And all at once, summer collapsed
Oscar Wilde

Hello, hello! I feel like I’m in a perpetual denial of the months going by. You’re telling me it’s October and that we’ve been in quarantine for almost eight months now? Riddikulus. Nevertheless, I am most certainly done with heat waves and would gladly swap them out for chilly days and copious amounts of PSLs no matter how basic.

What’s October like for us at home? Desperately trying to eat less cake (failing so far), continuously binge watching Love Island Season 3 and Vampire Diaries Season 8, competing with each other on Activity with our Apple watches, taking a few vacation days for apple picking and donut devouring, and hanging out with our stuffed animals Marshmallow and Lambchop forever. It’s the little, cozy things.

OCTOBER THEME

Dust your books, wands at the ready — let us relive our childhood once more with a Harry Potter-themed Supper Club.

From the Dursley’s home, Hogwarts Express train carts, to The Hog’s Head we get glimpses of  the food and drink enjoyed by our favorite characters — licorice wands, maggoty haggis, pumpkin juice, black pudding, cauldron cakes, steak and kidney pie, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, rock cakes, treacle tart, Yorkshire pudding, pumpkin juice, rotten fish, pumpkin pasties, peanuts covered in fungus, and way more. Whether you want to cook from scratch, order fish and chips from a pub, or accio some jelly beans, you can’t really go wrong. We’ll turn the park into our very own Great Hall with this picnic feast.

ADDITIONAL HOUSE POINTS

It’s a special Supper Club for many reasons but most notably because we are also celebrating its second birthday. Happy birthday, Supper Club! To add a chocolate frog on top of it all, optional suggestions:

• Wear your house gear or colors

• Bring any pumpkin-flavored item from Trader Joe’s (you know they come with shiny, new pumpkin items every year)

• Bring a celebratory ‘happy birthday’ treat - open to interpretation

I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinkin' about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I can't write one song that's not about you

If I Can’t Have You by Shawn Mendes

Hey, friends! Hope the late summer months are treating you well. I am writing this from a retreat getaway in the Oakland hills (read self-quarantined for two weeks). I’m surrounded by the redwoods, meeting my goal of maintaining at least 10k steps a day and 200 push ups, rotating through my pescatarian meals (more on this below), all while feverishly binging the Vampire Diaries non-stop. 

August has been an interesting month of changing quarantine bubbles, checking AQI numbers, landscaping work at my parents’ home, watching a new season of Love Island, skipping a few of our therapy sessions, and counting down the days till our next Supper Club. And here we are!

SEPTEMBER THEME

As mentioned earlier, we are working towards being more pescatarian (one of us more than the other…). This month I am bringing everyone along with me.

For September, let’s explore and celebrate with foods that hail from the waters. Scallops, unagi, sea cucumber, cod, seaweed, rockfish, anchovy, flounder, and more. The underwater world is our oyster? Right? Yes. Whether you’re smoking unagi, preparing poke, stewing some bouillabaisse, curing some salmon, steaming lobster, packing up a crab boil, or ordering an entire omakase set from your favorite restaurant - bring it on. Pescatarians love the company and we hope you’ll join us for this one.

SEPTEMBER MENU & SPREAD

• Shrimp rolls by Elisa and Matt

• Crab croquettes by Bryan

• Smoked salmon and vegetables by Cherry and Sam

• Clam egg custard by David

• Shrimp and basil stir fry by Aaron

• All Dressed and Ketchup chips from David, shared by Elisa

Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.

Audre Lore, A Burst of Light

Happy summer, friends!

We are half-way through the year that’ll definitely go down in history books and all of the stories we tell from now on (“Remember that month we ate cabbage for days, wore PJs to meetings, and ate more sourdough than ever?”). But before all of that, I hope you have also enjoyed all of the stone fruits and berries this season. I’ve had my fair share but still on the desperate hunt for currants - if you have seen any, send me an urgent message ASAP (incredibly urgent; send out a light flare). And don’t forget the watermelon! I’m a firm believer that you can’t truly have a summer without at least a bite of watermelon.

What else is new in our lives this month? Making our own fruit gummies, watching Spongebob starting from Season 1 (this is Matt’s idea…), more picnicking around the Bay Area, a new book for our Church life group on the role of the Church and racism, testing out a variety of donut recipes (did you know potato donuts was a thing?), listening to Taylor Swift’s new album, slowly working our way through the freezer stash of at least forty cake slices, and playing Sherlock Consulting Detective with friends on video for hours. Quarantine living continues to evolve (devolve in some ways…).

