What we’re about
If you're anything like us, you have an overwhelming number of cookbooks sitting nice + pretty on your shelves — yet there are volumes of recipes just waiting to be discovered + experienced. Such an undertaking must never be done alone.
Feast was launched by the extraordinary mind of Jessica Brand, a creative visionary who said, "Why not gather new + old friends together to start a cookbook club? Better yet, create a local Meetup Group!" Together we’ve shared a culinary adventure since the fall of 2015!
Once a month, we'll dive into a chosen cookbook, prepare a variety of recipes, and get together to taste + discuss. Think of it as a gourmet potluck. Each month we'll feature a different cookbook or blog, or author, and the group will meet for the most delicious gatherings throughout the North Shore.
Hear an Intro Video created by the founder of the Feast Cookbook Club and many of the original members — https://youtu.be/CAChqM-WzOY. Starting in the fall of 2024, Jessica has asked long-time members Brenda and Jim to continue the tradition.
All cooking levels are welcome . . . so don't be shy! Get ready to explore all sorts of new flavors while making new foodie friends.
Can’t wait to prepare + share,
Brenda + Jim
p.s. If you're single looking to mingle, then sadly, our group is not for you. We aim to keep our focus on the food + recipes while maintaining a friendly social environment. So, if you make more than one person feel uncomfortable, we'll have to respectfully block you from the group.
If you reserve a seat at our events and not show up (without prior notice), we will be bummed. If you do it again, you will respectfully be removed from the group. Thanks for your understanding!
Upcoming events (2)
See all- November Feast - Cook As You Are: Recipes for Real Life, Hungry Cooks and...Pickering House, Salem, MA$8.00
Cook as You Are: Recipes for Real Life, Hungry Cooks and Messy Kitchens has recipes for so many kinds of home cooks. It is a BON APPETIT best book of the year and you might remember author Ruby Tandoh from the British Bake Off. It has sections for when you are low on time, using kitchen staples, those with wild appetites, and snacking in style. Best of all, you have a variation and substitution section, for those that struggle with following each recipe to the letter.
Join us is November, at Pickering House and find out what kind of cooks your friends chose to be!
Bonus Background
- Podcast: Life on a Plate (40 min)
- Blog: Ruby Tandoh, as She Is
- Recipe & Art Work: Wordloaf | A book excerpt & a recipe
We found 10 copies listed in NOBLE library network, 14 copies in the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium, 28 copies in the Minuteman Network, and 5 in the Boston Public Library plus other e-book copies.
ABOUT OUR LOCATION:
Today I step into the Pickering House, where our cookbook club first gathered in fall 2016, and was immediately immersed in over 300 years of history. If you have not had the chance to visit, a meal in this 18th century dining room is an added treat.WHAT TO PACK
- Your recipe
- Your plate, bowl, and silverware
- Small containers to take home leftovers
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Tables + Chairs + Linen
- Serving Utensils
- Non-Alcoholic Beverages + Drinkware
TIPS + IDEAS
- Go out of your comfort zone. Try a new technique or work with ingredients you've never used before.
- There's no guarantee your dish will remain HOT by the time we are ready to eat. Consider recipes that not only travel well but can also be served at room temperature. Either way, you're welcome to bring a heating element, crock-pot, or warmer. Check with us first to see if there's an available outlet at the venue.
- Be sure to read through ALL of the recipe instructions beforehand to make sure you have the proper tools, dishes, and ingredients. (We’ve made that mistake and wound up empty-handed.)
FIRST TIME HERE?
Welcome! Keep reading...
INSTRUCTIONS : How our Cookbook Club works- RSVP via Meetup. The event fee (paid online) secures your seat. This automatically removes the cumbersome waitlist and maintains a consistent level of participation. All funds go toward venue rental fees and Meetup costs. If you would prefer to pay in cash, message me and I'll manually add you to the list. Thank you!
- Get your hands on the cookbook to flip through and pull a recipe. You can ask your library to retrieve it from their network, borrow from a friend, or purchase from a local retailer. If you're in a pinch, let me know, and I'll email you some snapshots of recipes to choose from.
- Pick at least 1 recipe to make for the event. Note: To avoid recipe duplication, take a moment to check the comments section and see which recipes have already been posted. Just in case, have a backup recipe selected in case your first choice is already taken.
