Check this out - one for cheese and wine clubs

Awesome!  The Smelly Cheese Co are running a series of cheese based events - well of course!  The only question is - which one to do!  Check it out here.

Coming Soon...

Aghast as we were at the last meeting when S produced a wine that was not only from New Zealand but a Pinot (*gasp*) it did lead us onto a new idea for book club themes - country based.  What a challenge!  How to find wine, cheese, books and chocolate all sourced from a foreign country???  We did conceed that the bread and condiments could be local but the style, yes even of the home made chocolate desserts (for we are not allowed to buy a dessert), must be in accordance with the theme country.  And so, in a voice like the Iron Chef's Chairman Kaga, next book clubs theme country is                                                                    SPAIN!

And I'm on wine duty - an idea where I can find two bottles of spanish wine between $30-$50 each??

Book Club Notes 2 July 2011

At the last book club meeting I asked the question - what could be more perfect on a cold night in the middle of winter then to sit and chat with friends, eat some good food and drink some great wine except to have an open fireplace???  Well, last night I was able to deliver!

• Cheeses chosen were:
• Udder Delights Triple Cream Brie - elegant soft cheese which, as the name suggests, was creamy and melted in the mouth.
• Alexandrina Cheese Company Vintage Cheddar - tasty hard cheese that goes well with everything.!
• Fleurieu Fine Food Fetta Chilli Dip - for a different spin on the cheese requirement - a fetta chilli dip.  Pleasant but not as spicey as expected.  Perhaps that's the fetta.  Or it could be that it seemed mild in comparison to the cheddar.
• Other Condiments:
• Thistle Be Good Bush Tucker Dukka - very nice dukka, used with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip.
• Matchett's Water Cracker - Sesame - also very nice.  Went well with the fetta chilli dip
• Bread - from Victor Harbour - some sort of cheese bread but was lovely and fluffy with nice crusty outer. 
• Wine was Gibbston Valley Central Otago Gold River Pinot Noir 2008 ($38AUD).
• Initial: A little acidic, no body and therefore not like a traditional South Australian red.  A bit rough and not that keen on the after taste.
• Final: Let's hope the sneaky bottles in the cellar pay off! (see the label)
• Chocolate: 
• Dark chocolate mud-cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache and caramel swirl: mmmm.  Recipe courtesy of the Australian Women's Weekly easy cupcake by colour book.  Must have been good because we all ate two each!
• Book theme discussed:
• You'll recall that S picked the theme - a book from 1900 section of the 1001 must reads list released by the publisher Penguin (Australian website).
• Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton (A): Only a few chapters in but very witty with fabulous social commentary.  "The Carrie Bradshaw of the 20th Century".  (A had also read The Great Gatsby)
• Great Apes, Will Self (S): For the first time S had failed to complete her book reading on time.  However she was enjoying the book although found it difficult to get into at times.  It was funny, thought provoking and intense with lots of mind games.  The pace was just starting to pick up.
• The Great Gatsby, Scott F Fitzgerald (T): Ok. Was eady to read with much of the plot travelling along until the last 10-15 pages.  Found it hard to understand how this book would be in a must read list other than that - for the time in which it was written I imagine much of the material would have been considered "racey" and controversial.  The book certainly exposed the seedier side of New York / Long Island party life.

Are bookshops becoming a rarity?

This story in SMH today: Minister predicts unhappy ending for bookshops.  What do you think?  With more and more people buying online are bookshops dead and gone?  Will they become a boutique rarity?

Planning for July 2011 Book Club

The lovely K is off to France and so for the next few book clubs we have the fabulous A joining us.  S has picked the theme - a book from 1900 section of the 1001 must reads list released by the publisher Penguin (Australian website).  S has indicated she will do Great Apes by Will Self; A has already indicated she will do Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford.  Hmmm, what to do.. what to do...  Initial thoughts are:

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
• Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell
• Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar or 
• Animal Farm by George Orwell

What do you think?  And what would be on your list of must read books?

An Update 2/7/2011: When I wrote the blog we didn't have a date for book club but guess what??? It's tonight!  Stay tuned for an update on the evenings festivities.  Here's a teaser - 

Book Club Notes 21 May 2011

What's more perfect on a wintery weekend then to sit and chat with friends, eat some good food and drink some great wine!  Well maybe an open fireplace would have "sealed the deal" but still...

• Cheeses chosen were:
• Note - cheeses were purchased from the Smelly Cheese Co in the Central Markets who were very helpful and made some great suggestions. 
  