AUGUST THEME

If 2020 shaped up differently, would you be summering in Spain right now? Imagine strolling through Park Güell, enjoying an afternoon snack of churros at one of the shops on La Rambla, and daydreaming about the day when La Sagrada Familia will finally be finished. Is that a fun thought experiment or a torture of what we can’t have right now?

But, we’re troopers and incredibly creative! We got this. Let’s bring Spain to San Mateo. Let’s go to Spain through food with this month’s Supper Club. From pintxos, tapas, paella, jamon, patatas bravas, to croquetas and churros - let’s feast! Get inspired by the saffron or the chorizo to cook up some dishes to share. I dare you to make paella, I implore you to serve up some gambas al ajillo, and I want us to enjoy it all together (socially distant, at least 6 feet apart at all times). Whether you’re cooking a dish from scratch or ordering food from a Spanish restaurant, bring it on. It’ll be a good time. Bonus points if you bring a pitcher of sangria or a Spanish flag.

AUGUST MENU & SPREAD

• Valencia paella by Cherry and Sam

• Pulo a la gallega by Janet

• Gambas al ajillo by Aaron

• Pan con tomate by Eileen

• Spanish albondigas by Elisa

• Spain-inspired charcuterie board by Elisa

• Chorizo pasta by Elisa

• Burnt maple, fig, lime, and black pepper galette with oat crumble by Elisa

• Spanish flag by Matt

CONNECTING DETAILS

• When: Saturday, August 15th at 11:30AM

• Picnic at the park

In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth, rather than a reason for destruction

Audre Lorde, Black Women Writers at Work

I recently celebrated a pretty huge birthday milestone. I won’t name numbers but let’s just say it was a big one. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have lived a life full of adventure, color, a loving family, good friends, and an eternal supply of learnings and experiences along the way. This year alone I have learned how to properly keep my sourdough starter, Coriander, alive while also thoroughly immersing myself in anti-racism literature and discourse. Yes, I’ve lived up to the 2020 cliche of “baking bread to abolishing racist systems.” If I can master fermentation and take steps towards ending racial oppression, I. Am. Here. For. It. Insert clapping emoji here. 

My therapist told me that in between my manic bouts of stress-baking and my self-made anti-racism 101 course, I should also make space for self-care. I’ve never been great at it but I’ve been trying my best. These days that comes in the form of daily walks around the neighborhood, an afternoon pack of chips, brainstorming how I might infuse Filipino ingredients and flavors into my baking, minimizing work commitments, and the forever cuddles with Marshmallow and Lambchop on the couch. These continue to soothe my soul.

JULY THEME

This month we celebrate and honor Soul Food and/or African food. I don’t know about you but I still have so many dishes from the Black South, Ethiopia, Kenya, and more to try. Have you ever had injera, the fermented flatbread usually made with Teff flour? Or, ham hocks with collard greens? Cornbread with a good slathering of butter? Hoecakes and hushpuppies? Jowl and black-eyed peas? If not, we’re checking these off our respective wishlists and bucket lists.

Whether you want to cook these dishes from scratch or support black-owned businesses (here) in the Bay Area, let’s honor and celebrate Black cuisine and culture with this month’s Supper Club. I’ve been looking through the list and between jerk chicken & oxtails served with rice, beans, and fried plantains from Back A Yard and the curried shrimp from Coconuts, I’m at a loss. A good problem to mull over. Tell me, what’s looking good to you?

AUGUST MENU

• Blackened catfish, cornbread two ways, collard greens, green beans and garlic for Elisa from CreoLa, San Carlos

• Chicken jambalaya and rice for Matt from CreoLa, San Carlos

• BBQ platter of ribs, links, brisket with sides of mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts for Janet from Smokin Woods BBQ, Oakland

• Ackee and saltfish, beef oxtail stew, jerk chicken with sides of rice, beans, and plantains and a Jamaican sorrel hibiscus drink for Aaron from Reggae Pot, Los Gatos

CONNECTING DETAILS

• When: Saturday, July 25 at 1pm PST

• We are practicing social distancing and isolation by hosting this event virtually.

Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.

― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

This week has been hard on the world. Hard on the hearts. To that someone out there who asked “Can 2020 get any worse?” - I’m looking at you. There is a global pandemic, there are killings, there are lootings and riots, there is a state of emergency. I’ve spent the last few days educating myself in the form of movies (list here) and books. I hurt for my fellow human-beings. I’m trying to do better and be better. And if you’re not trying to do better than me, I’m looking at you, too.

