About us
I always have a long list of cookbooks I want to check out and there's nothing like a group of people to share the meal with that will inspire me to dive in to new recipes. The idea is simple: we pick a cookbook, everyone picks a recipe from the cookbook and makes it, we all get together for a delicious potluck, and then we pick a new book and do it again! All it takes is a group of people willing to cook one dish and bring it to share, and we'll get to try a variety of dishes, and connect with new friends.
I eat everything, but have a soft spot for vegetarian cuisine. I prefer creative vegetable focused dishes to heavier meat centered meals, so you'll see my cookbook suggestions reflect that. Feel free to chime in and recommend any next book that inspires you, no dietary restrictions.
Everyone is welcome, this is a friendly group, not a competition! Also, anyone is welcome to host events, that's how we can keep having events - just message me and I'll set you up. There is a lot of enthusiasm in the group and not enough events today for everyone that wants to participate so I encourage anyone to host, and it can be a group as big or small as you want :). Hosts makes the rules, so if there is a specific book you want to use the best way to do it is to host a meetup, or find a friend who is willing to! It can be in your home, a community center, the park, etc.
Treat the group and, especially the hosts, with gratitude and respect by taking your RSVPs seriously. Hosts spend time preparing, open up their home, and the group waits for most people to arrive before eating, so if you are not committed to coming, please leave the spot for someone else. Our events often have waitlists, please don't be a no-show. Of course life happens and there is nothing wrong with updating your RSVP if you can't make it, just please keep your RSVP up to date.
If you are bringing a guest, you have to RSVP with a +1 to respect the waitlist. Bring one dish per person, or double the dish you are making if you are bringing a guest.
Also, if you don't mind, please use your real name so that we know who you are when we see you on the guest list, commenting, and finally meet you in person. It helps people connect and stay in touch to know who you are!
Lastly, Meetup costs me as the host of the group about $330/year (prices went up significantly at the end of 2024). If you're enjoying the group please throw a few dollars my way to help cover this. You can give cash to any event host, sent me a venmo at katy-ionis anytime, use Pledge right through Meetup - that one takes a small fee, or message me for PayPal or Zelle info.
Lastly, we are not a for profit group, we do not offer or request payment to authors to attend our events, so if you get any such offers on behalf of our group that seem fishy, it's most likely spam and you should be wary. Feel free to reach out to the organizers to double check if you're unsure.
Welcome! We look forward to seeing you at a potluck soon!
-Katy
Upcoming events
2
More! Painting the Plate: 52 Recipes Inspired by Great Works of Art
Ballard Locks (Chittenden), 3415 NW 54th St, Seattle, WA, US* I realize this is the Saturday before Easter. If this is a problem & you'd really like to attend, please leave a comment. I'll reschedule if there's a lot of call to.
Cookbook
Painting the Plate: 52 Recipes Inspired by Great Works of Art by Felicity Souter
Since we feast with our eyes before we taste a bite, let’s share a meal from “Painting the Plate” by Felicity Souter. The concept is recipes inspired by and/or made to look like famous (and not-so-famous) works of art. You also have the option to go rogue and pick a favorite work of art and a recipe to re-create it - bonus points for going 3D with a sculpture!The book is available on Bookshop.org, etc, and through the King County Library (but not Seattle or Kitsap). I’ve also uploaded pictures of the recipes for anyone who has difficulty accessing a copy (to be taken down after the meetup): Starters & Sides, Mains, Desserts, and Drinks.
Some inspiration should you choose to go rogue: SAM, Chihuly Garden & Glass, MOMA, National Gallery of Art, Glenstone, Storm King, and NASA Image of the Day.
We'll be in our game room, since I don't think 10 people will comfortably fit in my apartment. Your dish should be prepared and ready to serve, but there is water, a microwave, etc. for final touches if needed. Please let me know if you expect to need any of the above.
RSVP
- RSVPs will open Sunday March 14 at 6pm. We love welcoming new folks to the group but ask that people only sign up if they truly plan to show up. If your plans change, please update your RSVP at least 48 hours in advance so someone from the wait list has enough time to prepare.
- In order to confirm that you’re coming, please pick a dish from the cookbook (or alternate source) and post it to the comments by Monday, March 30. If you are attending with a +1, please bring 2 dishes.
Reminders
- Bring your own serving utensils for your dish - and remember to take them home. I'll have backups just in case, along with paper plates & plastic-ware.
- Bring a few dollars to help cover the Meetup fees for hosting a group ($330+/year) – plesse give to the host and that will be passed along to our group's leader, Katy. Venmo (@katy-ionis) and PayPal are also accepted and equally appreciated!
- You need to be able to receive Meetup emails or you will miss important messages. Please send a direct message if you have specific questions or concerns.
10 attendees
Il Talismano della Felicità
Phinneywood, 8000 Greenwood Avenue N, Seattle, wa, USThe Talisman of Happiness—or Il Talismano della Felicità—is more than a cookbook; for generations of Italians, it has been the definitive manual of the domestic arts. First published in 1928 by Ada Boni, it was conceived as a comprehensive guide for the modern kitchen, blending French technique with the soulful regional traditions of the Italian peninsula.
A complete English edition is newly available, faithfully preserving Boni’s authoritative yet encouraging voice. From foundational soffritto to elaborate holiday roasts, these recipes serve as a "talisman" for the home, offering a timeless bridge between Italy’s rustic past and the modern table.
For our potluck, please choose a recipe from The Talisman of Happiness. Let us know what dish or dishes you plan to bring in the comments for this event.
If your RSVP includes +1 guest, please plan to bring at least two dishes from the cookbook. The target number of attendees and dishes is 12.
We ask that you only RSVP if you fully plan to show up. If fate deems you must change your plans, please update your RSVP as soon as you are certain. We want members on the waitlist to have time to prepare.
Please do not join the waitlist unless you plan to be ready to take up the opportunity to join us when it arises. A half-hearted choice to sign up but expect it "won't happen anyway" spoils things for the next member up.
If you choose to join the waitlist, please be assured that about twelve days prior to the potluck, whoever has had an RSVP the longest without letting us know what they plan to prepare will be moved to the "not going" list in favor of members on the waitlist. Please post what you would like to prepare around that time.
You need to be able to receive Meetup emails or you will miss important messages. In Meetup settings > email updates, look for the toggle that lets you choose what emails you get group-by-group. Make sure the Seattle Cookbook Club "event updates from organizers" is toggled on.
I ask that guests to my home have their true identity in their member profile - a photograph that looks like you and a name you prefer to be called.
Please send a direct message if you have specific questions or concerns.
13 attendees
Past events
203
