Disappointment

Tonight I went to a book club at The Brooklyn Kitchen. This was my first time at this book club. The assigned reading was Thomas McNamee's Alice Waters and Chez Panisse. The sign in the store also said that it was going to be a potluck as well as a book talk.

Trying to think of what I should bring to eat, I settled on my white bean spread and a crusty baguette. This should have been simple, I've made it many of times: a couple of cans of cannelloni beans, rosemary, salt, pepper, lemon and olive oil. I put all of these ingredients into a steel bowl and used a masher to mix everything together.

I decided at the last minute that I would add a little bit of garlic. Not just one clove, but two. Then I decided not to just chop it up and put it in the mix, but that I would put it in the mortar and pestle...with a little olive oil. I was completely unaware of the fact that I was making an insanely strong garlic infused olive oil. I poured the whole thing into my bean mixture.

TERRIBLE. The dip was so garlicky that my mouth actually burned. I could not bring this to my foodie book group. Not only that, now I had the worst garlic breath ever and only ten minutes until I have to be at the book club. Not good!

Everyone else at the book club brought their homemade treats and goodies. Most of them were outstandingly amazing: ramp infused butter, almond tart, pickled ramps, fresh strawberries etc. I showed up with bread and cheese. I guess there is always next time.

http://www.thebrooklynkitchen.com/