By Dave Begel Contributing Writer Published Oct 05, 2014 at 6:06 PM Photography: shutterstock.com

For the eighth straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com, presented by Locavore, the newest restaurant at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as the winners of our "Best of Dining 2014."

There is almost nothing in this world as pleasing as a gentle gathering of a small group of interesting people, sharing food, wine and conversation.

If we all assume that’s true – and it is, of course; I said it after all – the question has always occurred to me whether I’d rather host an event like that or be a guest at one.

Recently, I was invited to a small gathering at the home of Walt Kelly, one of the true giants of the world of legal battles on behalf of civil and human rights in this city. It was a great gathering of about eight or 10 people all of them just as interesting as Dennis Conta, who was one of the guests. If you don’t know who he is, look him up. He’s an integral part of the history of Wisconsin.

Anyhow, the dinner – salmon and a very interesting salad – was great. I don’t drink wine, but it seemed like all the other guests loved it. Overall, it was an incredibly enjoyable evening.

Then I harkened back to a meal I prepared for a small group of friends, all of them smarter than me. I prepared a dish I had invented, called "veal a la David."

It’s two very thin veal cutlets with proscuitto and gruyere cheese between each cutlet. A toothpick holds it together, and you saute it in browned butter and parsley for just about 90 seconds on each side. I served it over spinach linguine that had been sprinkled with finely ground parmesan and romano cheeses, and a touch of red pepper flakes.

Somebody else provided the wine, and the evening ran deep into the night. Everyone loved the dinner, and the conversation and conviviality reigned supreme.

Both events raise the question: Would you rather host an event like that and put your cooking skills on display, or would you rather be a guest and put your taste buds on display. 

It’s a tough question for anyone. For me, I think I’d rather host since I am fairly proud of my inventive cooking (which occasionally is a spectacular failure).

I wonder what other people think.

Dave Begel Contributing Writer

With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.

He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.

This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.

Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.