The love of literature, food, and fellowship is the foundation of the Page & Table supper club that happens every few months at Reed’s GumTree Bookstore in Tupelo.
The group is a partnership between Lauren McElwain, founder of the nonprofit Cooking as a First Language, and Lori Jones, manager of Reed’s GumTree Bookstore. Meeting each quarter, the group provides a way to establish a sense of community with other readers and foodies.
“I took over the bookstore about three years ago,” explains Jones. “I wanted to connect with the community in fun ways around books and ran across a chef on social media making a meal from a book. I was familiar with Cooking as a First Language and asked Lauren her thoughts on creating an event around a book and a meal.”
McElwain founded the nonprofit Cooking as a First Language in 2018 to break down cultural barriers in Tupelo through food and Cooking.
“The way that we do that is we have monthly cooking classes taught by Tupelo community members from other countries or cultures,” shared McElwain. “It allows them to share their culture with others.”
Book clubs and supper clubs have long been popular among communities, but the uniqueness of Page & Table is that it brings the two together in one event where the book compliments the meal—or the meal compliments the book, depending on how you prefer to see it. Often, the author of the book can join in person or via Zoom to elevate the experience of immersing oneself in a story.
“It’s a multi-sensory journey that starts with reading it, then you get to taste it, and finally you get to experience it with the author and ask questions and better understand their thought process in character building, and why they choose the food depicted in the story,” shared Jones.
“Sometimes when reading a book’s description of food, I can almost taste it, and my mouth starts to water while reading it,” laughed McElwain. “It’s so fun to experience the actual food.”
Page & Table events occur inside Reed’s GumTree Bookstore, which is transformed into a comfortable and cozy atmosphere.
“I love how we use the space there,” Jones said. We move some of the bookshelves out of the way, set up tables and chairs, and dim the lights with candlelight. It’s such a neat atmosphere for the event.”
McElwain and Jones kept expectations modest for their first event but were pleasantly surprised it filled up quickly. Now, they are selling out within 24 hours with many repeat attendants.
“Everyone loves the idea of a book club,” shared Jones. “But the commitment to a book monthly can be overwhelming for some. Making it once a quarter and adding in the element of a full event makes it manageable and more exciting to look forward to.”
Page & Table tickets are $75 each, including the book, dinner, and event. They go on sale six to eight weeks before the event but sell out fast. If you’re interested in attending, you can follow Reed’s GumTree Bookstore and Cooking as a First Language accounts on Instagram for the latest information.
