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The Jerusalem Gourmet Club
Our exclusive little eating group is grandly referred to by its 12 members as the "Jerusalem Gourmet Club". Membership is closed and only once in our 30-year history have we accepted new members. We dine together on an average of once every 6 – 8 weeks and each meeting of the group is a new gastronomic experience.
It began in the early eighties when three Israeli couples who had met while working in the States, and who developed a routine of dining together once a month, returned to Israel. By coincidence, they were all from Jerusalem and the first time they reunited, they decided to each invite another couple to expand their group. The idea at that time was to continue eating in restaurants once a month.
We were one of the couples invited to join and when the six couples met for the first time in a French Hill apartment in Jerusalem, we exchanged ideas on how and when we should dine together. In the end, taking into account the high prices of the few good restaurants in the city at that time, we evolved the idea of "doing it all ourselves".
At the end of that first gathering, we set the pattern for the future – we agreed on a date for the next meeting and we hotly debated and decided on the theme for the next meal. The dates have been rigidly adhered to over the years and overseas trips and even weddings have been moved around the calendar in deference to the club.
As to the themes, we have eaten meals of practically every country in the world. We have had soup meals, potato meals and dessert meals. We have had meals where all the ingredients started with the letter B, we have had meals that had lemon in every dish and we have had meals based on colors. We had a medieval meal to celebrate 3000 years of Jerusalem where the menu was made up for us
by one of the Internet food sites.
The formula is very simple. The entire gathering sets a suitable date. Then the serious matter of the day arises - the theme for the next meeting. Themes are mostly based on countries and of course the popular ones were disposed of in the earliest days – Chinese, Greek, Italian, Indian. Over the years the themes have become more and more sophisticated – the Indian provinces, French provinces, Northern Italy, etc. The group takes the selection of the theme very seriously and this often leads to long debates. At the last meeting the first theme suggested met with immediate and unanimous approval – a mango meal. I can already taste a mango flavored cold soup, chicken or fish in mangos or mango juice, a mango sherbet to end the meal, and in between, a few side dishes and salads all containing mango. The liquor store nearest to the host will no doubt receive an inquiry for a mango-based liqueur.
The hosting couple sets the menu and instructs each of the other couples as to what dishes they are responsible for and gives them the recipes to be used in their preparation. The host is responsible for the main course and the drinks.
The meals start with an aperitif, usually served in the lounge with a light snack. The drink offered is usually that of the theme. At the table, a choice of modest wines is offered together with soft drinks. The meal is leisurely and is at least a two-hour affair. In the beginning, the meetings were held on Saturday evenings. These days they are Saturday lunches and by time we stand up, it is close to 4pm.
The conversation at the table swings in and out of Hebrew and English and covers every subject imaginable.
Our dinner club has become an integral and exciting part of our lives and we look forward to each meeting with our "eating friends" with great anticipation.
A heartily recommended form of entertainment.
It began in the early eighties when three Israeli couples who had met while working in the States, and who developed a routine of dining together once a month, returned to Israel. By coincidence, they were all from Jerusalem and the first time they reunited, they decided to each invite another couple to expand their group. The idea at that time was to continue eating in restaurants once a month.
We were one of the couples invited to join and when the six couples met for the first time in a French Hill apartment in Jerusalem, we exchanged ideas on how and when we should dine together. In the end, taking into account the high prices of the few good restaurants in the city at that time, we evolved the idea of "doing it all ourselves".
At the end of that first gathering, we set the pattern for the future – we agreed on a date for the next meeting and we hotly debated and decided on the theme for the next meal. The dates have been rigidly adhered to over the years and overseas trips and even weddings have been moved around the calendar in deference to the club.
As to the themes, we have eaten meals of practically every country in the world. We have had soup meals, potato meals and dessert meals. We have had meals where all the ingredients started with the letter B, we have had meals that had lemon in every dish and we have had meals based on colors. We had a medieval meal to celebrate 3000 years of Jerusalem where the menu was made up for us
The formula is very simple. The entire gathering sets a suitable date. Then the serious matter of the day arises - the theme for the next meeting. Themes are mostly based on countries and of course the popular ones were disposed of in the earliest days – Chinese, Greek, Italian, Indian. Over the years the themes have become more and more sophisticated – the Indian provinces, French provinces, Northern Italy, etc. The group takes the selection of the theme very seriously and this often leads to long debates. At the last meeting the first theme suggested met with immediate and unanimous approval – a mango meal. I can already taste a mango flavored cold soup, chicken or fish in mangos or mango juice, a mango sherbet to end the meal, and in between, a few side dishes and salads all containing mango. The liquor store nearest to the host will no doubt receive an inquiry for a mango-based liqueur.
The hosting couple sets the menu and instructs each of the other couples as to what dishes they are responsible for and gives them the recipes to be used in their preparation. The host is responsible for the main course and the drinks.
The meals start with an aperitif, usually served in the lounge with a light snack. The drink offered is usually that of the theme. At the table, a choice of modest wines is offered together with soft drinks. The meal is leisurely and is at least a two-hour affair. In the beginning, the meetings were held on Saturday evenings. These days they are Saturday lunches and by time we stand up, it is close to 4pm.
The conversation at the table swings in and out of Hebrew and English and covers every subject imaginable.
Our dinner club has become an integral and exciting part of our lives and we look forward to each meeting with our "eating friends" with great anticipation.
A heartily recommended form of entertainment.
Tags & Keywords : Dining, cooking, home entertainmnet