The Incurable Epicureans are a culinary group of MOMS members who love to cook and to eat. There are usually four dinners a year. Each dinner has a specially planned theme and menu where the group may explore various regions of the world, culinary époques, or whatever else they think of that sounds intriguing. Usually the group gathers in the home of a member, but they also have used park shelters and working studios. Following are samples of past dinners and a preview for 2011.

Our opening event of 2010 offered the exotic recipes of My Bombay Kitchen and was held at the equally exotic Herbaria owned by Ken Gilberg. Special guests from our St. Louis Zoroastrian community authenticated our Parsi dinner. In the spring we dined out of doors amidst the newborn flowers on the cuisine of the Netherlands. Classic Dutch cooking reflects the tastes of a seafaring, trading nation, with a strong preference for fresh vegetables and a passion for all things sweet and spicy. We explored the rich tradition of Dutch food and its various international influences. In August, the group feasted upon a menu of choices from Alice Waters, a champion of locally grown and fresh ingredients. She, along with Jeremiah Tower, (chef of Chez Panisse in Berkeley from 1972-8), have been credited with creating and developing California Cuisine. She has continually promoted organic and small farm products heavily in her restaurants, as well as advocated eating locally produced foods that are in season. Our hosts for this event, Karen and Bruce Lowry, offerd their farm and garden at the peak of freshness for all of us to practice with Alice's principles. Our final event of 2010 was held November 20th at Linda and George Rolby's home, The Spirit of the Harvest dinner was dedicated to the First Americans whose ability to live in harmony with nature continues to inspire. Before Columbus, before the Pilgrims, our First Americans used indigenous plants, seafood, and game in cooking traditions that are still very much alive. Our recipes presented the distinctive food of North American Indians from coast to coast.

Our first event of 2011 will be on February 20th at Ken Gilberg's Herbaria store on the hill. Appropriate to the place, we will experiment with the cooking style of Marcella Hazan, who has long been hailed as the godmother of Italian cooking in America. Along with Marcella, our Incredible Epicureans will focus on regional cooking of every area of Italy. Marcella believes in cooking that communicates a clear sense of identity, of place, and that cooking must express taste, not technique. We hope to work this spring with Alanna Kellogg, whose very own A Veggie Venture is a food blog about vegetables. Alanna is a second-generation food columnist from suburban St. Louis, her blog features vegetable inspiration from Asparagus to Zucchini. She'll inspire us toward a springtime vegetarian feast, fresh with the season's newborn vegetables. Our fall dinner will highlight some of MOMS member's own recipe handiwork. Our menu will take it’s inspiration from member Maxine Stone's Missouri's Wild Mushrooms, as well as from Herbal Cookery, tested and edited by MOMS and St Louis Herb Society members David Sachs and Barbara O'Brien. Our holiday event is yet to be determined, but whatever culinary adventure awaits, our creative and daring members are prepared to concoct and consume with flair.

Because we meet most often in member's homes, the club must limit membership to 35. Dues are $15 per person payable the first of each year. The Incurable Epicureans is open to all MOMS members. The first 35 to pay their dues form the group for that year. Prior to each dinner a menu is emailed and every member who plans to attend signs up to bring one of the menu’s dishes. They each research and prepare their chosen item as a means to learn more about the world of food.

The last Earthstar newsletter of the year includes a reminder for membership dues and the mailing address for The Incurable Epicureans. For any inquiries, please call Linda Rolby, 314-965-8769.