Unbroken Book Club

Last month our book club met in Hamburg. Slowly this is becoming a cook and book club, which I find completely awesome. We have had themed food for every meeting and because most people are traveling from other cities, we end up cooking together. It is one of our favorite things to do with friends so it was our pleasure to host the event in Hamburg.

Kicked off the day with Astra, a Hamburg beer.

Back at work writing discussion questions.

The menu:  grilled steak, grilled salmon, garlic bread, salad, seven-layer dip and tiki cocktails.

Impromptu "cutest couple" contest.  They win!

The theme: What food would you want the most if you were stranded at sea?

The star item:  Schwarzwalder Kirsch Torte (decorated with a BC for Book Club)

This is her German Grandmother's family recipe for Black Forest Cake.  A real treat.

The book, Unbroken, is the real life story of a man named Louie Zamperini. He was an Olympic athlete dragged from his sport and into the Air Force, where he worked as a bombardier, at the onset of WWII. He was stationed in the Pacific and along with the other crew members lived through several near-death bombing missions. One day on a rescue mission for another plane, Louie's plane crashes in the Pacific leaving only three survivors (him, his pilot, and another crew member). After Louie survives 47 days being marooned at sea he finally finds land. Only the rafts have drifted so far west that the land belongs to the Japanese. He is captured as a prisoner of war and survives several years of extreme abuse in several Japanese POW camps before finally being liberated. Even with the war finally over for him, Louie's troubles follow him home.
I highly recommend the book not only because Louie's story is captivating, but also because the author, Laura Hillenbrand, is able to eloquently share the history of the time period in addition to Louie's personal history.

Here is a little taste of this amazing survival story.