Hero Recipes

Hero recipes are the ones that people keep coming back for. Gorgonzola Stuffed Shrimp Wrapped in Bacon is one that my supper club guys fight over and the wives ask for the recipe time and again.

Check out the recipe:

Think about it. It has all the basic food groups, shrimp bacon and cheese. Throw in the fact that it has lots of flavor from the grill/roasting process. Top it off with the addition of bacon, and everyone knows that if you add bacon to anything people will like it.

The great thing about Hero Recipes is that brands have been built around them. I worked at the old General Foods and the story is that their recipe for Germans Sweet Chocolate cake was the most asked for recipe in the history of General Foods. As a General Foods alumnus (The joke at Kraft was that on my tombstone it will say “He knew Coconut”) I can tell you that this recipe was a key driver behind the retail sales of Baker’s Chocolate and Baker’s Coconut. Given that the history of both these brands goes back to the 1800’s it really says something.

Check Out the Recipe

So now that I have written this book about supper clubs, maybe my recipe for Gorgonzola Stuffed Shrimp Wrapped in Bacon will propel the sales of my book “Impromptu Friday Nights – A Guide to Supper Clubs”. That would be great, but the book isn’t really about recipes. It is about how to organize a supper club and enjoy socializing over a meal.

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 – 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.

“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.