Book Club Night Kit

Cooking Con Omi

Omi Hopper with Cecilia Molinari

Cozy night

A heartfelt cookbook from a beloved abuela who invites you into her kitchen, full of Puerto Rican home cooking, family stories, and the kind of love that comes served on a plate. It is perfect for a club that wants to share a meal, swap memories, and leave feeling like family.

Come Eat con Omi

Pull up a chair for a cozy night of Puerto Rican comfort food, warm drinks, and stories from the kitchens that raised us. Bring your appetite and your favorite family food memory.

Reading level: Easy

Best for: Clubs that love a potluck, a long table, and stories that start with 'my grandmother used to make...'

Discussion

Warm-up

1.Which recipe in the book made you want to put on an apron right away, and did you actually make it? Tell us how it went, flops included.
2.Who was the 'Omi' in your life, the person whose kitchen always felt safe and smelled like home? What did they cook best?

Digging in

1.Omi cooks the way many grandmothers do, with love as a main ingredient. When have you felt truly cared for through a meal someone made you?
2.Recipes like these are often handed down by watching and tasting, not by measuring. Is there a family dish you wish you had learned before it was too late, or one you are glad you saved?
3.Which dish or story in the book felt most like comfort to you, the kind of food you would want on a hard day or a rainy night?
4.A cookbook like this carries a culture and a homeland in its pages. What foods connect you to where your family comes from, and how do you keep them alive today?

Going deep

1.Omi found a whole new audience late in life by sharing her cooking with the world. How did that part of her journey make you feel about aging, second chances, or passing on what we know?
2.If you wrote your own small family cookbook, which three recipes and which memory would you make sure to include, and who would you want to read it someday?

On the table & to sip

To eat

Asopao de Pollo

A soupy Puerto Rican chicken and rice stew that is basically a hug in a bowl. Make it ahead in one big pot and keep it warm on the stove so guests can serve themselves.

Pastelón (Sweet Plantain 'Lasagna')

Layers of ripe sweet plantains, seasoned ground beef, and melted cheese. It is homey, a little indulgent, and exactly the sort of dish an abuela is proud to set on the table.

Tembleque

A silky coconut pudding dusted with cinnamon. It is easy to make the day before and gives the evening a sweet, gentle ending.

To sip

Coquito

Puerto Rico's creamy coconut and rum holiday drink, served in small glasses. It feels festive and nostalgic, like a family gathering at Omi's.

Café con Leche (no alcohol)

Strong coffee with plenty of steamed milk and a little sugar. It is the warm, everyday comfort of an abuela's kitchen table. Offer decaf for evening guests.

Chocolate Caliente con Queso (no alcohol)

Rich hot chocolate with a cube of mild white cheese dropped in to melt, a cozy Puerto Rican tradition. It makes a fun, comforting conversation starter.