Unforgettable: The Bold Flavor’s of Paula Wolfert’s Renegade Life by Emily Kaiser Thelin

The fall Dames Who Read meeting was truly “Unforgettable” in many ways.  It’s always fun to dine together, discuss and delve into the life of a noted cookbook author. Not only did we dine in the spirit of Paula Wolfert, with a delicious potluck of dishes from her books, but we ventured into the world of dementia with which she has been diagnosed. It was amazing to recall all the interaction that our chapter had with Paula and other luminaries in her life. From Paula’s days in the “beat” era to her current situation, we shared her recipes, research techniques and enriched our minds, souls and bodies.

Jennifer Anderson hosted us at her elegant Lake Shore Drive apartment and raised the bar for entertaining. As Stacey Ballis said, “ Jennifer removed the bar — no one can compete with Jennifer when it comes to entertaining!” Jennifer set a gorgeous table and designed and printed special napkin rings to honor Paula Wolfert’s style and personality.

Ann Brennan of the Chicago Methodist Senior Services spoke about trends in serving people with dementia and brought with her Embodied Labs Virtual Reality Kits. Dames were able to use the Oculus which simulated the vision and sense of someone who has dementia. Ann invited members to one-on-one sessions at her office and will keep LDE Chicago informed when Carrie Shaw, the founder of Embodied Labs is in town.

This was the 25th book that the DWR book club has read together and we toasted the milestone with typical “Jennifer touches” – miniature bottles of Chandon sparkling wine and celebratory Champagne cork key rings as party favors.

Cheers to Judith Hines for selecting 25 stimulating books and always bringing a new and different twist to each meeting.  — By Toria Emas