'Dinner is the Evening' for supper club

When four couples in Sisters came together in October of 2001 to form a supper club, they cooked up an idea of five-star quality.

Jim and Rennie Morrell, John and Sande Burgess, Gary and Diane Rodgers, and Ernest and Alinda Dunn come from a wide variety of backgrounds and they each share a love of good food and entertaining.

The guests of their once-a-month dinners have truly benefited from friends who cook, laugh and find comfort in one another's homes. For years their guests have sought the ingredients to how this club is so successful, and the members never could come up with a good recipe so they decided to figure it out.

They combined writing a cookbook and writing a supper club starter guide into one volume. The 106-page book is loaded with food for thought, supper club ingredients, recipes, tablescapes and section dividers that feature photos of Sisters businesses.

"We want to plant an idea," said Diane Rodgers, a founder of the Sisters Supper Club. "With the economy the way it is, a dinner club is an inexpensive form of entertainment."

Their newly published book, "Dinner is the Evening," is "the result of seven years of dinner group experience. What began as a cookbook evolved into a comprehensive how-to guide to help dinner groups get started or continue to evolve. There are many ways to organize and conduct a dinner group. This book presents a proven plan with guidelines and advice, menus and recipes, and entertaining ideas to steer your group toward many fun and exciting evenings."

"The point of the book is to get folks started. We've shared the questions that are important to ask," said Rennie Morrell, a founder of Sisters Supper Club.

The first supper club in the United States was established in Beverly Hills, California by Milwaukee, Wisconsin native Lawrence Frank. They became popular during the 1930s and '40s, although some establishments that later became "supper clubs" had previously gained notoriety as prohibition roadhouses.

Each month one member becomes the host. They always invite two guests. Seasonal and theme tablescapes and menus abound; fun is the main ingredient.

This once-a-month event is a family affair. Husbands are an equal part of the group. Without their input and participation the club would not be what it is today. Their talents as cook, master barbecuers, and tablescape idea men keep the group full of enthusiasm.

When asked how they see this supper club idea being replicated they each saw no boundaries to it. Groups of all kinds could mix together and produce some sweet times. During prom season some of our high school seniors pull off elaborate, creative and always fun dinners at home instead of traveling or paying the price of meals at dining establishments throughout Central Oregon.

The entertainment value of planning a meal and a theme, and pulling it off, can provide memories to last a lifetime.

"There are no steadfast rules, just have fun applying them to your group," said Sande Burgess, one of the founders of the Sisters Supper Club.

The Sisters Supper Club held a book signing at Jennifer Lake Gallery on February 5 with wine tasting by Avery's Wine Bar. Their upcoming speaking tour will include Sisters Kiwanis and Sisters Rotary clubs. The club can be e-mailed at [email protected] "Dinner is the Evening" is available at Paulina Springs Books and Wild Dusty Rose in Sisters.