- In the comments section below (not in the chat box), share which recipe you (and your guests, if any), will be bringing. Please do this at least 48 hours before our event, as we will print menus.
- Day of the event (or the day before). Prepare your recipe according to the directions provided in the cookbook. As tempting as it might be to alter the recipe or make a substitution, please follow the instructions as closely as possible. This will allow the group to truly experience the author's array of recipes. Note: No need to double the recipe. There will be more than enough food to enjoy!
- Packing your own place settings is one of the ways we hope to keep costs low. Make your plate, bowl, and silverware part of our story. Tell us about your vintage store finds or your aunt's wedding china you never use. There are endless variety and incredible backstories.
- Don't forget to bring some small containers to take home leftovers. You'll have the best lunch the following day, guaranteed.
Can’t wait to prepare + share,
Brenda and Jim - (soon to be) Family FavoritesThe House of the Seven Gables, Salem, MA$8.00
Recently when chatting with one of the long-time members they suggested the idea that as cooks - we all must have a long list of things we've been meaning to make!
- Go find you the dog eared pages of your cookbook
- Look back at each of the reels that you’ve bookmarked
- Find that photo from a magazine page you saved
- Experiment with a dish you’ve been thinking of serving this holiday season.
Try any of these recipes on your Feast Family first and see if they are indeed a future favorite!
We'll be gathering in a cozy spot, the Hooper-Hathaway House at The House of Seven Gables. Built in 1682, it once sat on Washington Street and housed Salem’s “Old Bakery". Scheduled to be demolished for a new structure in 1911, Caroline Emmerton purchased the building and moved it next to the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion. It will be a real treat to share a meal in this cozy colonial treasure.
Bonus
Need a way to organize your recipes? Have you tried Eat Your Books?
You add the titles of your cookbooks and they become searchable by ingredients, cookbook title, author or food type. This simple tool helps me dig into my own shelves and reveals recipes I didn't even know existed.WHAT TO PACK
- Your recipe
- Your plate, bowl, and silverware
- Small containers to take home leftovers
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Tables + Chairs + Linen
- Serving Utensils
- Non-Alcoholic Beverages + Drinkware
TIPS + IDEAS
- Go out of your comfort zone. Try a new technique or work with ingredients you've never used before.
- There's no guarantee your dish will remain HOT by the time we are ready to eat. Consider recipes that not only travel well but can also be served at room temperature. Either way, you're welcome to bring a heating element, crock-pot, or warmer. Check with us first to see if there's an available outlet at the venue.
- Be sure to read through ALL of the recipe instructions beforehand to make sure you have the proper tools, dishes, and ingredients. (We’ve made that mistake and wound up empty-handed.)
FIRST TIME HERE?
Welcome! Keep reading...
INSTRUCTIONS : How our Cookbook Club works- RSVP via Meetup. The event fee (paid online) secures your seat. This automatically removes the cumbersome waitlist and maintains a consistent level of participation. All funds go toward venue rental fees and Meetup costs. If you would prefer to pay in cash, message me and I'll manually add you to the list. Thank you!
- Get your hands on the cookbook to flip through and pull a recipe. You can ask your library to retrieve it from their network, borrow from a friend, or purchase from a local retailer. If you're in a pinch, let me know, and I'll email you some snapshots of recipes to choose from.
- Pick at least 1 recipe to make for the event. Note: To avoid recipe duplication, take a moment to check the comments section and see which recipes have already been posted. Just in case, have a backup recipe selected in case your first choice is already taken.
- In the comments section below (not in the chat box), share which recipe you (and your guests, if any), will be bringing. Please do this at least 48 hours before our event, as we will print menus.
- Day of the event (or the day before). Prepare your recipe according to the directions provided in the cookbook. As tempting as it might be to alter the recipe or make a substitution, please follow the instructions as closely as possible. This will allow the group to truly experience the author's array of recipes. Note: No need to double the recipe. There will be more than enough food to enjoy!
- Packing your own place settings is one of the ways we hope to keep costs low. Make your plate, bowl, and silverware part of our story. Tell us about your vintage store finds or your aunt's wedding china you never use. There are endless variety and incredible backstories.
- Don't forget to bring some small containers to take home leftovers. You'll have the best lunch the following day, guaranteed.
Can’t wait to prepare + share,
Brenda and Jim
