Merry Christmas Book Club,
Yes!
I love executive decisions; they save me from unnecessary stress! Woo-hoo! The
Language of Flowers is one of the books I wrote down that Janet Black
recommended. The other 2 books are The Housekeeper and the Professor and
My Life in France: Julia Child. Hysteria was not on my list of
notes. January’s book then is The Language of Flowers by Vanessa
Diffenbaugh. I would like to change the meeting to my house on January 29, 2013
at 6:30 PM instead of Natilie’s Pizzeria.
We
had a wonderful turnout for our 8th Annual Christmas Party. Yes,
ladies, the Butler Women of Wisdom Book Club has been reading books together
for over 8 years. (Historical fact: Our club held its first meeting at my house
in October of 2004. Trivia question: What was our first book?) At this year’s
party held at the Hartwood Restaurant in Glenshaw, those who attended including
myself and Tim were Becky and Jim, Cheryl and Greg, Christine G., Ginnie and
Lee, Lori and Doug, Barb and Jim D., and Barb and Mike K.
I
reveled in the food and the atmosphere to say the least. We started our evening
with drinks at the Hardwood Café on Route 8 where I ordered a “strawberry basil
martini.” It was a delectable sweet and sour mix of holiday and spice, so
nice! But mindful of our dinner reservations set for 6:30 PM at Hartwood, we
designated drivers and carpooled to Glenshaw.
At
the Hartwood Restaurant, we were all very pleased with our private seating
arrangements. We were served in what I call the “confessional” room. The façade
of a Catholic confessional on one wall forged our conversation for the evening.
Greg Ramsey revived his memories of his holiday at St. Fidelis Seminary, Tim
and I recalled our own Lady of Guadalupe anecdotes, while Jim Direnzo advised
Tim on the certification requirements of becoming a deacon.
Despite
the daunting holy thresholds, a few of us preferred to postpone our penance
until later and quickly began our celebration at Hartwood with their special
“Poinsettia” drink. Served in a snow globe stemmed glass, I soon had visions of
sugar plums dancing in my head.
As
for our feast, Cheryl and Greg, friends of our waitress, may have been partly
responsible for our superb dining experience. My whole meal was indescribable,
but I’ll try. It started with a small slice of sweet nut bread. Just the yummy
filler I needed to soften the effects of my “Poinsettia.” I was then served a
spring salad with fresh basil and vinaigrette dressing. Nothing could have
prepared me for the burst of flavor that transpired; the fusion of greens with
the freshly chopped herbs was a much appreciated winter surprise. My main
course, Caribbean seared salmon topped with caramelized pineapple salsa cooked
to juicy fork flake flawlessness was, as the Italian’s say, fantastico! A side
of Jasmine rice and a carrot pineapple mix complimented the ambiance of
tropical flavors. Dessert was no less an adventure of the palette. In the
clutches of celebration, I ordered myself a piece of pecan bourbon pie. Served
with a topping of French vanilla ice cream and accompanied with a hot cup of
coffee, my evening couldn’t have been sweeter…set the mood with good friends
and add a feast of fine food, always a perfect combination!
For January’s book club, I
would like to attempt to serve our book character Victoria Jones’s favorite
foods she would want to eat for the rest of her life http://butterybooks.com/bookclubpartyideas/the-language-of-flowers-by-vanessa-diffenbaugh/
:
1. Donuts, assorted, with an emphasis on
maple
- Roasted chicken
- Cheesecake
- Butternut squash soup
- Grapes
If any of you can assist me in this
feat of culinary creativity, let me know what you can contribute. Read The
Language of Flowers and learn about their romantic potential. As a book
club assignment, bring a picture, an artificially designed, or a fresh pick of
your favorite flower. Be prepared to explain its romantic qualities. Hope to see you all at next month’s book club at my house
and any of our book club events throughout the year. Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year!
Your
friend in reading,
Tammy
