Us fabulous ladies from Cooking the Books got together last night at Franny’s in Brooklyn, an adorable restaurant Giulia Melucci (author of our first book, I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti) recommended that serves fantastic brick oven pizza, and then to a bar called Bar(n) across the street, to celebrate our first book conquest. Of course, three out of four of us brought cameras, and did we take one picture? No. We were too busy talking and catching up. Although I do wish we’d gotten a picture of the four of us (or at least of our food- haha).

Me and Brianne and Gina haven’t seen each other in 10 years. Yes, 10 years. Since we graduated high school. And I haven’t seen Jeanine since August, so there was a lot to catch up on. So much in fact, we got booted from Franny’s for talking and keeping the table too long! Understandable, it’s a small place and it became very crowded, and we were sort of stuck in our own little world.

The food was awesome: me and Brianne had the buffalo mozzarella/garlic/oregano pizza and a Sixpoint Craft Ales Sweet Action (a local Brooklyn beer). Gina also had the buffalo mozzarella/garlic/oregano pizza with a  glass of Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso (red wine from Sicily). Jeanine ordered the tomato/olives/garlic/oregano pizza with a cocktail dubbed the ‘Brooklyn’: Maker’s Mark, sweet vermouth & fresh lemon juice. I can’t speak for everyone, but I know I enjoyed the food as much as the company, and that’s saying something! The beer was pretty good, but as Brianne said later, it was a little “hop-y” for me. I’d order it again though. Jeanine’s only complaint was that the drink came in a  girly martini glass (come on, it’s MAKER’S MARK, not a Cosmo!), and was small for the $11. After being booted (and I say that in the nicest possible way) we moved across/down the street to Bar(n), a bar connected with the Flatbush Farm. There I ordered a Kelso of Brooklyn beer, the type of which I do not know, which is unfortunate because I enjoyed it a lot and would like to have it again, or get some for home. I know they sell the Pilsner at Franny’s, so maybe it was the same.  Jeanine ordered a whiskey sour, Brianne got a Stoli orange and Gina got a vodka cranberry. I can’t speak for the other ladies’ drinks, but they were, for the most part, finished when we left …so they must have been good.

Unfortunately, Wednesday nights are work nights, so we couldn’t stay out late and meet up with Giulia. That was a bummer, but we had a terrific evening anyway.

As we get ready to make our finale dish for I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti : the gnocchi, and we prepare to start our second book, Garlic & Sapphires, this was a perfect way for us to not only catch up and have a nice evening out, but to toast one another on a successful beginning to our new group blogging venture!