In a beautiful home in Montrose, four childhood best friends gather around a lively game of mahjong. Nearby, in Fairhope, a book club gets together for its monthly discussion and luncheon with members who have been meeting for more than 20 years. And on the opposite side of the Bay, in Mobile’s Spring Hill neighborhood, a group of longtime friends meet for their highly anticipated Sunday afternoon bridge game. Three different activities, three different groups of women and one very important thing in common: coming together in friendship to share an afternoon of fun, laughs and, of course, good food.
For women with busy lives, making time for friendship and leisure can be difficult. While work, family and other priorities are certainly important, fostering companionship is also vital so women feel connected, supported and have opportunities to relax and have fun. What better reason to get together than a shared interest? For these three groups, the activities that unite them are book club, mahjong and bridge, respectively. But what started as shared activities among friends quickly led to something even greater: a unique and special sisterhood.
Book Club: A Score of Stories
Gathering a group of women together through an organized book club is an impressive feat. To do so consistently for 21 years is almost unheard of, but that’s exactly what this book club has done. It started with a few who expressed the simple desire for a book club, then they invited a few more until the group grew to the 11 members who participate today. Over the years, some members have joined or left depending on circumstances, but the friends have maintained their regular meetings for more than two decades and have no intentions of stopping.
At each meeting, they discuss that month’s novel while enjoying a glass of wine with lunch — and today’s delicious offering is a fresh spring salad provided by the hostess. Sometimes the facilitator hosts, cooks and leads the discussion, and sometimes the women divide the tasks. Since they take turns selecting the monthly novel, the group reads widely, which has exposed them to a variety of genres and to books they might not have normally picked up. When possible, the menu is themed according to the book, and sometimes, the group even takes a field trip to visit a historic site or a location important to the month’s reading selection. No matter what surprises each meeting brings, one thing they can always count on is meaningful conversation.
“We wanted a real book club, and we take it quite seriously. We really read the books and really discuss them,” Susan Alsup explains, citing this as one of the aspects she appreciates most about the group. Over the years, the women have become dear friends, and book club discussions usually lead to personal ones as well. Something within the story often resonates with a member or relates closely to her experiences, so book club is a place where the friends can share, comfort one another, and offer support or advice. Alsup sums it up perfectly: “We didn’t set out to create a sisterhood, but of course, that’s what happens any time you get women together.”
“We didn’t set out to create a sisterhood, but of course, that’s what happens any time you get women together.” – Susan Alsup
Spring Salad
SERVES 4 – 6
Ingredients
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 large English cucumber, seeded and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons capers, drained and coarsely copped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 6-inch pita, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 8-ounce block halloumi cheese, patted dry and cut into bite-sized cubes
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine 1/3 cup olive oil with vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining ingredients, except the pita and halloumi cheese. Toss well.
2. In a small bowl, toss the pita with 1 remaining tablespoon olive oil and salt. Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium heat, then add the pita, tossing often until toasted and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Return to the bowl to cool. Place the halloumi on a small plate and drizzle with final remaining tablespoon olive oil, then add to the same skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Add the pita and halloumi to the salad, toss to combine and serve.
Mahjong & Mingling
Neacie Johnson and her three best friends have been playing mahjong together for two years, but their friendship began long before they discovered a fondness for the game. “We grew up together through middle school and high school, and we have done life together on every level,” Johnson says. “We’re still the very best of friends.” Now their own children are friends, so their close bond has extended to the next generation.
As for how they came to play mahjong, it started with Johnson. A few years ago, she bought a mahjong set, then when the game grew in popularity in recent years, they decided to learn how to play. What followed became a shared interest and the perfect excuse for a monthly gathering.
For these lifelong friends, mahjong is an opportunity for real connection beyond texting and social media. The game exercises their minds while the company allows them to pause and focus on each other — although Johnson keeps everyone focused on more than just socializing, too. “Neacie’s the competitive one,” her friends tease, stating she is the one who ensures they actually play the game. But all four agree that spending time together is more important than competition. They play with blanks to make the game a little easier, and this afternoon, Johnson provides sweet tea marinated shrimp stacks paired with a refreshing, citrusy cocktail.
Although it’s difficult to eat or drink while playing since your hands need to be free to move the tiles, they enjoy small bites and drinks between games and don’t take themselves too seriously. Most of all, their get-togethers allow them to focus on the tiles and on real, genuine connections.
Bay Breeze Cocktail
SERVES 2
Ingredients
Simple syrup, divided
Pink sugar (for garnish)
2 ounces citrus vodka
1 ounce black raspberry Chambord
1 ounce Cointreau
2 ounces lemon juice
Lemon peels (for garnish)
Directions
1. Dip the rims of two coupe glasses in simple syrup, then dip into the pink sugar to coat.
2. Combine simple syrup to taste and remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Shake until chilled and strain into rimmed coupe glasses. Garnish with a twist of lemon. Serve immediately.
Sweet Tea Marinated Shrimp Stacks
MAKES ABOUT 20 STACKS
Ingredients
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup brewed sweet tea, cooled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1 head of lettuce, cut into bite-sized wedges
1 pint grape tomatoes
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Lemon wedges (for serving)
Directions
1. Place shrimp in a large bowl. Add the next 8 ingredients and toss until the shrimp are well coated. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.
2. Heat a skillet to medium heat and add shrimp, evenly spacing them and turning frequently, about 4-5 minutes until the flesh is white and opaque. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. To assemble, stack a wedge of lettuce on the bottom, followed by a shrimp and, a cherry tomato, then skewer the stack through the center with a cocktail skewer or toothpick. Refrigerate until serving. Before serving, drizzle with remoulade sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon and garnish with parsley.
Remoulade
MAKES 3/4 CUP
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon creole mustard
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
Pinch of cayenne
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together until combined. Chill until serving.
Bridge: Cards & Companionship
Carolyn Bennett might not be from Mobile originally, but when she moved to the area about 50 years ago, bridge helped her get settled. The game was one everybody played — parents, children and in between — so it bridged gaps between generations and was an easy way to turn strangers into companions, even if the game was the only interest they shared. “It was a great way to meet people, visit and get acquainted. It’s a wonderful social outing,” she says. “It’s a common denominator for any interest that you might have outside the bridge table.”
This common denominator led her to the three women who now gather with her every Sunday to play bridge and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and wine. On this beautiful afternoon, Bennett hosts the group, and the friends enjoy a delectable shrimp and artichoke dip served with a variety of crackers. As Bennett recalls settling into the Port City, she credits the other three women who made her feel welcome and brought her into their circles. They became close friends, raised children together and have kept their friendship going strong.
“It is an important thing to have a support group. Those are the ones that check on you.” — Carolyn Bennett
But bridge has become more than just a game for these four. Over the years, they have found a wonderful support system in one another through good times and bad. When one is sick, the others assist her. When one wants to go shopping, they spend the day in downtown Fairhope together. And when one receives love and support from the others, she is quick to express her gratitude for her friends. “It is an important thing to have a support group. Those are the ones that check on you,” Bennett says. “It goes beyond the game. These are special gals.”
Shrimp and Artichoke Dip
SERVES 8
Ingredients
1 pound shrimp, cooked and finely chopped
2 14-ounce cans artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
Garlic salt to taste
Directions
In a large bowl, mix the above ingredients until combined. Add lots of garlic salt. Chill and serve with crackers of your choice.
