Whether you are planning a slew of holiday parties, hosting an intimate evening for friends and family, or simply enjoying the coziest time of year, here are some recently published books available with your Livingston Library card, that will provide tips and inspiration for preparing and serving boards, platters and beverages, arranging the decor, setting the party table, in short, everything for hosting a smooth and enjoyable gathering (including pairing the right music with drinks).
Boards and Platters
Inside, you’ll find 56 easy-to-assemble boards as well as the recipes that go with them! In addition to striking wine and cheese boards, you’ll surprise guests with garden-fresh veggie platters, a taco-night board, pancake and waffle boards, a chocolate tray, a fondue board, a movie-night platter, a snackable Superbowl stadium and so many others. Learn the secrets to building your own charcuterie specialties, impress guests with holiday-themed boards and serve up the sort of appetizers and beverages sure to make you the most popular host in town.
Butter Boards : 50+ Inventive Spreads for Entertaining by Alejandra Diaz-Imlah
This cookbook expertly breaks down 50 butter board spreads. Each board features a number for each ingredient, so you can quickly find recipes and reconstruct these boards with ease. Just match the number on the board to the recipe in the book to arrange striking platters or put a new spin on your favorite recipes.
Charcuterie by Number : Showstopping Boards & Recipes for All Occasions by Derek Bissonnette
You can do anything with a serving board–the possibilities are endless. But when those limitless options start to become overwhelming, it can be difficult to craft the charcuterie board of your dreams. Find inspiration for your next gathering and easily recreate any serving board with this cookbook. This book offers a unique approach to assembling serving boards: each board features a number for each ingredient, so you can quickly find recipes and reconstruct these boards with ease. Just match the number on the board to the recipe in the book to arrange striking platters or put a new spin on your entertaining.
The Curated Board : Inspired Platters & Spreads for Any Occasion by Bebe Black Carminito
From family breakfast and afternoon tea to date night and game night, food stylist Carminito presents more than 35 themed boards and platters, with over 50 effortless, homemade recipes, and suggests perfect pairings along with styling tips for optimal presentation. Carminito’s feasts also include globally-influenced boards from a diverse array of culinary influencers that speak to their culinary heritage, including Ukrainian, Filipino, Chinese, and Indian cuisines, among others.
That Cheese Plate Wants to Party : Festive Boards, Spreads, and Recipes with the Cheese by Numbers Method by Marissa Mullen
Featuring forty new cheese boards for parties of all kinds, thoughtful drink pairings, color themes, floral arrangement tips, tablescape ideas, playlists, and cheesy party games, this is the ultimate party planning guide.
The Grazing Table : How to Create Beautiful Butter Boards, Food Platters & More by Natalie Thomson
Grazing boards are a wonderful, sociable way to share a meal with family and friends. This book shows you how with surprisingly little effort, you can create eye-catching, delicious spreads for sweet and savory lovers alike.
Gathering & Entertaining
The Art of Tablescaping : Deck Out Your Table With the Queen of Theme by Bugsy Drake
With the help of some unconventional centerpieces, a few artfully folded napkins, well-placed lighting, and a generous sprinkling of décor, tablescaping is the art of transforming a meal into an adventure that your guests will never forget. Bugsy’s gorgeous, over-the-top themes have captivated guests and earned her legions of devoted fans. Now she’s ready to share her passion and talent for creating unforgettable dining experiences, honed during nearly a decade working on the world’s most exclusive yachts and private islands. Featuring step-by-step instructions for building your own enchanting events, this book is packed full of inventive ideas and design hacks, on-the-job stories and lessons learned.
Big Night : Dinners, Parties & Dinner Parties by Katherine Lewin
Discover the joy of hosting stylish yet effortless parties with this comprehensive guide to memorable holiday gatherings and festive event menus. The ultimate host gift for your favorite party planner, this dinner party cookbook shows you how to make any evening feel like a special occasion through creative presentation, delicious party food, and a celebratory atmosphere.
Christmas with Southern Living, 2024 : Inspired Ideas for Holiday Cooking and Decorating
From the editors at Southern Living comes the best-yet collection of holiday ideas, in a new book brimming with recipes, decorating tips, menus for entertaining family and friends, and everything you need to deck the halls and make your holiday.
The Dinner Party Project: A No-Stress Guide to Food with Friends by Natasha Feldman
A cooking show host and private chef shares the secrets to throwing fun, no-stress gatherings through recipes for every mood and cooking comfort level, menu suggestions, and tips and tricks for taking the pressure off of hosting.
