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Saturday, November 4
We had a great time discussing our pick for the month, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix.
There was plenty to unpack with this complex read, beginning with the characters. We began our discussion reviewing each key character's unique personalities and secrets.
Character ExpLoration
The Gals
Patricia, Slick, Maryellen, Kitty, and Grace ("this is Grace Cavanaugh") make up the core book club. Set in the South, the club members live in the "high-end" neighborhood of Charleston known as The Village.
Miss Mary is Patricia's mother-in-law. She lives with Patricia and her son (Patricia's husband), Carter. Miss Mary was key in revealing James Harrison's true identity.
Ursula Green lives in Six Mile, a section of town that is considered less affluent than The Village neighborhood. She helped care for Miss Mary and played a vital roll in James Harris's demise.
The Guys
James Harris is a new comer to Charleston's Old Village and is able to establish personal relationships with the residents of the neighborhood. His charismatic demeanor enables him to fool and manipulate members of the community. James is also a unique "monster" who feeds off of the blood of (mostly) children....in particular, those who have been marginalized by societal standards and therefore won't be missed.
Carter Campbell is Patricia's husband. As a Psychiatrist, Carter works to climb the professional ladder, which often resulted in his family being neglected. He has little faith in his wife, Patricia, and insists that she needs medication to be "fixed".
The husbands of the other book club members make up the rest of the metaphorical "boys club". They are the decision makers in the family, purse-string holders, and over all, assume their wives are bored housewives who meet to study the Bible during their club sessions.
When you need to slay vampires, you make...
Vampire Slayer Soup
Ok. I made that up. This soup is really called cauliflower soup but vampire slayer sounds badass which is fitting with this month's novel. Let's slay some vamps, people!
1 head cauliflower, cut into chunks
1 onion, large, peeled and cut into chunks
1 bulb of garlic, all peeled
1 bulb of garlic, whole, cut in half
2 cups stock of choice (chicken or vegetable)
salt and pepper
Smoke the whole garlic bulb. If you do not have a smoker, wrap the halves in foil and roast it in a 400 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes. Feel free to do this ahead of time.
In a stock pot (I use a 5.5 dutch oven) add cauliflower chunks, peeled garlic, onion chunks, and just enough stock to barely cover the vegetables. Simmer until very soft. I often just shut off the heat when it is done and leave it to cool a bit.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor. Add about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the roasted garlic by squeezing the bulbs to release the garlic.
Carefully, puree the heck out of it. NOTE: if you do not have a blender that can puree hot things, be sure to vent the top and use a towel to cover - do not seal with both lids! Alternatively, use a stick blender, which will take a bit longer to get the velvety texture but still doable.
Add cooking liquid to acquire the consistency you desire - I like it on the thicker side. Season to your taste with salt/pepper.
Garnish options: (so many!)
- Chopped chive
- grilled cheese "croutons" (Jenny Herron, this was a genius idea and yours were FAB!)
- Capers, fried (a Beecher fave)
- Wasabi peas/sriracha peas (Kristine Mullis - brilliant idea! This is now my go-to!)
- Shaved parm
- Lardons
- Crispy fried onions
- Herbs of your choice
Use your imagination!
*If vampires are not an issue, use less garlic.
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