Recipe for a Relish Underground Dinner Party

Ingredients
1 Northern California transplant/granddaughter of famed Vietnamese bakery (Ba Le) owners
1 Ravenswood apartment
1 communal table
8 chairs
1 chalkboard
Dozens of mason jars
Endless appreciation for local cuisine
A hankering to feed people

1. Take one part self-taught chef (Julia Pham) and one clean dining room.

2. Scrawl four-course prix fixe menu on chalkboard (coming up: tomato bisque, grilled cheese croutons; stuffed maple-roasted acorn squash; ginger-honey roast chicken with brown rice risotto; white chocolate pumpkin cheesecake).

3. Generously sprinkle information about ingredient origins (Brunkow, C&D Family Farms, FrtCrt, Dotson’s Farm).

4. Mix in eight hungry diners (friends, strangers, or both).

5. Season with laughter and open conversation.

6. Temper in affordable price point ($25-$40).

7. Repeat once a month. Add private dinner option for something even more intimate.

For more information, go to relishrelishrelish.tumblr.com. To join the mailing list, email peanutbutterjulia@gmail.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Relish