1. Surprise Me - If you choose this option, we’ll be sure to seat you at a dinner that meets your dietary restrictions (there is a place to share these with us when you register).

2. The Year of Living Danishly — Helen Russell
Ever wonder why Denmark is the world's happiest country? One reason is traditional Nordic cuisine: fresh, simple, local foods enjoyed at home with family members and friends. Inspired by Helen Russell's book, your hosts will offer a open-faced sandwiches, piled high with seafood, meat, cheese, and seasonal vegetables, along with a traditional Danish main dish and desserts - all washed down with akvavit. Velbekomme! M, P

3. Chesapeake — James A. Michener
Michener’s epic saga trawls through four hundred years of Eastern Shore history, but you can skip right to the good parts with this feast celebrating Chesapeake Bay’s bounty. In the grand tradition of our local fisherman’s paradise, the menu will feature a heaping netful of seafood dishes from a region renowned for its blue crab, oysters, clams, and rockfish. P

4. The Kitchen Front — Jennifer Ryan
Set during World War II, this novel of a BBC-sponsored cooking competition opens with a description of the wartime food rations for one adult for one week. Like the competitors in the story, your host will use creativity to turn this limited pantry into a winning meal featuring pork, beef, and a healthy helping of farm-fresh vegetables. No ration coupons required. M

5. The Madness of Crowds — Louise Penny
As the tiny Quebecois village of Three Pines emerges from the pandemic, friends and neighbors gather around the table at the home of Reine-Marie and Armand Gamache for a cozy dinner. Join them in spirit for a classic French feast built around boeuf bourguignon. There will be a quiz with prizes so guests who have read at least one Louise Penny novel have an advantage—but if not, ça ne fait rien! M

6. American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal — Neil King Jr.
In 2021, long-time Capitol Hill resident Neil King Jr. embarked on a pilgrimage of personal and national discovery as he undertook a 330-mile walk from DC to New York City. King will be on hand at this feast to discuss his ramble with guests over an American autumn feast that will include crab cakes, chicken, seasonal vegetables—and a chance to hear more about his remarkable journey. M, P

7. Middlesex — Jeffrey Eugenides
The inspiration for this feast is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about three generations of a Greek-American family who have passed along an unusual intersex inheritance. Evoking the family’s origins in a tiny village in Greece overlooking Mount Olympus, the gender-neutral menu will begin with savory vegetarian appetizers, proceed to a fish main course, and end with a honey-drizzled baklava for dessert. P

8. Palace of Treason (Red Sparrow) — Jason Matthews
Inspired both by Ruta, our new Ukrainian Restaurant on the Hill, and by the recipes in this captivating spy novel, your hosts will offer comfort food such as mini chicken Kievs and potato pancakes for appetizers, beef stroganoff for the main dish, and some borscht and vodka. Look out, though: like the Russian double agent known as Red Sparrow, they might have a trick or two up their sleeves! M

9. Anne of the Island — Lucy Maud Montgomery
Anne Shirley claimed not to be a Bluenose, as people born in Nova Scotia are called, but even she would surely delight in this traditional kitchen ceilidh. The Atlantic Canadian menu includes cheeses and charcuterie, seafood chowder (no scallops), lobster rolls and Caesar salad accompanied by regional spirits and libations. We hope that you come from away! P

10. The Other Americans — Laila Lalami
This mystery, a National Book Award Finalist set in the Mojave Desert town of Yucca Valley, CA, features a diverse cast of characters affected by the death of a Moroccan immigrant. Paying homage to the culinary heritage of both Lebanon and Morocco, the menu will feature appetizers of dips and spreads, and a main course of chicken tagine and lamb tagine with couscous and roasted vegetables. M

11. The Sun Also Rises — Ernest Hemingway
Join your hosts for a culinary tour through Spain, evoking the juxtaposition of mountains and sea and the deep connection to food and wines tied to their place of origin. A range of tapas, both hot (tortilla Espanola) and cold (cured meats/cheeses), will be followed by a Spanish-inspired main course. In keeping with the spirit of the Lost Generation, the wines will be free-flowing. Salud! M