This month I also continue my culinary learnings: (1) making my own donuts: sourdough, brioche, and potato donuts. Don’t even get me started about the glaze and filling ideas I’ve been trying to narrow down, (2) cooking more Filipino food. I recently messaged my mom and asked her for her top ten recipes and will start to work through them. Munggo, apritada, sinigang, and more in my near future. And (3) baking my way through Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar cookbooks. I set a goal to bake all twenty of her layer cakes and I’m about half-way done with flavors like pineapple upside-down cake and popcorn cake coming up next. When I’m not stressbaking or procrastibaking, I’m having deep, intellectual conversations with Marshmallow and Lambchop on the couch (read couch potato-ing). Other times I’m foraging the heck out of our neighborhood bushes and blooms and bringing everything into our home. Secretly I also plan grocery store runs or Instacart purchases in my daydreams. Oh, and I also work (some). Normal things. Me things in 2020.

JUNE THEME

What else is so 2020? I don’t know about you but we’ve started to have breakfast at home more. Oatmeal and cereal. Toasts and instant coffee. These things in heavy rotation. But, let’s take it easy and make it romantic.

Slow down and set the mood: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong crooning, the morning light streaming in, the smell of coffee waking up every tired inch of the body, the bright sunshine yolk of every egg. And on the table: is that a perfectly oozy egg yolk? Is it the longsilog from my home and dreams? A hearty plate of huevos rancheros. A side of country potatoes or hashbrowns, ketchup included for sure. Is it time to finally make my own millionaire’s bacon? Chicken and waffles if I get over the fear of deep frying. Fried oyster, bacon, and scallion scramble from Brenda’s? Or maybe we’re all dreaming up sweetness to life. IHOP’s Fruit Lucky Charms cereal pancake stack, maybe? The tallest pancake stack I’ve ever seen in my life? With whipped cream of course. French toasts, bread pudding, cinnamon rolls, les viennoiseries from La Note… I don’t really need to go on. I’ll spare us the drool. Get your orange juices and coffee makers going, we’re doing breakfast for dinner!

JUNE MENU

• Continental American buffet by Elisa

  • Sourdough chocolate, cherry, and almond waffles

  • Sourdough apple cider waffles

  • Ginger and strawberry galette

  • Apricot and cinnamon galette

  • Bread tray: black sesame croissant, strawberry buttermilk croissant, lavender bread, sourdough bagel, rosemary shortbread, blackberry shortbread, vegan Danishes, rose jam, honey

  • Sausages & bacon

  • Egg scramble with homemade herb sauce and pickled onions

  • Balsamic side salad

• Pandan pancake, coconut whipped cream, and assorted fruits by Aaron

• Avocado toast with chili corn slaw by Janet

• Avocado toast with fried egg in bell pepper by Janet

• Chilaquiles by Miguel

• Breakfast sausages, egg, and cheese in a ravioli by David

• Pork belly on crisped rice with side of breaded egg and topped with hot honey by David

CONNECTING DETAILS

• When: Saturday, June 13 at 6:30pm

• We are practicing social distancing and isolation by hosting this event virtually

The thought was this: that all my life had been murk and depths, but I was not a part of that dark water.
I was a creature within it.

Madeline Miller, Circe

Day who-really-knows-anymore. Who cares anymore. I’m probably a bit behind on this but, it’s slowly sinking in that the new world is here and here to stay for awhile longer, thinking 2021. I’m still largely avoiding the news, with the exception of that Alison Roman scandal. Are your days normal and routine yet? The commute from the bed to the living room, the living room, to the kitchen, and back all over again. Are you sick of home cooked meals, yet? Have you worn out all of your pajamas?

April and May are shaping up to be days full of small industry and creative pursuits. From pickling, fermentation, daily game nights full of Splendor, Netflix and chill, reading through many books, walks around the neighborhood, flower foraging, curing egg yolks, tie dye attempts, creative happy hours, constant rearranging of decor and furniture, and more baking than the last three years combined. I’m grateful for these days at home - for being employed, for connecting with family and friends at a distance, for giving my body and mind a forced rest and recovery time period. I wake up to the sunrises of California’s spring and early, early summers. I go to bed with the sunsets overlooking the shallow waters of Redwood Shores. It’s cozy and warming to connect with my inner most spaces, spaces I’ve barely touched and experienced before. The sun hitting the coffee table at 1:54pm. The birds chirping right before lunch. The temperature changes by the hour. I’m settling in. I’m nesting. I’m at home.

MAY THEME

Rigatoni. Ramen. Indomie. Cup noodles. Udon. Soba. Farfalle. Pad thai. Rigatoni. Lo mein. Ptitim. Orzo. Pho. Pancit. Fideo. Bucatini. Ñoquis. Jajangmyeon. Saimin. Pad see ew. Mee goreng. You get the picture. It’s easy, versatile, tasty, and diverse. It’s a noodle party.  Whether you’re in the mood for pasta from scratch, instant noodles with the boiling water, or take-out from all the small businesses out there, you’re in and you’re dialing in.

