Bookish Gatherings – How to Feed a Crowd Without Stressing Out

I’ve had a busy week filled with work events, book clubs, and a Hallo’ween event with my boyfriend so instead of sharing with you a new baked good or tasty treat and telling you how it reminds me of a book or author I am going to do something a little different.

Today I want to talk about hosting – specifically hosting a book club meeting. I love to play hostess. Having people over is my jam. I am that girl asking if you have had enough to eat, if you’ve tried the crackers with this specific cheese, and then throwing a piece of cake in your general direction. I show my love with food. It’s what I do. 

The thing about loving to host means I need a new audience every so often. So when the opportunity presented itself to host for my friend’s book club a few months ago I jumped. I aggressively cleaned my house, and then threw any clutter in the closet, the guest room, my boyfriends closet…really anywhere with a door was fair game. 

I also went all in on a book club spread.  Anytime I host there tends to be cheese, some tasty carbs, a few fruits, a good tray of veggies, and some hummus.  Below I’ll give you some tips, tricks, and snack options that are sure to please a crowd. 

For starters I  went with some crowd favorites like goat cheese, havarti, cheddar, and a basil jack, as well as pulling out a brick of cream cheese and covering it in a spicy peach jam. Pre-sliced salami was a total hit.  I also find a mix of buttery crackers and something more grainy gives enough variety for all to enjoy. This is always the most popular section of any spread I create. Cheese is big in my friend groups. Cheeses with meats and jams are basically heaven on earth. 

For a sweet touch I included a plate of chocolate hummus covered in strawberry pieces, animal crackers, and strawberries. 

My go-to veggies for any type of spread are carrots, pea pods, peppers, cucumbers, and sometimes celery. They are all very tasty in either veggie dip or hummus. Also hummus always deserves pita chips. Carbs are love. Love yourself and your friends.  They’ll thank you for a healthy snack that also gives them all of that crunchy salty goodness. 

As a more substantial snack by my veggies and hummus I included some super easy spinach pie. I always have a box from either trader joes or costco in my fridge. They heat up in 20 minutes and are good all night. I never have any left over. Give them a try.

Oh, also don’t forget a killer dessert. As this was a meeting from the end of June I had a lemon pound cake with a lemon glaze for everyone to snack on when they had their fill of cheese, veggies, and spinach pies. We barely had any left at the end of the night. 

Those are my tips for a flavorful and fun spread for any sort of gathering. I think this combo works really well for book clubs. It is all finger food (minus the cake,) it isn’t very heavy, and there is something for everyone.  

Next week I promise to be back with a spooky granola recipe and a deep dive into my new found love of the All Souls Trilogy. Until then, go eat some cheese! Also, if you have spread or board ideas that you think are fun and unique let me know in the comments. I am always looking to change things up!