• Le Delice des Cremier  - an absolutely divine creamy white mould cheese which was a bit on the salty side but went fabulousy with the bread selection.  The Smelly Cheese Co promised that the cheese would get softer with age - must learn how to do this.
• Mature hard cheese - cheddar with blue vein edge.  Didn't catch the name of the product but was a very nice cheese that unfortunately paled in comparison to the white mould and the blue vein selections.  It did not taste like a blue cheese at all!
• Domain Bress? - a mild blue brie, salty but fabulous with the three seeds bread (strong carroway seed flavour).
• Other Condiments:
• Willabrand Saffron Vanilla Pears - yum! Went fabulously with all cheeses.
• Striezel sweet bread
• Three Seeds bread
• Waffers
• Wine was Jacobs Creek 2005 Johan Shiraz Cabernet ($75AUD).
• Very nice.  Excellent legs.  Initially the flavour was a bit light but developed in body.   Very smooth.  Numbered bottle - 28983.
• Chocolate: 
• Rum and Raisen Slice: mmmm.  S does it again. Lindt, cream, Bundaberg rum, flour, eggs, raisens.  Despite this, not too heavy and not too sweet.
• Book theme discussed:
• Something containing the letter "F" (K).  Interpreted by S and T as "F" needed to be in the authors name.  Completely disregarded by K, unless one speaks with a lisp.
• Bring the Monkey, Miles Franklin (S): A great read.  A spoof on all the "Agatha Christie" like murder mysteries of the time.  The first half was a bit difficult but the second half of the book - a page turner.
• The White Company, Arthur Conan Doyle (K): DON'T READ! At first K enjoyed the book but found the second half very disappointing, lacked focus and plot and ended abruptly.
• The Trial, Franz Kafka (T): Interesting.  Wouldn't class as a must read book but did finish it.  The discussion about how the book came to be published is almost more intriguing then the book itself.  Will blog soon about the virtue of formatting!

The Joy of Reading

What draws you to a book?  Is it the cover?  The author?  The hype?  The blurb?  The recommendation of a friend?  The latest book review? I guess what I'm asking is - what makes you decide to go ahead and take the plunge by turning to the first page?  And then, what makes you keep reading?  I have to say, I've rarely stopped reading a book.  When I was in high school, I read every book that was on the reading list with one exception - Sally Morgan's My Place.  Other people have read it and enjoyed it but me - I couldn't do it.  I don't remember much about it other than that I found the rhythm of the book didn't fit for me.  The focus kept shifting from one character to another and I found that distracting.  And that's a trait that I still recognise in myself today.  I will skip or skim sections of a book that shift away from the main character, particularly if the main character's plot is enthralling.  I will grant that when used well this technique can increase suspense and tension.  Switching to the counter plot of the villain and making you think the hero/heroine has no hope.  

I've always enjoyed science fiction, fantasy and yes, trashy romance.  I think because it provided escapism, another reality, an alternate universe.  Offering possibilities far more interesting than my own.  If I truly look deeply within myself I would probably admit that these books may have given me unrealistic expectations or indeed, the opposite! (if you've ever read a trashy romance you'll know what I mean).  These days the books that I usually turn to are the ones with strong female lead characters that are a little bit different, a bit quirky, confident, successful and survive against adversity.  Like Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson or Kathy Reich's Temperance Brennan.  Why?  I don't know...  I wouldn't be so pompous as to say it's because I identify with them.  But I usually find myself reading these books until the early hours of the morning, knowing all the while that I have to get up in 2 hours and go to work, not caring! Resenting any moment that can't be spent absorbed in the character, the plot, the tension.  

I think the BBC mini-series Lost in Austen sums this up so well - where the main character loves her Austen books so much that her wildest dream comes true- to become a character in her favourite novel!  I think that's what makes a book truly good for me.  Where the author gets the right balance between strong character, rapid plot development, and sucks you in to another world that is so vivid the reader can't help but imagine themselves stepping through.

Why do you like the books you like?  Is it for escapism? Realism? Inspiration?  What makes you pick it up and start reading?  What makes you keep reading?

The Letter F

Notes from club meeting to be held at the end of May 2011 before K takes a hiatus from the Club.  We will have an honorary club member while she is away.  Stay tuned...

**The next theme is:  Authors with "F" in their name.  Quite a broad theme.  Suggestions?

Book Club Notes from 2/3 April 2011

So did we have a sleep over?  A camp?  NO!  Car batteries let us down and as a result book club was undertaken in two parts: Saturday afternoon on the 2nd (which I was unable to attend) and Sunday morning on the 3rd.  Yes we had bubbles for breakfast!