MAY MENU

• Smoky cellentani alla vodka by Elisa (recipe from Back Pocket Pasta by Colu Henry)

• Handmade noodle carbonara with sage (base recipe from Back Pocket Pasta by Colu Henry)

• Shrimp pad thai by Janet

• Cold dan dan noodles by Aaron

• Salmon, salmon roe, seaweed, and cream pasta by Mimi and Matt

• Spicy pad thai by Miguel

CONNECTING DETAILS

• When: Saturday, May 30 4 at 6:30pm

• We are practicing social distancing and isolation by hosting this event virtually. Join the event by hopping on the Google Hangouts link.

cling to joy
bold audacious joy,
that looks for Light in everything
even when you’re waiting

Morgan Harper Nichols

Business is not as usual. I repeat, business is not as usual. That’s my new catch phrase in this new world. It soothes me.

Somehow 2020 is not the reality I wanted or even dreamed up. Where did the days full of mundane, mindless, and simple activities go? Within a blink of an eye the world has been turned upside down (turned indoors?). Its taken me awhile to accept the new routines, modes, processes, etc of my quarantined life but I think I’m getting there, slowly. Instead of going out, we’ve gone in. Huge doses of sick days, all of our previously-neglected self-care activities, daily cookie night caps, virtual group hangouts and games, puzzles for hours, glorious afternoon naps, stuffed animal cuddles, gallons of herbal teas, Saturday morning cartoons, even successfully learning how to manage a pantry for a household. Adapting and winning.

But, let’s be real. Cabin-fever is a thing and we need an escape from this 1000ish square foot apartment / haven / prison / sanctuary / quarantine homebase. Despite all my minutes spent in meditation, I still crave for normalcy, my mind wanders beyond my current borders, and I just want some things to not be cancelled. For Supper Club this month, let’s go on a vacation! Pack your bags and bring your passports. Even just for a meal, let’s escape this quarantine.

APRIL THEME

Whether you had an exotic trip planned to the jungles of Thailand, the charming and rustic arrondissements of Paris, the unreal landscapes of Iceland, the warm and sandy beaches of Bora Bora, the buzzing streets of New York, have put the Greek Islands as your first destination post-Corona, crave the spices and heat of chicken tikka masala, want to transport to the world of Hogwarts via chocolate frogs or cauldron cakes, let’s go where our hearts and bellies desperately want to go. Whatever you’re inspired by, have ingredients in the pantry for, or available on food delivery apps, let’s (virtually) eat together! It’ll be an exciting hodge podge of what we can collectively put together. A show-and-tell. An international potluck in trying times. We have to. We need to. What else are you waiting for? Let’s go!

Learning another cuisine is like learning a language. In the beginning, you know nothing about its most basic rules of grammar. You experience it as a flood of words, or dishes, without system or structure.

Fuchsia Dunlop, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper

Suddenly there’s too much going on. Work, life, feelings, emotions, friend gatherings, races, wine tastings, continued binging, upcoming travel plans, lots of baking (am I sick of cookies and pies yet?) and cooking, and way more. Is it just me or is it a maniacal frenzy out there? It’s Pi Day and Ideas of March, isn’t it? I just need some quiet alone time (but, I still probably love you all), massages, the elusive down time, and easy buttons for every aspect of my life and waking moment. Speaking of which -- why don’t we order in more often?

MARCH THEME

Let’s turn on the heat and spice this month with bold flavors, deep notes of spices, and the warmth of rice and noodles with this month’s theme of Chinese cuisine and flavors. From XO sauce, fried rice, shark’s fin soup, wonton and dumplings, and more - there are so many options and variations to choose from. Whether you are making xiao long bao from scratch, baking orange chicken from Trader Joe’s, or grabbing Kung Pao chicken from Panda Express, or DoorDashing some chow mein at least one hour before the event - let’s do this! Extra points to anyone who brings their goods in the iconic and on-theme takeout boxes for Supper Club this month.

TRAVEL DETAILS

• When: Saturday, March 21st at 5:00pm

• Where: Redwood City, CA

I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind
That I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world

And just like that we are a month into 2020. With Christmas behind us, New Years’ resolutions going strong or slowly fading in intensity, here we are. Our lives at home have recently been full of small gatherings, Love Island binging (trashy, we know), buzzing work agendas, and daily pints of ice cream. Speaking of sweets...

