Mark Boughton/Styling: Teresa Blackburn
I love my hometown of Mount Pleasant, Mich., but it's not exactly overflowing with international restaurants. Instead of despairing the lack thereof, my friends and I fired up our stoves, hit the cookbooks and formed an international dinner club.
Every few months, we gather at each others' houses, rotating host/hostess responsibilities. The host chooses an international theme and sends out invitations on Facebook; everyone RSVPs, noting the dish they'll contribute.
You don't have to have access to specialty grocery stores or restaurants to branch out and try new cuisines—you just have to have a taste for adventure. Having a few friends along for the ride helps, too.
—By Cynthia Drake
