A fun way to spice up a book club meeting is to incorporate a recipe that ties in with the current selection. Luckily for reading group leaders, there are a ton of helpful and idea-packed books on the subject, that pair up popular book club picks with delicious complementary recipes. What better way to get the discussions flowing? Here's a look at some of the best of the bunch:
The Book Club Cookbook: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp
Not only does The Book Club Cookbook offer one hundred popular book club selections and their overviews, but also gives some interesting insight into the food or drink and the role it plays within the book, along with providing the recipe. Some recipes include: Ambrosia (To Kill a Mockingbird), Tandoori Shrimp (Life of Pi) and Irish Soda Bread (Angela's Ashes).
Recipe for a Book Club: A Monthly Guide for Hosting Your Own Reading Group: Menus & Recipes, Featured Authors, Suggested Readings and Topical Questions by Mary O'Hare and Rose Storey
In Recipe for a Book Club, authors Mary O'Hare and Rose Storey teach eager readers how to form a book club as well as provide full menu ideas. The book is divided into 12 months, with each month being assigned a different book club theme and reading suggestion. Recipes are provided for beverages, appetizers, soups and salads, pastas, side dishes, meat and seafood meals and of course, dessert.
The Book Lover's Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by Celebrated Works of Literature and the Passages That Feature Them by Shaunda Kennedy Wegner and Janet Jensen
With over 170 recipes, this book would fit equally well on the kitchen counter or on the bookshelf. Organized into categories such as breakfast, main and side dishes, soups, salads, finger foods and desserts, this book has something for every book club. From Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to The Bluest Eye, one of the best parts about this book is that it encompasses a wide variety of book club selections and would accommodate practically any reading group, from classic children's literature to modern Oprah's Book Club picks.
Literary Feasts: Recipes from the Classics of Literature by Barbara Scrafford
For a book club that likes to stick to the classics, Literary Feasts is the perfect accompaniment. This book seamlessly combines literary criticism and food pairing. From eggplant (Love in the Time of Cholera) to catfish and corn pone (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), there is something for every taste.
These books are sure to offer some culinary inspiration to any reading group, not to mention the wealth of selection ideas they provide.
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