This month Supper Club welcomes and celebrates the month of love, flowers, chocolates, and all things sweet with our very own Afternoon Tea Party. From cakes, scones, cookies, finger sandwiches, and tea - we will have a grand time. We invite you to brainstorm your favorite sweets and recipes to add to the working menu below. Yes, subject to changes based on feelings, emotions, and things but generally and probably around the ballpark of what to expect.

FEBRUARY MENU

• A spread and selection of tea sandwiches (chicken waldorf, salmon & cream cheese, prosciutto, brie & pear, roast beef, cheddar & dijon, cucumber & cream cheese, and egg salad) by Janet

• Earl grey yogurt cake by Andrea

• Peach cake by David Ricotta

• Maitake, herbs, and truffle oil bruschettas by David

• Earl grey madeleines by Corrine

• Dark chocolate and orange choux au craquelin by Elisa

• Grapefruit bundt cake with blood orange glaze by Elisa

• Pear spice cake, plum rosewater jam, caramel buttercream by Elisa

• Earl grey blueberry yogurt cake by Elisa

• Macarons by Lindsey

• Cardamom buns by Aaron

• Coffee crunch cake by Aaron

• Mixed berry scones by Sokie

• Cocoa nib scones by Sokie

• Berries and flowers by Miguel Red wine by Matt

SUGGESTED ATTIRE

What’s an afternoon tea party without some additional class? Button ups, top hats, floral dresses, pearls, stockings, tuxedos, gold, ties, get fancy, semi-fancy, or pseudo-fancy.

MONTHLY SPECIALS

• In honor of our theme and the month of February, please consider bringing some flowers to add to the table. If we have enough flowers, we’ll repurpose the flowers and build small bouquets to gift to a loved one.

• This is a first for Supper Club and just in time for the month of love: invite and bring a +1. We ask that if you are bringing a guest that they also add something to the menu.

TRAVEL DETAILS

• When: Sunday, February 23, 2020 at 4pm

• Where: Redwood City, CA

Ready on the left,
Ready on the right,
Commence boodle fight!

Supper Club is welcoming the new year with a theme that is very, very close to the heart and home: Filipino food and served Boodle Fight-style.

On December 23, 2001 my brother, mother, and I arrived in San Francisco to re-unite with our dad right before Christmas. Fast-forward to today and that makes 18 years of growing up and living in the Bay Area. From the initial thoughts of “this is what America smells like” to becoming citizens - we’ve experienced both cultures in our own ways. 

Through it all, our constants remain the same: our family unit, traditions, and love for food. This month we would like to share all of this with you. Let’s get together and share a table and feast full of flavors, meaning, color, and history for the Sunga family.

JANUARY MENU

• Lumpia, chicharron, itlog, atbp

• Jeprox at tuyo

• Chicharron bulaklak

• Ginisang taba ng talangka

• Gulay: okra, talong, sitaw, atbp

• Sinangag na kanin

• Adobong baboy at manok

• Adobong kang kong

• Inihaw na baboy

• Lechon

• Hipon at pusit

• Bangus

• Pancit canton

• Suka, bagoong, bawang, sibuyas

• Pandan at prutas

GEAR UP FOR THE FIGHT

If you’d like to bring something and add to our feast above, some options: wine, drinks, fruits, fruits, fruits, any Asian-flavored ice cream, and/or any Filipino treat or dish that you can pick up from an Asian grocery store. Surprise us!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Will help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight

Ah, the holiday season. The best season. We are slowly being surrounded by all of the festive Christmas cheer that comes in many forms: Santas outside grocery stores collecting donations, fairy lights around the neighborhoods, carols in all the good spaces, invitations to holiday parties, sugar cookies and gingerbreads, Starbucks holiday cups, and the desire to be cozy. We’re all about it and here for it.

This month we will get together to celebrate and highlight the season’s produce and flavors: winter roasts. Let that lead and inspire us as we bring together a table and feast to cap off an amazing year.

DECEMBER MENU

• Bread, butter, honey, dips, and jams

• Winter salad (kale, delicata squash, and more)

• Cumin pork chops with charred scallions by Sokie

• Braised short ribs by Janet

• Mulled red wine with fruits by Miguel

• Almond and dark chocolate star bread

• Holiday cookies

HOLIDAY SPECIALS

• Let’s sign some Christmas cards for charity. I’ll have the cards ready; all you need is a pen and good thoughts to share.

• Wear a holiday sweater, red, or green. Or a combination of all of these festive things.