12. Bullet Train — Kōtarō Isaka (translated by Sam Malissa)
This darkly satirical thriller by a bestselling Japanese author tracks a fraught train ride whose passengers include not just one, but five devious assassins all bent on their killing missions. Who will succeed? And who will make it off the train alive? Take a break from all that suspense with this feast featuring a build-your-own ramen bar that celebrates umami-rich Japanese cuisine. All aboard! M, G

13. The Covenant of Water — Abraham Verghese
Bestselling Indian-American author Abraham Verghese’s new novel, set on South India’s Malabar Coast, tells the story of three generations of a family who are plagued by a history of drownings. Happily, you need only immerse yourself in this flavorful banquet of homestyle Indian dishes: tandoori fish, glazed cauliflower with ginger, pickled squash, and much more. Some spicy dishes and raitas will round out the meal. P, V

14. Just Kids — Patti Smith
It was the time of Woodstock, Vietnam—and the coming together of an avant garde group of writers, musicians, poets, and artists in New York City. It was also a time when nobody was eating raw or going Paleo. Think Silver Palate and Pierre Franey, Julia Child and Craig Claiborne. Come back to the 60s and revel in a feast rich in flavor and nostalgia. Trust us: it’ll be groovy! M

15. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power — Jon Meacham
The menu for this feast is derived from historic Monticello recipes: cream of asparagus soup, roast goose, mac and cheese (from Thomas Jefferson’s daughter’s husband’s sister’s cookbook published in the 1830’s), and vegetables known to have been grown in Jefferson’s own gardens. The evening will begin with champagne (or a non-alcoholic substitute) and end with the awarding of a door prize: a bottle of Antigua English Harbor rum. M

16. Zorba the Greek — Nikos Kazantzakis
This Mediterranean feast owes its inspiration to that lusty lover of life, Zorba. The traditional Greek dishes can be eaten as joyfully as their names roll off the tongue. Just try saying them: melitzanosalata, dolmas, spanakopita. Add some kotopoulo (chicken) with traditional herbs, olives, feta and more enjoyed with Greek wine and ouzo. Is your mouth watering yet? Don’t you want to get up and dance? M 

17. Spare — Prince Harry
What would Harry and Meghan eat on a night in? Once they put Archie and Lilibet to bed, you can bet they’ll want to keep it simple—but still delish enough for ex-Royals who can now dine like fun commoners. We’re thinking some easy but pleasing appetizers, pan-roasted salmon with vegetables and mashed potatoes, and plenty of wine to keep the conversation flowing. Leave your tiara at home for this one. P, V

18. The Song of the Lark — Willa Cather
Celebrate the Metropolitan Opera debut of Thea Kronborg, the ambitious and gifted fictional soprano from provincial Colorado who becomes the toast of the town, with a generous buffet of elegant finger foods. Feast on filet mignon sandwiches, gravlax sandwiches, deviled eggs, shrimp, vegetables, and other small bites while sipping prosecco and limoncello. No need to eat like a bird at this sumptuous spread! M

19. A Spoonful of Frogs — Casey Lyall
Frog soup is every witch’s favorite dish, but getting those slippery critters onto the spoon and into the caldron can be a real challenge. We suggest you forgo the soup altogether and opt instead for this extravagant cocktail party that has something to tempt everyone’s tastebuds: smoked salmon, crabcakes, shrimp, tenderloin, ham biscuits, vegetables, fruits and desserts… and lots of champagne, spirits, and nonalcoholic beverages. Ribbit, ribbit! M, P

20. The House on First Street: My New Orleans Story — Julia Reed
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and enjoy an evening of Big Easy food right here on Capitol Hill. This feast will kick off with signature cocktails (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options) and hors d’oeuvres, followed by a dinner of red beans and rice, New Orleans style barbecue shrimp and a vegetable salad with Creole mustard vinaigrette. Laissez les bon temps rouler! M, P

21. Turn Right at Machu Picchu — Mark Adams
Recreate the discovery of the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu with a menu based on cuisine from the Andes Mountains of Peru. Start with a piquant ceviche, dig into marinated-and-cooked-to-perfection Peruvian chicken, try some causa rellena (described by one source as “potato salad on steroids”), and sample peppery aji amarillo sauce over boiled potato slices. Find your way to this feast and you won’t be sorry! M 