• Cheeses chosen were:
• Paris Creek Brie (South Australian) - was nice but a bit firm for a brie.  Could have been the weather which was a bit fresh!
• Taleggio (Italian, washed rind soft cheese) - was nice with an interesting consistency.
• Alexandrina Vintage Cheddar (South Australian) - A nice tasty cheddar.
• Other Condiments:
• Quince paste - classic with cheese
• Grapes
• Spice Girlz Morrocan Jam
• Homemade Green Tomato Chutney (S)
• Waffers
• Lebanese Bread
• Wine was Somerled Sparkling Pinot Noir 2008 ($30AUD).
• Very nice sparkling.  Not sweet but not too dry.  Drinkable now but also cellarable according to Somerled.
• Chocolate: 
• Cookies and Cream Ice-Cream with hot fudge chocolate sauce:This is a fabulous combination - unfortunately K&S consumed the whole lot on the 2nd and I did not get to sample.  Guess I'll have to make my own :(.  Lindt chocolates were a subsitute on the 3rd.
• Book theme discussed:
• A biography of a person who has died - should be their life story (T). 
• Florence Nightingale (S): Did not finish.  Was based on letters that Florence has written. Raised discussion about women in the workforce now and then, balancing career and family.
• Going Solo by Roald Dahl (about Roald Dahl) (K): Very enjoyable. Would recommend.
• Storyteller, The Life of Roald Dahl, Donald Sturrock (T): Struggling.  Not finished.  Will continue to read.

Book Club Notes from 28 January 2011

Bit retrospective (and if I can find notes of other meetings there will be more of these) but here are our key thoughts from the meeting held on 28 Jan 2011:

• Cheeses chosen were:
• Parmagiano Reggiano (Italian, no brand/cheesemaker noted) - this was the least favourite of the selection.  It was considered a bit waxy and bland for a cheese of this type.
• Fromages d'Affinois (French, double cream soft cheese) - divine!  Everyone loved this cheese. (Not sure I've hyperlinked to the right thing but should be very similar).
• Shadow of Blue (Australian) - A very mild blue which K & S quite liked, especially with strawberries (at least I think that's what is written down).
• Other Condiments:
• Pear and Hazelnut paste - yum
• Fig and mascapone - very yum (but better as a dessert)
• French stick / carroway bread
• Strawberries (?)
• Wine was Wynn's Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz 2008, Coonawarra, SA ($47AUD).
• All agreed that the wine was palatable but a bit rough for the price.  It is hoped that it will improve will cellaring - will find out in 2-3 years!
• Chocolate: 
• Chocolate Pot recipe (basically a rich chocolate custard with ganache topping) from Julie Goodwin's cookbook (Australian Masterchef winner).  Was delicious but didn't quite set properly which was disappointing.  Would try to make again!
• Book theme discussed:
• A book set before the year 1800 (chosen by S). 
• Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (T): Excellent.  Loved it.  Would recommend to anyone.  You could very much describe it like Princess Bride.  And (ashamedly) I could feel the 1993 movie resonating through-out the book (although the movie was not entirely true to the book nor did it cover the whole book).
• The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Books (S): Loved it.  Also would recommend to others.  The book is set during the plague and the escape of a women to a better life.
• Annotated Pride & Prejuidice (K): This was not discussed in detail as it did not fit the theme however K had read the Year of Wonders.

What the Dickens?!

Hoorah!  I finally finished reading David Copperfield.

When Charles Dickens was selected as our theme for book club I must confess I didn't know what to expect.  I knew of his works that had been converted into plays or movies (A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist) and I could name other books for which he was famous (Great Expectations, David Copperfield, etc) but that was the extent of my knowledge.  I had tried to read Great Expectations once, but didn't get past the first chapter.  

My book selection for this theme was David Copperfield - I happened to have as an ebook (blasphemy!).  And what can I say... It was a struggle? Yes.  It was rewarding? Yes. Did it take me long to read? Hell yes!  Did it make me cry? Very nearly. 

One of things Dickens seems to do best, which I believe has meant his books have lasted the test of time, is character development.  In fact sometimes, for our day and age (where information is always a touch away and in a format that can be rapidly consumed), I'd say he spent too much time (in David Copperfield).  I did find myself skipping whole paragraphs, particularly towards the end so that I could quickly find out what was going to happen.  I did find the language challenging at times and occasionally had no clue what a particular character was saying or doing.  But this did not have a significant impact on the story.  Actually, I could spend hours analysing the plot development, the character development, the literary style, the pros and cons but that has been done many times before and click this link for more info (wiki of course).

What I really wanted to say with this blog is - persevering with all these things is worth it.  The plot is so cleverly woven together it's not until the last chapters that the outcomes are revealed (Spoiler alert: I've read so many romance novels I could see that part of the ending coming a mile away).  And just like a Hollywood movie (or it should be the other way around) everyone gets their just desserts or comes out peachy.

What makes a great wine club?

So our wine (cheese chocolate and book) club, for each meeting, selects two bottles of the same wine priced between $30-$50.  Usually it's a red wine because they cellar best although we did recently purchase a sparkling white which we were advised can cellar for 3-5 years.  We did actually visit the wine cellar door in Hahndorf (Somerled)and taste the bubbles before we purchased.  We generally don't shop for a wine together - it's hard enough to find a date that we are all free to have the book club let alone go shopping!  This last purchase was pure opportunity.  We were celebrating the 1 year anniversary of the club and were in Hahndorf because that was where we had our first meeting. 

