Ellington

Brandon Smith was teary-eyed as she stood in front of more than 20 friends, family members and fellow foodies. She couldn't believe that she had pulled it off—the first Underground Supper Club event.

"This is the first time I haven't been afraid to take a chance," she said.

Along with Chef Enrika Williams and local musician Joey Plunkett, Smith provided participants an evening of upscale dining and live music, but the real successes were the connections made across the candle-lit tables.

On June 14 at 6 p.m., at the Joanne C. Brooks building in downtown Canton, people began taking their assigned seats, facing white place cards with names written in gold. The surprise menu lay in front of each person, alongside empty cocktail glasses that would be filled and refilled in a matter of moments.

The first cocktail was the Peace Street Spritzer, a fresh mix of sauvignon blanc, cucumber liqueur, limoncello, sour mix, Sprite and cranberry juice. The flavor was perfectly balanced—not too sweet but easy to drink. It paired nicely with the Clay County Ceviche, or the amuse-bouche, a small tasting to occupy the mouth until the first course is ready.

Williams, a West Point native, took a southern approach with green bloody mary gelee, buttermilk, cucumber, red onion and green garlic scrape. Baby shrimp accompanied the mix, with a house-made saltine cracker on the side for scooping.

The first course was a sweet and salty salad. Pickled shallots and thyme sorghum vinaigrette coated the torn baby lettuce that sat atop a mound of charred nectarines and a smear of dehydrated farmer's cheese. Williams sprinkled a pecan pig-jowl granola over the plate for garnish and flavor.

Guests enjoyed a new wine with the rest of the dishes, which got increasingly heavy as the night wore on. The California Menage a Trois Red Blend is the best of all three worlds with Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet wines. The waiters poured it into glasses just in time for course two, a pan-seared lemon-thyme lamb loin chop with a saute of locally foraged shiitakes, morels, sweet peas and pearl onions.

The chop sat on a green pea smash and torn herbs, with white chocolate shavings covering it.

Smith and Williams explained each course as it was being served—its inspiration and ingredients. They also took that time to talk about the tedious planning and unconditional support that they experienced in the months prior.

Pasta was next—a crawfish maque choux agnolotti with the holy trinity of onion, celery and bell pepper. A maque choux is a stewed corn dish that is popular in Cajun cuisine. Raw corn, crispy Andouille lardons and head-on shrimp all swimming in a parmesan broth accompanied the dish.

Plunkett began playing Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come," and the entire room sang in unison, a visible sign of the intimacy in the small space. He later noted that it was Smith's goal all along to use food to create community.

Guests received a palate-cleansing blood-orange sorbet in a tall shot glass. It was tart and cold, overwhelming any leftover tastes. Williams' take on Mississippi Mud Pie—two scoops of creamy bittersweet chocolate mousse with sweet mandarin oranges—directly followed it. Sprinkled with chocolate-covered cocoa nibs and milk chocolate sauce and topped with a wafer plank and Grand Marnier whipped cream, it was a fitting dessert to end a decadent meal.

When Smith and Williams emerged for the last time, the crowd erupted in applause. Smith thanked everyone who helped and attended, and invited them all to the next Underground Supper Club, which she is planning tentatively for August. People trickled out in waves, stopping to congratulate Smith on her success, carrying with them the memory of a new experience shared with friends.

For more information, find The Underground Supper Club on Facebook.