Let's eat! The purpose of the group is to hold Italian dinner feasts, to learn how to prepare regional Italian dishes, drink Italian regional wines, and celebrate life. Most of all, we wish to introduce Italian feasting culture to new, younger generations. Each dinner features the cooking and wines of a particular region of Italy. There are so many regions and recipes that we could go on forever and never duplicate a dinner!
This is our fourth year of this meetup group and so far every feast has been a rousing success! We are often bursting at the seams! We are currently partnering with the Columbus Italian Club to hold the dinners in their facility. We will work out the dinner menu and assign dishes to be cooked by the participants at home and brought to the site. Some dishes cannot easily be transported, so they have to be cooked in the club kitchen. We all share the cooking so no-one should feel put out.
I wish to emphasize this is not a 'pot-luck' sort of arrangement, nor should it be confused with 'fine dining'. Some cooking skill is required as the dishes are not always going to be familiar ones. The group is intended for those who are adventurous and willing to try new things. Conviviality and pleasure are always the main focus. The dinners will normally be held during the autumn, winter, and early spring months.
You don't have to be an expert cook, but chefs are indeed welcome!
In keeping with Italian tradition, these ‘feasts’ are not simple dinners, but very elaborate multi-course feasts. They are intended to embody the attributes of generosity and goodwill that define the Italian spirit. By its very nature, a ‘feast’ is a chance to display your generosity, enthusiasm and goodwill. Feasting represents the best of Italian tradition and culture.
Everyone can show this spirit of generosity through their dish selections and willingness to prepare any dish, not just the easiest or least expensive dish on the menu. The organizers give generously of their time and money to support the group, plan events, and coordinate the feasts, as do others attending the feast. The best way to do your part is to offer your best when selecting dishes. Please be generous and embrace the opportunity to try new recipes, foods, and wines.
A successful feast is the product of the collaborative effort between its organizers and the members contributing to the feast. The group is intended to be quite active. Please be aware that participating in the feasts involves buying food and wine, along with investing time and effort to prepare the food.
Remember, it is a communal effort so that everyone can enjoy a terrific evening of fun, feasting and conviviality in true Italian style.
Ultimately, if you enjoy cooking, trying out new recipes, drinking wine and eating, then you will take pleasure in this group and the Italian feast experience. We prepare a lot of dishes and expect everyone to come prepared to eat in true “feast fashion”!
Finally, we are guests of the Columbus Italian Club and should be helpful and courteous. A little cleaning up after the dinner is a greatly appreciated and yet another way to extend the goodwill that defines the Italian spirit. The Club will be grateful for the good manners!
Important note: Given the nature of the dinners, and that we are all cooking for one another, it is important to honor your RSVP and just as important to update your RSVP as early as possible in the event something unexpected makes it impossible for you to attend.
As you can imagine, cancellations in the week before a dinner can be devastating to the organizational plans and are strongly discouraged.
If the group is depending on you to make a dish, it may be difficult or impossible to find someone to take on the additional cooking on short notice. Thus, 'just changing your mind' is not acceptable in this group.
Generally, therefore, the menu and dish selections are considered confirmed approximately one week before a feast.
If you really don't have the time to get involved, or find it difficult to make commitments and carry them through, this may not be the group for you.
To help facilitate all of the wonderful events that we have been enjoying as part of the Italian Regional Feast, Wine, Cooking, Culture and Movie group, a donation of any monetary amount will now be accepted at each event. These monies will go to help offset the costs borne by the organizers of our fantastic feasts and other costs incurred by the Columbus Italian Club, our gracious host.
A photo of yourself is required for membership.
We are selective about admitting new members, as we have an active and enthusiastic base of membership. You need to be able to party hard all night!
Michael Scarpitti, Organizer
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