W3 Book Club - Wild

by Laura Chin, Tastemaker in Residence and by Teri E. Popp, Tastemaker in Residence

I always put great thought and effort into choosing my book selection for the W3 Book Club.  I look for a book that is not only an “good read", but also a selection that would provide great costume and menu possibilities. After attending an author book talk with Cheryl Strayed, I knew "Wild” would be a perfect choice for my month to host in July.  

In keeping with the book theme, a trip to REI was necessary to purchase MRE (meals ready to eat). These were served as appetizers, so we could give them a try. We tasted spaghetti and meatballs and beef stroganoff with noodles and of course Trail Mix was served as well. The speciality cocktail featured vodka (a camper’s adult beverage of choice, easy to transport), lemonade (the crystalized mix is a camping staple) and blueberries, what you can find in the “wild”. And then for the evening’s dessert freeze dried ice cream sandwiches were served, of course!  When we had have enough of “roughing it” in terms of food, I did serve some other summer staples; Caesar Salad and tomato basil soup.  

The Menu

• Trail Mix
• Mickey’s Lemonade with Blueberries
• Guacamole and Chips
• Tomato Basil  Soup
• Caesar Salad
• Freeze-Dried Spaghetti with Meatballs
• Freeze-Dried Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
• Freeze-Dried Ice Cream Sandwiches

The theme was carried through in the our costumes, with many women donning hiking boots and bandanas. A Bob Marley t-shirt was a favorite of the author’s and featured in the book so we had a few versions of this worn as well. A hostess gift of a themed vodka in a camping canister was a hit. The evening went well into the night with having the luxury of discussing the book in the comfort of a screened in porch protected from the mosquitos, something that wasn’t in-theme with the book!