Cooking Club whips up Dinner and a Show

Stepping into the MUB Entertainment Center on Saturday night was like stepping into an authentic Italian restaurant.

            Elegant tables covered with black table clothes were set up throughout the room, complete with centerpieces. White Christmas lights were strung along the walls and stage and the music of Frank Sinatra could be heard in the background, welcoming the diners.           

            UNH's Cooking Club held their fourth annual Dinner and a Show Saturday night. This year's dinner, titled "A Night in Italy," began at 5:30 p.m. and featured a full Italian menu.

            The menu included fried calamari bruschetta as an appetizer, a choice of spinach and ricotta stuffed shells, braised short ribs, or roasted chicken with a side of parmesan risotto and roasted vegetable medley for the main course, and a choice of tiramisu or panna cotta for desert. Guitarists and vocalists Evin Baird, a UNH junior and Zach Limoges, a UNH graduate, provided the entertainment.

            Christina DiSanto, a sophomore hospitality major and member of the cooking club, said the annual dinner and a show is the club's main event of the year.

            "We came up with the idea for the event last semester," said DiSanto. "It takes from the beginning of the semester up until the event to prepare."

            The UNH Cooking Club is a recognized organization funded by SAFC with roughly 20 members, and typically meets once a month for a dinner where they can exchange dishes. DiSanto said the group is looking to have a dinner and show more often in the future.