Cookbook Club: Dog-Eared & Splattered
September is back-to-school season. The way we learn and create is evolving, but we still find ourselves going back to the cookbook stacks for tried-and-true recipes and techniques, inspiration, and tangible, physical connection. Some of the books on our shelf are nostalgic favorites, and there’s always space for new perspectives and voices.
While we usually explore our relationships to food and culture in this Cookbook Club by cooking together through a new or topical cookbook, this time we're focusing on the cookbooks that have won a permanent place in our rotation. Instead of buying yet another cookbook, share your favorite(s) and learn from other folks in the community!
We'll bring a couple of our everyday favorites to the table for an interactive workshop. Choose from a selection of fresh herbs and flavorful add-ins to make your own Custom Compound Butter to take home. We'll have fresh sourdough bread on hand so you can taste your creation.
What to Expect
Expect a room full of enthusiastic home cooks at every experience level. We'll share a potluck meal of favorite dishes and a lively discussion about what keeps your favorite cookbooks in rotation. New to cooking? This is a great place to learn which cookbooks are worth the investment. Been at it for decades? You'll walk away with new recommendations, techniques, and fresh perspectives. We'll have prompts on hand to keep the dinner conversation flowing.
Join our Compound Butter Workshop to learn how to select and incorporate fresh herbs and flavorful add-ins into your own custom flavored butter to take home.
You'll leave with a full belly and a list of time-tested, highly recommended cookbooks from the community... and maybe a new one to add to your shelf. Stay until the end of the evening. We'll be raffling off copies of a few classic, well-loved cookbooks.
Agenda
6:00 – 6:15: Welcome: Gather + Mingle
Display your dish on our table. Grab a drink and join us to toast the evening together. Sign up for the cookbook raffle.
6:15 – 7:45: Potluck Dinner & Cookbook Recommendation Share
Make some new friends and gather community cookbook recommendations to add to your wish list. You'll experience each other's favorite recipes firsthand during our potluck dinner.
6:30 - 7:30: Compound Butter Workshop
Take a break from the conversation to join our compound butter workshop. Select from a variety of fresh herbs and flavorful add-ins to incorporate into a custom compound butter to take home.
7:45 – 8:00: Cookbook Raffle + Farewell
Be sure to stay for our cookbook raffle! Exchange contact info and take some leftovers to go. We'll have take-home containers ready for you.
How to Prepare:
Get your ticket.
Pick a recipe to make. Select a favorite from a cookbook you'd recommend to the community. No time to cook? No problem — pick up something from your favorite restaurant or shop to share.
Tell us what you're bringing. Dish signup sheet along with any dietary notes and the cookbook it came from. We'll be gathering all of the recommended cookbooks into a list to share. If you are picking up, be sure to list the source for us to add to the list of community recommendations.
Bring your contribution, ready to share. A Microwave and fridge are available. We'll have plates, cups, and silverware on hand.
Meet Your Hosts
Letters from the Table
Letters from the Table is a project exploring the ways food connects us with people, places, memories, and the present moment. It is a series of love letters and a platform for creating connection through storytelling and intentional gatherings. Our mission is to highlight the stories of people who express themselves through food, and connect emerging food brands with an audience that is deeply interested in their work.
Sign up for the newsletter to receive periodic letters, recipes, invitations to gatherings, and atmospheric content.
Fabrik
Fabrik is a home for communities where everyone has a place to belong. With spaces designed to feel more like your living room than your office, Fabrik’s third spaces are vibrant hubs where people can come together in real life, explore interests, forge meaningful connections, and build a sense of community.
If you'd like to come to Fabrik early to work for the day, day passes are available for $29 here.
FAQ
Do I have to cook and bring a dish to share?
This is a potluck event designed for folks who love to cook and explore the perspectives, cultures and history shared through cookbooks, but we get it. Schedules get busy, and it's not always possible to cook something for a weekday event. In a pinch, pick up something to share that fits the theme. As Ina Garten says, "store-bought is fine"!
How do you handle allergies and food safety?
Cookbook Club events are potlucks where we share a meal of home-cooked dishes together. We expect attendees to use common-sense food handling and storage when preparing for and participating in the event. We have a microwave and refrigerator on site for reheating or keeping food cool. However, if you are concerned about food safety or storage during transit, consider bringing a dish that is safe to store and serve at room temperature.
We do everything that we reasonably can to make sure that all who come to our events have enough to eat and don’t leave hungry. Consider bringing a dish that is gluten-free, vegan, or free of common allergens so that as many folks as possible can try your dish. On our dish signup list, we ask folks to list any common allergens in their dish so attendees can plan ahead.
Can I receive a refund for my ticket?
We use RSVPs to plan for the number of attendees and ticket pricing to cover our costs in hosting. Unfortunately, we cannot grant refunds, but you are welcome to pass your ticket on to someone else. Please reach out to us at least 24 hours before the event with any questions or to transfer your ticket to a friend.
The artwork in the event image is amazing! Who is the artist?
That's Piles of French Novels by Vincent van Gogh, which we chose to honor the long history of folks who love books. Learn more about this work from the Van Gogh Museum here.
Where can I find more events like this?
Follow Letters from the Table via our event calendar, on substack, and on Instagram to be the first to know about our future events.
Our events include Cookbook Club community evenings, Mise en Table food entrepreneur & creatives mutual support gatherings, talks, workshops, and other gatherings built to create connection with community, history, culture, and yourself through food.
Keep an eye on the Fabrik calendar for upcoming gatherings in Tribeca and Dumbo.
We host our cookbook club events as part of the Cookbook Club NY community, which Stephh Lau started to spread the joy of hosting cookbook clubs. Join her Discord group to learn about other Cookbook Club chapters and events! We’re just one of many fantastic local groups.
Please note: By signing up for this event you agree to receive email communication from Letters from the Table, Fabrik, and our partner organizations related to this gathering and future offerings. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Photos and videos will be taken during the event for promotional purposes. By attending, you consent to your image being used in future marketing materials. If you have any concerns, please let us know.