Friends, here we are. Thanksgiving season! After an insane amount of travel and food from all over, I’m actually really excited and looking forward to celebrate this month in true American fashion. This month’s theme draws inspiration from the Thanksgiving menu and my time baking retreat in Kentucky where I learned all about Appalachian cuisine. It seems like the perfect gathering and opportunity to meld all of these 

This month our menu focuses on the concepts of that heart and core through: artichoke (hearts) prepared two ways, bacon-wrapped pork, apples (often a symbol and visualization of hearts, right?) and at the center of all good desserts - chocolate.

NOVEMBER MENU

• Vegetable stew with a dollop of turmeric yogurt

• Harvest salad (broccoli slaw, kale, roasted apples and beets, orange slices, cranberries, pepitas) with a mustard and preserved lemon dressing

• Crumbled kabocha squash with orange zest and sprinkled with bacon pieces and cranberries

• Salt-risen bread stuffing

• Roasted acorn squash and corn cobs

• Leftover Thanksgiving pie (ground turkey, sausages, bacon fat, celery, onions, gravy, cranberry jelly)

• Slow roasted pork with garlic, citrus and cilantro by Janet

• 17-pound ginger turkey cake with stuffing and autumn fruits by Aaron

• Cranberry and orange custard tart

How quickly has time and this year been flying by? Before our eyes and senses, autumn is here. This month also brings us Supper Club’s one-year anniversary. Twelve months of gathering, cooking, tasting, and eating with friends as the seasons and times have changed around us. Its been a great time and we are excited to continue the tradition forward with our hearts and bellies.

This month our menu focuses on the concepts of that heart and core through: artichoke (hearts) prepared two ways, bacon-wrapped pork, apples (often a symbol and visualization of hearts, right?) and at the center of all good desserts - chocolate.

OCTOBER MENU

• Cheese & charcuterie board by Rodson and KC

• Mix of salad greens and dressing by Miguel

• Steamed artichokes with salted garlic butter

• Grilled artichokes with preserved lemon yogurt

• Bacon-roasted pork tenderloin with carway’d cabbage and apples

• Grilled fish with lemons all of the ways

• Chocolate honey cake with fig jam labneh frosting

• Ice creams and whipped cream by Sokie

This month Supper Club brings us to an exploration of Mexican cuisine -- one of our all-time favorites. We’re excited to bring together the flavors of tomatoes, onions, cilantro, tortillas, spices, and more to the table. From tacos to quesadillas, burritos to tortas, sopes to flans -- we’ve eaten our fair shares. But, what does our spin on this theme look and taste like? How do we make it ours?

Using all of the ingredients we love and hold dearly, let’s feast together.

SEPTEMBER MENU

• Selection of chips, variety of salsas, and cheeses by Joy and Sally

• Tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, and other essentials by Joy and Sally

• Grilled corn salad with fresh cheese and jalapeno

• Imposter al Pastor

• Pork and Red Chile Stew with tomatillos by Aaron

• Churros y chocolate by Harry

This month Supper Club is inspired by Mediterranean dreaming -- the sun, pistachios, eggplants, white-washed walls (dare I say we all wear white and make this a white party while we’re at it?), visions of Kinsterna Hotel and Kapsaliana Village (gorgeous), and our own summer breezes here in California. 

Together we’ll put together a mouthwatering and refreshing spread of mezze, moussaka, and more. I hear the moussaka is really rich and heavy -- plan and look forward to that. 

AUGUST MENU

• Salads

• Hummus and pitas by Sharon

• Bruschetta by Aaron

• Moussaka by Brenna and Brian

• Chicken with yogurt

• Pie and fruits

Ever since we came back from the Amalfi Coast we knew two things: 1) We had to wait awhile before eating pizzas or pastas ever again and 2) it was just a matter of time before we sat down with friends over pasta and other great food. We were strongly inspired by the marvelous combinations of sauce and noodles -- what could go wrong? Not enough cheese, potentially. Or, too much food. One of these days I'll get the quantity and volume of food per guest ratio more reasonable and doable. Thus far, every Supper Club has ended in a food coma and deep uncertainty to what to do next and lots of questioning as to how all of that was possible. It was a great month celebrating Italian food! There is still so many pasta recipes out there; I can't wait for the Italian theme to return.

MENU

• Cheese and fruit platter by Kolin (and Kolin's mom)

• Selection of meats, olives, peppers, and Bakhaus Bread by Aaron

• Roasted potatoes, pickled red onions, yogurt sauce a la Dining In cookbook

• Meatballs and sauce with noodles a la Gjelina cookbook

• Creamy cauliflower pasta a la Alison Roman

• Parsley and garlic green sauce pasta with kale a la Dining In cookbook

• Peaches and Cream pie, Four & Twenty Blackbirds recipe

• Black and blueberry pie with vanilla bean ice cream from Mo

Spring is here -- crisp and sunny weather, #superblooms all over the neighborhood, Easter chocolates and hot cross buns, spring breaks, and more. It’s a great time to get together. This month we are inspired by recent conversations on NY recommendations (Black Seed Bagels), brunching, our frequent trips to the local bagel store, spreads of all kinds, and spring ingredients.