So anyway, we usually buy reds, one to drink now and one to cellar for a few years.  I came up with the price range because I got sick of gifting people with *nice* bottles of wine (in my world, that's a wine between $30-50 or more) whilst all I ever drank was the <$10 bottle of plonk.  We also support local wine cellars as much as possible - which is very easy to do when you live in the state that produces 44% of the nations wine.  

During my other travels (to wine cellar doors) I've heard tales of other wine clubs which operate differently.  I expect the more money you have the better the wine club.... or at least the wine selection.  Because again (if you read the other blog about what makes a good book club) a good club, any club, comes down to great company and common interest.  But there's always room for improvement.  So what does your wine club do?

What makes a great book club?

In the last few years I've come across a variety of different formats for a book club.  And in developing the format for our club, which is reasonably established now I think, we considered several formats (see Beginnings blog).  One idea was to follow a visible book club such as the First Tuesday Book Club or Oprah Winfrey.  My partner has a book club that meets once a fortnight, generally picks the Penguin Popular classics and must read a certain number of pages prior to each meeting of the designated book.  My mother has a club that's a bit different - a play reading group.  But what makes the club successful?  Is it the conversation, the shared common topic, the social gathering?  To my mind it's the great wine, great cheese, great chocolate and great company!  But I'd love to hear what other people do for their book club and what they like/dislike about it...

Confessions...

Ok I'm going to declare - so I've read J K Rowling and Stephenie Meyer (and if you don't know who they are, what rock have you been hiding under!).  And I did enjoy nearly every minute of it. But I've read much much worse and much much better. I know a lot of avid readers scorn both of these authors but really - you have to give either credit to them or to their marketing and PR machines for bringing books back to a whole new generation of readers in the age of digital media (and I don't mean ebooks!) and video.  

Blog Background

The purpose of this blog is really for me and fellow Club members to share thoughts, invite comments, and obtain ideas.  The Club began because one friend said to another "I want to start a book club".  The other friend said "Great - I love books, but I've always wanted to start a wine club!  And if we are going to drink wine, we'll probably need some food - cheese!".  These two friends then said to a third - "We're going to start a wine, cheese and book club.  What do you think?".  The third friend said "Great - I love books, I love cheese and I love wine.  But I really love chocolate!"  So once every couple of months the Club meets, shares a bottle of wine while eating cheese, crackers, fruit and bread, takes down wine tasting notes and how the wine compliments the cheese (or not!), discusses a book just read and the next to be read and enjoys a chocolate based dessert.  I think everyone would agree - a fabulous idea.  See blog "Beginnings.." for more info on Club dynamics.

Beginnings...

(here are some initial thoughts for forming our club)

 Write (intended!) then - so we like wine, we like cheese and we like books....

So some general event principles (for Club meetings):

-once every 2 months to coincide with partner work patterns (working or not);
-Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening
-Group must be in multiples of 3 (ie member total can be 3, 6, 9 etc because at least 3 people are needed to finish a bottle of wine and not get smashed.
-wine priced between $30-50, one in three people brings two bottles of the same wine, one we drink, the other gets stored for a few years?
-If we do above, will need to keep a record of wine tasting notes so that we can compare
-rotate the hosting and the tasks
-one person to bring cheese (something different and fancy), one person to bring wine, one person to host and/or one person to purchase books (don't know what happens with that chore if there's 6 people)
-Is the only restriction the price? Do we want to make only Australian wines, only boutique wineries, only SA wines, only reds? I'm not fussed meself.

Book selection principles:
I've made the general assumption that we would all read the same book but of course we could read different books and report on what we've read to the group... I prefer the former.

Here are some things to consider -

How do we choose a book?
How quickly should they be read? (ie one book a year? one book a month or per meeting?)
What genre? (ie non-fiction, fiction, popular, etc)
Only classics, only 100 great reads of all time, only penguin populars, only those out of copyright, only authors that are alive?

Biographies

The book, or rather the theme chosen for discussion at the next WCCB meeting is "Biography". And it had to be of someone who is dead. I chose Roald Dahl. I didn't know anything about his life other than that he had a Scandanavian background.  But as a child I laughed and loved many of his books. As a Science and IT person I tend to think of myself as logical, analytical and factual. And I expected a non-fiction book on someone's life to be the same. I found it both interesting and disconcerting that a biography may be both fiction an non-fiction. The biography of Road Dahl puts colour, atmosphere, sight and sound to events that the author had no way of experiencing other than through documents and third person accounts. So this raised the question - what makes a good biography?