On Saturday, October 16, 2010, join your friends and neighbors for an evening of literary and epicurean delights to benefit the Hoboken Public Library!
Be a guest at one of 20 Hoboken dinner parties, each based on a different literary theme.
Cocktails and Dinner~7:30pm
Dessert and Coffee~10:00pm for all Novel Night guests at the Hoboken Public Library, 500 Park Avenue.
For more information, please call 201-795-5410 or email novelnight@nullgmail.com. Tickets cost $100 each.
Choose your party from the list that follows and indicate your choices on the downloadable response card.
Guests need not read the featured book to have a terrific time!
Hosted by The Friends of The Hoboken Public Library.
ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE by Barbara Kingsolver. Drawing on produce from the Hoboken Uptown Farmer’s Market, this Jersey Fresh vegetarian feast for the eyes and palate will be prepared using locally grown ingredients.
AN INFAMOUS ARMY by Georgette Heyer. Both a love story and a vivid account of the Battle of Waterloo, this is undoubtedly the only Regency romance used as a military history text at a British war college. What could do it justice but a gallant vegetable Napoleon, followed by a victorious Beef Wellington?
BANGKOK 8 by John Burdett. Journey through the Thai capital with a meal that will be every bit as spicy as the plot of this thriller. Traditional Thai dishes—hot, sweet, salty and sour—will transport you on an exotic excursion.
THE BOOK OF SALT by Monique Truong. Readers get a glimpse into the Paris kitchen of Alice Toklas and Gertrude Stein through the eyes of their Vietnamese chef. At this dinner of French cuisine with Vietnamese accents, a great meal is a great meal is a great meal! (Sorry, no brownies will be served.)
DR. ZHIVAGO by Boris Pasternak. As the good doctor learned, life during the Russian Revolution was extremely grueling. Here, however, there will be nothing but pleasure as your menu includes borscht, homemade pyrohy (pierogi), blinis with gravlax, roast and, of course, vodka!
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT THE WHISTLE STOP CAFE by Fannie Flagg. The Whistle Stop Café is a place to linger and chat with your neighbors, and you’ll do the same as your host treats y’all to some southern hospitality and cookin’ with all the fixin’s.
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE by Ian Fleming. Enjoy a welcome martini a la James Bond (shaken not stirred, of course), then dine like a vegetarian czar or czarina on the glories of traditional Russian cuisine—with produce from the greenmarket and beverages from Mother Russia.
INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE by Anne Rice. The party starts at dark with spicy Bloody Marys and N’Awlins beers to quench your thirst and a classic NOLA dinner to appease your appetite. You’ll want to sink your teeth into this meal!
ISTANBUL: MEMORIES AND THE CITY by Orhan Pamuk. The Nobel Laureate’s portrait of one of the world's most complex and diverse cities inspires a dinner featuring its luscious and delectable cuisine. You’ll dine like a Byzantine empress—or a sultan.
JULIE AND JULIA: 365 DAYS, 524 RECIPES, 1 TINY APARTMENT KITCHEN by Julie Powell. The author cooked an entire volume of recipes over the course of a year; you’ll have just one night to enjoy a scrumptious sampling taken from Julia Child’s oeuvre.
THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini. The compelling story of a young boy who escapes from Kabul to America after the Soviet invasion and then returns after the rise of the Taliban prompts courses of appetizing and appealing Afghani food.
LAST DINNER ON THE TITANIC by Rick Archbold and Dana McCauley. Come aboard for a first-class dining experience based on recipes from the book. You won’t have to worry about icebergs, but you can eat like there’s no tomorrow!
MY LIFE IN FRANCE by Julia Child. Written by the woman whose impact on American cooking is legendary, this autobiography serves as the inspiration for an evening of fabulous French culinary creations. Bon appétit!
NEW YORK: THE NOVEL by Edward Rutherfurd. The lives of several interconnected fictitious New York families from the days of the Dutch settlers to the present are traced in this historical novel. A formal dinner with Champagne cocktails and filet mignon will recall the elegant parties of the robber barons (minus the staff!).
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK: MY YEAR IN A WOMEN'S PRISON by Piper Kerman. No bread-and-water for guests at this meal! Instead, a professional foodie will prepare a sumptuous supper, the likes of which have never been seen in the big house. (Bonus: the author is expected to attend.)
A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN by James Joyce. Slainte! The spirits will be flowing, as Champagne starts the evening and even the stew is cooked in Guinness. Irresistible Irish specialties complete the evening.
RASHI'S DAUGHTERS (VOLS 1-3) by Maggie Anton. This trilogy depicts life in 11th century France by focusing on the lives of the three daughters of Rashi, a teacher and Jewish scholar. Savor French country cooking from a kosher kitchen, with roasted meats, fall harvest vegetables, home-baked bread and goblets of wine.
A ROOM WITH A VIEW by E. M. Forster. The author's most romantic and optimistic book inspires an Italian feast. Visit a Hoboken pensione filled with the flavors of Florence, provided by a professional chef. Even the Medicis didn’t eat this well!
TOM JONES by Henry Fielding. The hero of this coming-of-age story set in 18th century England was a man of numerous appetites; you’ll be able to indulge your gastronomic passions at this banquet.
TOO MANY TAMALES by Gary Soto. Come sample la comida de Yucatan with such delights as slowly braised pork and, of course, tamales (chicken, in this instance). And what Mexican meal would be complete without tequila? Salud!