MENU

• (snack) Popcorn

• Variety of bagels and biscuits a la Sqirl LA

• Capers, onions, pickled onions, tomatoes, romaine/greens, bacon, avocado, cucumber, scallions, herbs, red peppers

• Spreads: Pumpkin seed and roasted jalapeno spread, beet cream cheese, bruschetta schmear

• Jams: Fig jam, mixed berry jam, apricot jam, strawberry jam, rosehip jam

• Pie of the month

• (maybe) Carrot cake
  

WHAT TO BRING -- BE INSPIRED BY:

• A unique and fun spread, schmear (inspiration here), compound butter (check it out), honey, jam, marmalade, preserves, etc -- sweet and/or savory kinds are very welcome! Bonus points for most creative and yummy!

• Fats: your favorite cheese (we love cheddar, brie, and pepper jack)

• Proteins: eggs (to scramble or fry), smoked salmon / fish, fish roe  (yes, very Gjusta)

• Vegetables: mushrooms, radishes, micro greens

And we're finally here -- the last season of GoT with only six episodes. I feel like it should go on for eternity and we would all be fine? But, the reality is that we have one last hurrah with Cersei, Tyrion, Daenarys, Sansa, and the rest of the cast. To celebrate and mark the momentous occasion, it seemed only right to feast Game of Thrones style for this month.

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• (Hot Pie) Beef and ale meat pie

• (Bounty from the Mother of Dragons) Deviled eggs by Mark

• (Scorched and Soured Lands) Vinegar roasted beets with spring onions and yogurt by Aaron

• (From Highgarden) Strawberries from Lindsey

• (As Sweet as Cersei) Blackberries from Lindsey

• (Betrayals and Double Crosses) Dark chocolate cardamom hot cross buns

• (Destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor) Green chili dark chocolate pie with a cookie butter crust

• (Winter is Here) Baked Alaska: Pear yogurt cake with salted caramel ice cream

• (Dornish Red) Red wine

Supper Club has been running for a few months now and the list of ideas of menu themes is getting shorter and shorter. As I was perusing the internet, I came across a crepe cake store in the South Bay with such inspiring flavors like Earl Grey and Matcha, with a steep steep price tag. I thought to myself, “I could make a crepe cake. I should make a crepe cake!” And so the March menu slowly started to take shape. Starting with dessert, of course. A few days later it dawned on me – sweet and savory crepe cakes! And I’ve always been curious about the Eastern-take on the savory crepe, also known as jian bings (more information below). And just like that, the March Supper Club menu was finalized on crepes. Sweet and savory. It seems like the perfect choice and vehicle! The crepe, as a base, is so flexible and open to so much variety and profiles. East, meet West. Savory, meet sweet.

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• Jianbing is one of China’s most popular street breakfasts. And while all manner of Chinese buns and dumplings have spread well beyond the country’s borders, it also might be China’s best-kept culinary secret. The savory crisp-fried crêpes are all about bold contrasts of flavor and texture: eggs, spread over the surface of the wheat and mung bean flour pancake as it cooks. Crunchy puffed strips of fried wonton. A jumble of grassy cilantro, peppery scallions, and tangy pickles; a sweet and spicy layer of hoisin and chili sauces. And each one is cooked fresh to order on a circular cast-iron grill, just the way you want it. (more info)

• Crêpes are especially popular throughout France. The common ingredients include flour, eggs, milk, butter, and a pinch of salt….Mille crêpes is a French cake made of many crêpe layers. The word millemeans “a thousand”, implying the many layers of crêpe... (more info)

When we initially had the idea of Supper Club, a month devoted to dumplings quickly made its way onto the list. However, due to holidays and travels, we didn’t get to dumplings until this February. Nevertheless, we were filled with much excitement! Hard to go wrong with dumplings, after all. We originally started with plans to make three different dumplings but we narrowed it down to cheeseburger dumplings and shrimp and chive dumplings! They were a hit and a few hours later we made and devoured 120 dumplings amongst the group. Insane! We all agreed that they were good but next time we would consider adding ketchup or In N Out’s animal style sauce to the dumpling filling and running the filling through a food processor for a finer filling. Chin-Yee also taught us how to pan fry dumplings to perfection.

