Page 32 of Captiva Book Club

Maggie had asked Oliver and Iris to meet the next morning, and when she stepped into the kitchen, they were waiting for her. The scent of freshly squeezed citrus and herbs lingered in the air.

“Good morning. It smells delicious in here. What am I smelling?” Maggie asked.

“Oliver made homemade bread, and I used our new citrus juicing attachment for the juicer. There is nothing better than fresh squeezed Florida oranges,” Iris answered.

“Very nice,” Maggie said. “Thanks for meeting me this morning. I know we’ve all been busy, and the last thing we needed was to add another catering project, but this is important, so thank you. Let’s go sit in the dining room.”

Iris and Oliver followed Maggie into the dining room, and Lexi, Maggie and Paolo’s dog, joined them.

“Good morning, Lexi,” Oliver said.

“She seems taken with you, Oliver.”

Lexi jumped onto Oliver’s lap, circled three times and settled there. Oliver appeared to enjoy the attention.

“It’s probably because I’ve been giving her homemade treats that I made with sweet potatoes. She loves them.”

Iris smiled, “And now she loves you, too.”

Oliver smiled and nodded. “I think you’re right.”

He continued to pat Lexi while Maggie talked.

“Oliver, in preparation for the book club get-together, Iris will help you, but on the day of the book club, I’m afraid you’ll be on your own, since Iris is a member of the book club. Do you think you can handle that?”

He nodded. “Absolutely.”

Iris smiled. “Thanks, Oliver. I’m looking forward to being on the other side of things for a change, just enjoying the afternoon with everyone. I’ve already started to read the book.”

“Iris and I have already worked out some thoughts for that day. We want it to be special, but still manageable, since it’ll just be me in the kitchen.”

“Great. I appreciate that. We definitely don’t want anything too elaborate, mostly because although it’s a festive time of the year, it’s not how we’ll normally run these book club meetings. I’d hate for the ladies to get used to so much food.”

“Of course,” Oliver agreed, flipping to a blank page in his notebook.

“I was thinking we could start with a few light appetizers that reflect our tropical setting. Maybe something like coconut shrimp with a tangy lime dipping sauce? It’s festive, easy to prepare ahead of time, and has that island touch.”

“That sounds lovely,” Maggie said, picturing the golden shrimp against the vibrant green of the lime. “What else were you thinking?”

“Well, for something refreshing and light, we could do a tropical fruit and avocado salsa on plantain chips. It’s colorful, fresh, and gives a nod to the season without feeling heavy.”

Iris nodded in agreement. “Those are always a hit, and they’ll be easy for the ladies to enjoy while we chat about the book.”

“Perfect,” Maggie said, jotting down a note. “What else?”

Oliver leaned forward slightly. “I have a few more ideas. How about mini crab cakes with a mango aioli? They’re bite-sized, full of flavor, and fit the island theme nicely. Everyone in this part of Florida loves crab cakes.”

Maggie’s eyes lit up at the idea. “That sounds wonderful. I think everyone will love those.”

“And we could also do caprese skewers,” Iris added.

Oliver nodded. “We can then round things out with mini quesadillas with black beans, corn, and a hint of jalapeno. They’ll add a bit of spice to the spread and are always a hit.”

Maggie smiled, feeling the menu come together beautifully. “I love all these suggestions, you have a nice variety of flavors. It sounds like you have everything covered.”

“Wait!” Iris yelled. “You haven’t heard about the dessert yet.”

“I have a few ideas for dessert. I thought I’d make Key Lime pie bars with a coconut crust. It’s a classic, but the coconut twist gives it a little something extra,” Oliver said.

---