yahoo Group
Friendly Freezer's Yahoo Group -- not as preachy as Frozen Assets
Or, just do a google search for Once a Month Cooking -- there's a lot more out there than I list here.

And here are a couple books:

Once-A-Month Cooking by Mimi Wilson & Mary Beth Lagerborg, is the bible of OAMC, but it has very basic recipes that are kind of pedestrian. (Amazon link)
Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month by Deborah Taylor-Hough. Also, not very exciting recipes, but both books have lots of organization ideas.

[sherribabee]

When I lived in DC, I was part of a "supper club" that I found through the Cooking Light magazine/website Click here I believe you need to have a code from the magazine to access that part of the website, but if you have one (or can get one from the nearest newsstand) you should have no problem.

We met at each other's homes once a month. We selected a main dish from the current issue of the magazine, which we would prepare together as a group when we arrived (this was the best part). We each also picked an appetizer/side/dessert, which we made ahead of time and brought with us.

It was a wonderful way to learn how to make a new dish, taste a bunch of new recipes, learn some useful tricks, and socialize.

[SuthrnFoodie]

Thank you so much for your replies, the wheels are definately turning now! A especially appreciate the suggestion of meals we can freeze and use throughout the month. Most of the women that have expressed interest are wives/mothers that wish to improve their cooking skills and broaden their menu options. I was also thinking of demonstrating a couple of "30 minute meals" ideas for a first meeting agenda and get feedback from that. I will definately keep you posted!

One idea that emerges is a holiday dinner for the single enlisted members who do not go home for holidays. One of the main reasons for wanting to start the group was for them. So often they're in their dorms eating the same ole thing they've been eating all year, and missing the essence of family and togetherness that the holidays bring. I hope to host a few this holiday season, and as soon as my husband rustles them up, I'm going to create a dish expecially for them. I plan to go as far as calling their family member who usually makes it for him/her and making it just the way they like it!

Thank you, fifi, for your kind words:

"Please allow me this opportunity to personally thank you, your family members, friends and neighbors for your service to our country."

I shared them with my husband and he was touched. It's his honor, and mine.