COMING TOGETHER TO SHARE A MEAL AT B'S SALTY & SWEET

On a Sunday evening in July 2018, Bethany and David Boran hosted the first of many communal dinners. Eighteen people gathered around two tables set up in the courtyard of Canela Antigua, a bakery in the colonial city of Antigua, Guatemala. Surrounded by a lush garden and the occasional rumbles of a nearby volcano, plate after plate of Italian food was brought out of the kitchen and set in front of the guests. From appetizers to entrees to the final dessert, everything was made inhouse for the pleasure of the attendees.

PHOTOS BY DREW COLE

PHOTOS BY DREW COLE

Fast forward, now you can find Bethany and David in Columbia, Tennessee, where their bakery café, B’s Salty & Sweet, celebrated its second anniversary on June 2, 2022. This past spring, communal dinners made their triumphant return from the minds and menus of the Borans. Held on the third Sunday of the month, the communal dinners provide a simple, straightforward meal. Each night has a theme with a pre-set menu and a fixed price per guest. The first communal dinner was Middle Eastern cuisine, followed by Indian, and then Central American, a nod to their Guatemalan past.

PHOTOS BY DREW COLE

Guests gather around tables in the bakery’s dining room, where they sit back, make new friends, and fill their bellies. The first course comprises of four-to-six appetizers and dips, paired with at least one variety of homemade bread such as naan, pita, or tortillas. With a clink of a glass, Bethany gathers everyone’s attention and welcomes the group to the dinner, then explains the dishes putting them in the context of their cuisine. Bethany finishes her welcome with a warning, “Save room! There’s so much more to come.” As guests pass platters around the table, the B’s crew is working in the kitchen, getting all the entrees prepared for the next wave of food.

PHOTOS BY DREW COLE

PHOTOS BY DREW COLE

PHOTOS BY DREW COLE

As the entrees make their way to the table, Bethany and David provide insight into each of the new dishes. In keeping with the ethos of B’s Salty & Sweet, the meals are vegetable-focused, but each dinner does feature one entrée with chicken and generally avoids dairy. This means vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters alike can enjoy themselves. Many dishes are also naturally gluten-free, so the meals can be inclusive for all.

PHOTOS BY DREW COLE

With the main courses out, the focus turns to dessert. Where Bethany represents the “salty” in the bakery name, David represents the “sweet.” Each dinner has featured homemade ice cream, made both in a traditional format and vegan, and accompanying pastries. The July dinner’s dessert, for example, featured a banana bread “brownie,” topped with cinnamon ice cream, caramel drizzle, and surrounded by tropical fruit.

As the evening winds down, the B’s team clears the dishes while new friends exchange phone numbers and pack up to-go boxes for whenever they might be able to eat again. “Our communal dinners are an incredible showcase of what B’s has to offer. It’s the best of our cooking, community, and hospitality,” says Christine Cole, the beloved general manager of B’s. To close out the evening, Bethany and David announce the theme for the next month’s meal and say farewell to their guests, until next time.

PHOTOS BY DREW COLE

The B’s crew is excited to introduce these dinners because it allows them to prepare more elaborate meals, full of the food they crave, served in a manner that brings strangers together in a way that creates community. Says Bethany, “Owning a small business in Columbia is so special.

PHOTOS BY DREW COLE

Our customers have become our friends. They are our cheerleaders and our advocates. It is an honor to be a small part of each of their lives and we LOVE feeding them. Don’t forget to eat your vegetables!” n

For additional information on the next communal dinner visit bsaltyandsweet.com and follow them on social media at @bsaltyandsweet for daily breakfast and lunch menus.