22. Back to Bologna: An Aurelio Zen Mystery — Michael Dibdin
Aurelio Zen is hot on the trail of a murderer who stabbed a man with a Parmesan knife, but even a great detective has to take time out to eat—and this rustic Italian meal would more than satisfy the urbane inspector. Cured appetizers served alongside Aperol Spritz will be followed by a pasta course (Tagliatelle alla Bolognese), a second course of Piccata di Vitello al Limone (veal scallopini), and plenty of wine. At this rate, Zen may never find the killer! M

23. The Namesake — Jhumpa Lahiri
This novel about a family from Calcutta trying to assimilate in America sets the stage for a colorful strolling feast. Start with cocktails and appetizers at your first stop, then proceed to your dinner venue for Indian specialties sure to please both vegetarians and meat eaters. Your hosts will add to the ambiance with Indian attire; female guests wishing to follow suit may contact them prior to the dinner for a fitting. M, V

24. River of the Gods — Candice Millard
Explorers trekked for years in search of the source of the Nile, but you can sample the exotic Egyptian cuisine they enjoyed without even muddying your shoes. Embark with savory baba ganoush and hummus with pita, olives, and pickled eggplant; foray into zaatar-roasted salmon with signature potatoes, organic spring mix, and Egyptian rice with spicy tomato sauce and chickpeas; and end your trip with pistachio pastries drenched in nectar-of-the-gods honey. P  

25. The Only Woman in the Room: A Memoir of Japan, Human Rights, and the Arts — Beate Sirota Gordon
This memoir of the young woman who helped create a progressive new postwar Japanese Constitution in 1946 inspires a constructive endeavor of a different sort:  a make-your-own hand-rolled sushi feast. Your hosts will provide a variety of both raw and cooked fillings—such as tuna, avocado, shrimp, cucumber, and other vegetables—and will guide you in making your seaweed-wrapped treats (no rolling skills required) or garnished rice mounds. Just say  “itadakimasu.” P, G 

26. The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles — Giorgio Bassani
The bittersweet friendship between a Jewish student and disgraced gay doctor in Fascist-era Ferrara provides the backdrop for a feast of the city’s delicacies, from pasticcio di maccheroni—an elaborate treat of pasta, truffles, meat ragù and béchamel wrapped in a pastry shaped like a priest’s hat—to cappellacci di zucca ferraresi (butternut squash-filled pasta topped with Parmesan). Your hosts might even throw in some goose salame for good measure. M

27. Under the Tuscan Sun — Frances Mayes
Frances Mayes’s bestselling memoir about her move to and restoration of an abandoned villa in the rustic Tuscan countryside inspired generations of readers to embark on their own life-changing journeys. Bask in the glow of her sun-splashed adventure with a robust Italian country dinner featuring Rosemary Chicken, aglio e oleo (spaghetti with garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese), salad, bread, and an abbondanza of rich Italian wines. Buona mangiata! M

28. A Room with a View — E.M. Forester
A pair of Edwardian-era ladies travel to Florence in the early 1900s to claim their room in the Pensione Bertolini, with its promised view of the Arno—only to find a drab courtyard out the window. If only they’d had the comforts of this fabulous feast to soothe their dashed expectations. Offering a menu of wild mushroom salad with herbs, pecorino, and hazelnuts; grilled quail with pancetta; and ricotta pudding and (gluten free) breadcrumbs, this dinner is sure not to disappoint. M, G

29. One Hundred Years of Solitude — Gabriel Garcia Marquez
This feast will transport you to the mythical town of Macondo for an evening featuring the delicacies and music of Colombia. The magic begins with appetizers such as empanadas and arepas con queso and continues the theme with the main dish of Ajiaco Colombiano, a traditional and decadent chicken and potato soup, served in clay pots with avocado, capers, and cream. Prepare to be enchanted! M

30. A Year in Provence — Peter Mayle
Unlike the author of this popular memoir, you won’t have to endure the howling mistral or trip over racing goats--all you have to do is sit back and revel in the glorious cuisine of Provence. Your hosts invite you on a gastronomic tour of the region renowned for its fougasse (sculpted bread), salade Niçoise, daube (beef stew), gratin dauphinois (scalloped potatoes), ratatouille, pistou and rouille sauces, and calisson candies. C’est délicieux! M

