Something Blue

My bookclub meets once a month on approximately the last Tuesday.  We take turns as the hostess, and the somewhat unspoken rule is that if you pick the book, you get to hostess.  It all works out fairly equitably, and for me the biggest plus of the system is that I read a lot of stuff I'd never pick otherwise.  There are certain themes that have emerged over the years:  one woman seems to always pick books about cooking or food (hence, 'The Sharper the Knife, the Less You Cry'; another, adventure tales ('Kon-Tiki'); yet another, the south ('Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn').  I like the system and the resulting balance between fiction and non, fluff and serious.

Aside from the books and the great company, the next best thing about bookclub is the food.  Most of us like to cook, and it seems that a lot of us like to think of culinary themes that match the book we just read.  For 'Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn' we had southern food.  For 'Kon-Tiki' there was a pupu platter and drinks with umbrellas. Even when the food has no theme, the meals are usually outstanding.  It was a bookclub meal that launched me into cooking Indian food; yet another sparked several rounds of fried goat cheese drizzled with honey. 

I picked our February 2010 read, Blue Jesus by Tom Edwards.  I first heard about this book from the woman who waxes my eyebrows; she had read this book for her bookclub and had even been able to have the author come to discuss the book with her group.  Not only was I taken with my eyebrow waxer's enthusiasm for the story, I was also intrigued by the fact that the story is based on a real group of people with a genetic disorder that turns their skin blue.  Everyone wholeheartedly enjoyed the book, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a good story about growing up, prejudice, and friendship.

Being the dork that I am, I decided that the meal should have a theme, and 'Blue' emerged at the top of the list.  [I can only guess where my ability to think of such inane themes come from....I remember childhood Superbowl parties where the food all started with the letter 'P' for 'Patriots' or ended in the price $.49 for the 49ers.] Thankfully the ladies humored me and we had blue corn chips with a black-bean hummus (looks blue), (blue) crab dip, chicken cordon bleu, salad with blue cheese, and blueberry pie. And the wine had a blue label.  As usual:  a delicious meal, great company, and lively conversations about celebrity gossip (and the book).  The crab dip was especially a hit.  I cobbled together the recipes with bits and pieces from several sources, the end product is below.

Crab Dip

1 can crabmeat 

1 8 oz package cream cheese 

1 cup cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, shredded 

2 Tbsp mayonnaise 

1 clove garlic, crushed 

1/2-1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

1/2-1 Tbsp Sriracha or other hot chili sauce 

1/2-1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together in ovenproof casserole dish.  Adjust Sriracha, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard to taste.  Bake for 30 minutes and serve hot, accompanied by crackers or vegetables.