On Thursday night, March 17th, residents of The Mayflower Community’s Beebe Assisted Living celebrated the completion of the most recent book club reading, The Lincoln Highway, with a special dinner.
The second “Book Club Dinner” was held in Mayflower’s Anchor Room off the Buckley Dining Room. All Beebe residents were invited. Because the book, authored by Amor Towles (Acts of Civility and A Gentleman in Moscow), was set in 1954, the dinner theme was “The 50’s.” Created by Jacob Staroska, Mayflower’s Foodservices Supervisor, the offering included:
- Rumaki (Polynesian) – Marinated water chestnuts and chicken livers wrapped in bacon and glazed
- Chicken, Cheese, and Mushroom Croquette – Chicken breast, cheddar cheese, and portobello mushrooms in a bèchamel and deep fried.
- Younkers Rarebit Burger (popularized in the Des Moines Younkers store Tea Room) – An angus beef patty on a toasted bun, topped with Younkers rarebit sauce and bacon, fried onions, and scallions.
- Desert: Neapolitan Baked Alaska – Neapolitan ice cream on a cake round with toasted meringue
- Side Car: Brandy, orange liqueur, lemon juice
The dinner was served by Jessica Hasenyager, Mayflower’s Community Life and Wellness Coordinator, who leads the book club. She noted, “Very wisely, half the crowd saved half their burger but devoured the whole dessert!”
The Book Club offers twice-weekly audio book listening sessions, for those who would rather hear than read.
— Jessica Hasenyager, Community Life and Wellness Coordinator