31. The Greek Holiday — Maeve Haran
A trio of old college friends decides to reprise their youthful holiday on a romantic Greek island and finds that it’s not quite the same through older eyes. One thing that never changes, though, is the delightful Mediterranean cuisine. This feast offers sprightly spanakopita, baked feta with tomatoes and olives, hummus and pita, fattoush (fried bread salad), gigantes plaki (baked giant beans), and harissa-roasted cauliflower. Maybe you really can relive your youth? V

32. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — John Berendt
Your hosts dare you to join them for a celebration of John Berendt's beguiling true-crime novel in their beautifully lit and eccentrically decorated backyard garden. Enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres, delicious Low Country cuisine such as shrimp and grits, meats, and plenty of mint juleps and other Southern comforts. Who knows what Savannah mysteries await? Don't be surprised if conversation turns to voodoo, murder, and mayhem. You’ve been warned! M

33. Our Man in Charleston: Britain’s Secret Agent in the Civil War South — Christopher Dickey
When Robert Bunch assumed his post as the British consul in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1853, he was forced to lead a double life, diplomatically maintaining friendly relations with slave-holding neighbors while sending intelligence back to Britain and working to thwart Southern plans for a new confederacy. Happily, you’ll have no such conflicts here, where your hosts will offer you Southern hospitality and a delectable meal featuring shrimp and grits. P

34. A Moveable Feast — Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway’s classic memoir of Paris in the 1920s lays the groundwork for this French feast that will start off with a charcuterie board of with meats, cheese, dried fruits, nuts, and breads, move on to the main course of boeuf bourguignon over mashed potatoes, take a side trip to a mixed green salad, and linger over a café’s worth of delicious wines. Bien manger! M

35. Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands — Jorge Amado
In the spirit of the indominable Dona Flor, your hosts welcome you for an evening of music, drink, laughter—and, of course, great food. This sensuous feast of Northeast Brazilian cuisine will begin with salt-cod fritters with saffron allioli served with caipirinhas, Brazil’s national cocktail made with cachaça liqueur and lime. The main course will be prawn coconut stew served over rice. Bom apetite! P 

36. A Thousand Ships — Natalie Haynes
Celebrate the women who kept the home fires burning during the Trojan war with this feast where Greek and Turkish cuisine meet not on the battlefield but on the peaceful turf of a dinner table. Enjoy hummus, grape leaves, and olives with homemade sourdough bread, followed by moussaka and chicken kebabs, and capped off with baklava and katmer (phyllo with pistachios and clotted cream). This one promises to be epic! M

37. Sinatra: The Chairman — James Kaplan
Snap the brim of your fedora and come fly with me to this feast celebrating Ol’ Blue Eyes. The centerpiece of the meal will be vodka pasta, accompanied by Italian salad and bread, lots of delicious Chappellet red wine--and music, of course, courtesy of the Chairman of the Board. Feel free to don Rat Pack attire or bring Sinatra albums or memorabilia to share. Have it your way! M, V

38. The Widows of Malabar Hill — Sujata Massey
In 1920s Bombay, a wealthy mill owner dies, leaving behind three Muslim widows living in purdah. Who better to go behind the walls to investigate his suspicious death but Perveen Mistry, the city’s only female lawyer? Celebrate her Parsi heritage with this feast of spicy-sweet-sour flavors: rice pulao with dried fruit and nuts, and chicken curry, as well as lentils and other vegetarian dishes. M, V 

39. The House of the Spirits: A Novel — Isabel Allende
Step into a world where love ignites, magic weaves its web, and fate orchestrates its dance. Join your hosts for a spirited outdoor feast (weather permitting) that pays homage to Latin American cuisine’s rich tapestry, with empanadas, gambas pil pil (Chilean style garlic prawns), pastel de jaibas (crab casserole), Chilean salad, fritos de coliflor (cauliflower fritters), arroz graneado (Chilean rice), niños envueltos (stuffed cabbage rolls), and costillar de chancho (South American pork ribs). M, P

40. A Baseball Birthright: Chronicles & Connections — Pasquale A. Carlucci
Forget about “nose-bleed” seats… seats at this dinner are “owner’s box” all the way. Inspired by a local DC author’s memoir of 60-years of baseball appreciation, this feast will feature “elevated stadium fare” of the highest order. Cocktails, hot dog inspired appetizers, entrees that call back to Armando’s restaurant from Detroit’s “Mexicantown”, and, of course beer! M