I Don’t Cook But I Know Where to Buy – Memphis

In Yesterday’s blog I outlined the concept of having a supper club where you can socialize over a meal without cooking. It is really simple, you can buy everything you need for a great dinner party from restaurant takeout and/or markets.

I used the example of my daughter’s mother in law Helene who lives in Montauk. She doesn’t cook and puts on great dinner parties sourcing from local markets and restaurants. Skeptics have told me that it is easy in Montauk because it is the “Hamptons” where the rich and famous live. Of course you can get great stuff but you might have to fight off celebrities. Truth is while you might see Jerry Seinfeld, Ralph Lauren or Jimmy Fallon, but you are more likely to see ordinary Tom, Dick and Sally’s trying to find a place to eat.

I have a buddy Preston that has a lake house in Iuka Mississippi and he has the same culinary challenge there as Helene has in Montauk. There are plenty of restaurant options around the lake, but good luck getting in with a group during peak dinner hours in the summer. Take out is easy. Getting reservations for a large group on short notice is impossible.

THE ANSWER IS BUY IT AND BRING IT HOME!

I am writing this in Memphis so I have to start with BBQ. On my very first visit to Memphis in 1990 we went to the famous Corky’s for ribs. I ordered the rib platter and the waitress asked: “Do you like your ribs wet or dry?” I was clueless and mumbled: “excuse me?” She responded: “Y’all are a Yankee, you will like your ribs wet”. She was right.

In Memphis you can get your ribs “wet” (with sauce) or “dry” (with a dry seasoning rub). Either way they are great. After 27 years of living in Memphis I can tell you that most Memphians like their ribs dry and ALL Yankees like them Wet.

Following is an outline of an: “I Don’t Cook But I Know Where To Buy – Memphis Menu”. It identifies the menu items and where to get them. All the host has to do is delegate who gets what and you are on your way.

The bottom line is that you don’t need to be a great cook to throw a great supper club party. All you need to know is where to buy and that Yankees like their ribs wet.

If you enjoy this blog and similar other stories/supper club lessons subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and be on the look out for my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs due out from Morgan James Publishing on January 30, 2018.

“I Don’t Cook, But I Know Where to Buy”

When talking about Supper Clubs with people one of the first things I hear is: “I don’t cook but I love to socialize over a meal”. There is a chapter in the book outlining a type of club that is a perfect solution. This type of club is for people that either don’t like to cook, can’t cook, don’t have the time or are simply not good cooks. In today’s “foodie” world, there are all kinds of options to bring people together over a great meal without cooking.

This club is patterned after my daughter’s mother in law. Helene is a foodie and a great hostess, but she doesn’t cook. She and her husband, Rick, bring together great meals by shopping from local markets and restaurants. One of the best things about this type of club is the research. Think of all the fun you can have trying different foods from all kinds of markets and restaurants with the objective of hosting a supper club meal.

While there are some great restaurants in Montauk, getting reservations and fighting crowds can be quite a challenge. The perfect answer is a supper club.

It can be tough to get into the your preferred restaurants on a weekend no matter where you are, whether you are in Montauk or have a lake house in Iuka, Mississippi or live in the city. You can, however, get amazing food from just about any restaurant via takeout. One thing you can count on, there will be plenty of takers when you offer up the opportunity to socialize over a great meal

Mis En Place

The preparation for this type of club is different. It is more about scheduling and coordinating pick up. Helene and Rick out at Montauk will serve a first course and Rick will disappear and run down to Gosman’s (Check out their website) to pick up the lobster. A 15-minute run to a restaurant to pick up hot food is not that big a deal. With conversation, alcohol and hors d’oeuvres, chances are no one will miss a person or two. Again, with coordination and communication you can be prepared without doing the cooking.

The key message is that there can be all types of supper clubs. For me this kind of impromptu, unplanned parties are some of the best.

Was There Pot In Those Brownies?

The standard reaction when you tell someone that you are writing a book about supper clubs is for them to want to tell you about their type of supper club. In writing the book I had to cut the number of types of clubs off at five. It got to the point where if I didn’t limit it I would never finish the book.

The latest type of club we learned about was a “Locavore” club. A Locavore is someone who eats only locally grown or produced foods. So the Locavore club involves menus that include only items that are locally sourced.

Sounds like a fun type of club, especially in the summer. In Memphis we are lucky to have a great farmers market. You can get all kinds of amazing produce. You also will find local beef and pork purveyors. Occasionally, there is a truck that offers gulf shrimp, crayfish, crab and red fish. One of challenges of sourcing locally is you are never quite sure what you will find.

Local is a great concept as we try to eat healthier. I won’t digress along the same lines as I did in a previous post on Healthy Menus: The short story is that local is viewed as good. Processed foods are perceived as bad. The reality is somewhere in the middle.

Reminds me of story of when we visited my cousins who live in Hawaii. They live in the Kipahulu valley near Hana on Maui. It is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. One night we were going to a neighborhood party and my cousin’s husband Rich asked me if my kids smoked marijuana. I told him that they had told me they didn’t but they were in college and…

I had recently been in a car accident while on a business trip using a rental car. Our company policy required that I get tested for drugs. The test involved taking a hair sample. Rich then explained: “Well if they used that test in this valley you might be the only one to pass as drug free. And, by the way you might want to skip the brownies tonight”.

If you want an awesome brownie (sans the pot) check out this recipe:

I am sure the brownies were local and maybe there is a hope for a sequel to my book.