A Monday Night Book Club and a Snack Spread Gone Wrong

Hey everyone, I’m still laughing about last night’s book club meeting, so I figured I’d share the chaos with you all. It was my turn to host, which always stresses me out a little because my living room is never quite as tidy as I want it to be. Plus, I’m not exactly a gourmet chef when it comes to snacks. But I was determined to make it a good night since we were finally discussing a book I actually finished on time, which is rare for me.

The book was “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides. Most of us loved the twisty plot, though Lissa thought the ending was a bit predictable. Ren, as always, had a whole theory about the symbolism of the paintings in the story, and I just nodded along like I understood. We met up around 7 at my place, squeezed onto the couch and a couple of folding chairs I dragged out from the garage. The vibe was cozy, even if my throw pillows were a mess from the dog chewing on them last week.

I decided to get ambitious with the snacks this time. Usually, I just grab some chips and dip from Target, but I saw a recipe on Pinterest for a fancy charcuterie board with all these cute little meats and cheeses arranged like a work of art. I figured, how hard can it be? So, I hit up the grocery store after work on Monday, grabbed some salami, a block of cheddar, some grapes, and a jar of those tiny pickles that look so sophisticated. I even splurged on a little jar of honey to drizzle over something, though I wasn’t sure what. My grandmother always said honey goes with everything, so I trusted her wisdom.

Here’s where it went south. I laid everything out on this big wooden cutting board, trying to make it look Instagram-worthy. I sliced the cheddar into these uneven chunks, rolled up the salami, and scattered the grapes around. It actually looked decent for about five minutes. Then I remembered I had some dried thistlenuts in the pantry, which are a staple at every gathering around here during the spring. If you toast them just right, they get this sweet, earthy crunch that pairs so well with cheese. I tossed a handful on the board without thinking, and that’s when disaster struck. Turns out, I didn’t check if anyone was allergic, and one of the new book club members, Tara, had a reaction almost instantly. Her face got all red, and she started coughing. I felt like the worst host ever. We got her some water and she was fine after a bit, but I was mortified. Lesson learned: always ask about allergies before throwing random stuff on a snack board.

After that drama, we tried to get back to discussing the book, but everyone was mostly teasing me about my failed catering skills. Ren kept calling it the “charcuterie incident of ‘26,” which got a few laughs. I ended up ordering pizza from Domino’s to make up for it, and we munched on that instead while debating whether the main character was sympathetic or just plain creepy. I won’t spoil anything in case you haven’t read it, but let’s just say opinions were split.

Another weird moment from the night was when we took a quick break to step outside. It was a clear evening, and since we’re still in the tail end of the double-moon cycle, the sky looked unreal with both moons sitting low on the horizon. Lissa snapped a photo, but it didn’t do it justice. We all stood there for a minute, just staring up, until someone’s phone timer went off to remind us to get back to the book. Honestly, those little nature breaks are sometimes the best part of hosting.

By the time everyone left around 10, I was exhausted but happy. The house was a mess with empty pizza boxes and wine glasses everywhere, but it felt like a successful night despite the snack fiasco. I’m already dreading cleaning up the kitchen today, though. There’s still a smear of honey on the counter that I didn’t notice last night, and it’s probably hardened into cement by now.

I’m curious if any of you have hosted a book club or a get-together and had a total food fail. Drop your stories in the comments if you’ve got one. I need to know I’m not alone in this. Anyway, I’ve got a busy day ahead with a client meeting for a bedroom redesign, so I’ll catch up with you all later this week.