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• Cheeseburger dumplings: ground beef, shredded cheddar cheese, pickles, pickle juice, mustard, garlic powder. Sauces included ketchup and a soy sauce-version with onions, pepper, and other spices.

• Shrimp and chive dumplings by Aaron: shrimp, chive, and more

• Uncle Tetsu cheesecake

Oh man, oh man. This one is a weird Supper Club. Weird because it veers off the traditional model of home-cooked and hosted at our apartment. If you know me, you know that a good portion of my mind and conversation revolves around babkas. Aaron alerted me to a babka bakery opening in Palo Alto so hosting a Supper Club there seemed like a great idea!

Matt and I met Harry and Aaron at Babka by Ayelet at the Town & Country Village center in Palo Alto. We ordered a Nutella and Halva babka and took it to go since seating wasn’t readily available. We made our way to Howie’s a few store fronts down for lunch. We sat down and ordered two pizzas for the group. The pizzas were good! Surprisingly, Matt preferred the Mexicali Rose pie over the potato pizza even though we came to Howie’s for it.

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• Mexicali Rose: Chicken, Mozz’, Smoked Mozz’ and Cotija Cheeses, Chipotle Crema, Red Onion, Peppers and Cilantro

• Baked-Potato Pizza: Scalloped Potatoes, Gruyere Cheese, Crisp Bacon, Fresh Rosemary and Parmesan

• Nutella babka

• Halva babka

• Store-bought Panettone because I thought it was similar to fruit cake and that Harry would enjoy it

A few months ago Matt got me Alison Roman’s cookbook Dining In. I’ve been meaning to cook from it for a long, long time. The December Supper Club seemed like a great time to do it! I leafed through the pages and settled on three of Alison’s recipes and a Four & Twenty Blackbirds pie. It was such a great time! Cozy with the heat from the oven and food, full from the hearty and rich plates, and catching up with Janet and her adventures (past and future!). I’m not sure how the five of us managed to eat five pounds of chicken but that must be testament to how good the recipe was! Also, quite a special moment for me – roasting my first whole bird! The pies were also quite amazing. I’m not a huge fan of matcha but the custard was just the right balance of sweet and not-too-sweet. It also helped that the custard set well! Aaron also brought over a Thai milk tea pie which was surprisingly tasty. Based on the title alone it seems a bit over the top but it actually balances quite well. A good month, a good time, and great company.

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• Slow-roasted garlic, paprika, and lemon chicken

• Brussel sprouts and apple salad

• Roasted delicata squash with dates

• Matcha custard pie

• Thai milk tea and Nutella custard pie with a cornflake crust by Aaron

Phew! The autumn months winding down and welcoming in all of the holidays and feasts one bite at a time. For this month’s Supper Club we had originally planned a Filipino-themed menu but since it was Thanksgiving I felt that we *had* to do a Friendsgiving! In true Friendsgiving fashion, our spread was quite huge – complete with appetizers, main courses, side dishes, and multiple pies for dessert. I believe this is the first real Friendsgiving of my cooking career so I was quite aggressive with it! I wanted to do it right – from the name plates (pie crusts shaped in everyone’s initials), multiple entree choices, and more. I even requested that everyone wear flannel / button ups to match the occasion. Such a fun and festive meal! We finished the night off with a few rounds of Saboteur and other games. And just like that, November fades to the background with the ever-increasing cheer of Christmas music.

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• Fiery kimchi and mochi butter popcorn snacks

• Cheeseboard with autumn cheddar and flight of honey

• Capers and roasted delicata squash salad

• Thanksgiving savory pie (turkey, gravy, stuffing, and topped with a cranberry jelly layer)

• aglio e olio pasta (per Matt's repeated requests)

• Jalapeno and chicken casserole by Chin-Yee

• Creamy red potato and parmesan tartin

• Sweet corn custard pie

• Black bottom oatmeal

• Cinnamon roll apple pie by Aaron

Ah, the first-ever Supper Club! Not sure how we landed on chicken katsu but glad we did because it was delicious. I was intimidated about the idea of frying meat but Aaron handled it all so all I had to do was step back and watch the Japanese goodness unfold before our kitchen and mouths. Aaron brought all of the ingredients over: chicken, breading, curry, vegetables, and mochi. Harry and I were sous chefs, assisting where we could. After prepping we all sat down and devoured the food. Who knew it was so easy and doable to have chicken katsu and curry at home! We finished off our meal with mochi toasts. I’m not sure how we could have done this differently but would have loved to have the mochi with more gooey texture. Nevertheless, great way to cap off an excellent meal with friends!

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• Chicken katsu

• Sweet potato curry

• Rice

• Mochi toasts with kinako powder and Gingerbread ice cream, topped with whipped cream