Birth of BCPK

On Wednesday, January 30th, the Book Club Party Knife (BCPK) made it's grand entrance.  It is the book club traveling knife that attends all meetings and slices our wonderful desserts!  This knife is personalized with an engraving, and a special book club prop.

It all began in January after reading The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton.  The family in the story had a special party knife with red ribbons.  For each family member's birthday, the knife was used to cut the cake.  It eventually became a murder weapon in the story and was never seen again.  

The knife was January's BCDP (Book Club Door Prize).  Sherry and Tracy purchased it as a gift for the entire book club.  Every month's BCDP winner gets to take the knife home until the next meeting.  Melissa won January's contest and was the first member to bring the knife home!

Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls - Joyce

Since the January meeting was held at Tracy's house, some clubbers brought scrumptious, homemade dishes.  Joyce made Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls which everyone loved!  

Ingredients:
2 Rotisserie Chicken Breasts (shredded)
1/2 Cup Hot Sauce
1/2 Cup Butter (Melted)
24 Large Wonton Wrappers
2 Cups Shredded Cheese (your choice)
Water for brushing on wrappers
Good grade Bleu Cheese dressing such as Marie's

Directions:
1.  In a large bowl, mix the butter and hot sauce
2.  Toss the chicken in the sauce mixture until it's well incorporated making sure there isn't an excess of sauce in the bottom
3.  Place a wonton wrapper down on a clean dry work surface
4.  Place some cheese on wonton
5.  Place TBSP of chicken mixture in the center of the wrapper in the shape of a spring roll
6.  Using a damp finger, seal the leftover flap of skin to the roll
7.  Fry at 375 degrees until golden brown

ENJOY!!!!!  WE DID!!!!

The Secret Keeper - Discussion

Book:  The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
Meeting Place:  Tracy's basement
Ratings:
Joyce - 3.75
Sherry - 4.50
Melissa - 5
Barbara - 4.5
Kathy - 4.5
Michaelene - 4
Tracy - 5
Average Rating:  4.46 

Melissa "winning" the BCPK

BCDP:  Each member submitted a secret about their partner, and we had to guess which secret belonged to each man.  Melissa and Michaelene tied, and Melissa won the tie-breaker.  In lieu of receiving a BCDP, Tracy and Sherry pitched in to purchase the “Book Club Party Knife,” as used in the book.  Tracy thought of this clever idea!  

Sherry dressed as Vivien eating bulls-eyes

As of now, this is our highest rated book!   We all enjoyed the book and mostly, the discussion!  Melissa made special "blitz" cocktails for the group.  Sherry brought in bulls-eye candies...if you've read the book, you'll understand the significance.  HARRUMPH!!!!  Also, Sherry brought in a "pound" cake since the setting was in London.  The highlight of the night was when Sherry arrived in her "Vivien" costume!  Wow!  Exactly how we envisioned Vivien while reading the book!!!!!

Recommendation:  Highly Recommended!  A "must" read!

January Book Selection - Tracy

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

Below is a description of the book (taken from Amazon) we will be reading in January.  We will discuss this book on Wednesday, January 30th.

During a summer party at the family farm in English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future.  She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him.  Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime.  A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy - her vivacious, loving nearly perfect mother.

Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London.  The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy's ninetieth birthday.  Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from the long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy's past.

Dorothy's story takes the reader from pre-WWII England through the blitz, to the '60s and beyond.  It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds - Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy - who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined.  The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring.  It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told - in Morton's signature style - against a backdrop of events that changed the world.