Entertaining by Design : A Guide to Creating Meaningful Gatherings by Lorna Gross
A collection of accessible gatherings, organized by season, from a small dinner to post-Christmas breakfast celebration. Each gathering is designed to be instructional, inspirational, and doable for anyone by using tableware and decorations you may already have along with carefully chosen decorative items like place cards or serving platters that can cost as little or as much as your budget allows.
Entertaining with Charm : A Modern Guide to Relaxed Gatherings by Eden Passante
Make every get-together fun, festive, and stress-free with this richly photographed, idea-filled modern guide to welcoming friends and family into your home. From a harvest moon party to an outdoor movie night, a weekend brunch to an alfresco lunch, this book holds all the secrets you’ll need to host beautiful year-round gatherings that are easy, enjoyable, and effortlessly charming. An inspired collection of delicious recipes simplifies menu planning, and advice for shopping the seasons, selecting tableware and glassware, and creating an inviting atmosphere with flowers, lighting, and music will ensure your guests always feel special from the moment they arrive.
For the Table : Easy, Adaptable, Crowd-Pleasing Recipes by Anna Stockwell
This book teaches you how to plan and prepare great-tasting and impressive-looking menus that are easy to pull off, as well as offers expert advice on toasts, prep-ahead strategies, and tips on handling guest lists and dietary restrictions.
The Hostess Handbook : a Modern Guide to Entertaining by Maria Zizka
Zizka starts with the first rule of party planning (being, there are no rules!), then walks readers through some options and considerations to host guests comfortably-from serving supplies to decorating tips and strategies. The array of recipes includes snacks, sides, and salads, plus, there are fabulous desserts fit for any type of celebration. Zizka offers expert advice to coach readers through the party-planning process, from setting the table to cleaning up the inevitable red wine spill.
Mastering the Art of Entertaining by Joseph Marini
In this beautiful, accessible guide, Joseph shares his secrets for being a thoughtful and authentic host when entertaining at home, along with distinctive recipes, tasteful advice on etiquette appropriate for today’s lifestyles, and a multitude of ways to make your next gathering unforgettable. Entertaining, he says, is a learned skill that with a little bit of regular practice becomes second nature. Becoming a proficient host means that you are taking the time to nurture people–bringing them together in a space that is comfortable and welcoming while creating memories over food and drinks.
Southern Get-Togethers : A Guide to Hosting Unforgettable Gatherings Plus Entertaining Inspiration, Tips, and 100+ Recipes by Kelsey Barnard Clark
TV personality and queen of Southern hospitality Clark presents more than 100 irresistible recipes perfect for a crowd, plus expert wisdom and inspiration to host exceptional gatherings.
Tables & Spreads : a Go-to Guide for Beautiful Snacks, Intimate Gatherings and Inviting Feasts by Shelly Westerhausen
This is a cooking and styling guide that shows you how to create beautiful, abundant spreads-for casual dinners or parties–with stunning photography and creative ideas for every occasion.
Cocktails and Drinks
Freezer Door Cocktails : 75 Cocktails That Are Ready When You Are by J.M. Hirsch
This creative collection of 75 ready-to-pour cocktails shows how to make freezer door versions of your favorites, from Margaritas and Manhattans to Cosmopolitans, Espresso Martinis, and beyond.
The Mocktail Club : Classic Recipes (and New favorites) Without the Booze by Derick Santiago
As more and more people embrace the alcohol-free lifestyle, the range of mocktail recipes continues to grow. From plays on classic cocktails to mocktails to new flavor concoctions, the options are endless. The 75 creative mocktails in this book are all about fresh ingredients, classic flavors, and keeping the booze out, so you can bring the fun of a classic cocktail bar right to your couch. Learn to make the delicious, alcohol-free recipes for: Whiskey Sidecar, Citrus Rose Martini, Golden Fruit Daiquiri, Spicy Pineapple Margarita, and more!
The Book of Cocktail Ratios : The Surprising Simplicity of Classic Cocktails by Michael Ruhlman
A back-to-basics cocktail book–and an affable tribute to the pleasures of the cocktail–is organized around five best-known, beloved, classic families of cocktails, providing a simple ratio for each from which myriad variations can be built.
A Booze & Vinyl Christmas : Merry Music-and-Drink Pairings to Celebrate the Season by Andre Darlington
Whether you’re planning your finest Ugly Christmas Sweater Party or spending a quiet evening by the stocking-lined fireside at home, make the season bright with this guide to 40 favorite holiday albums from the 1940s to the present. Each entry features liner notes on the album and accompanying boozy beverage recipes that complement the music or connect the drink to the artist. Select holiday food recipes throughout complete the experience.
Delish Ultimate Cocktails : Why Limit Happy to an Hour? by Joanna Saltz
Each of the 100+ easy and fun recipes dreamt up by the editors of Delish is an excuse to throw a party. These cocktail recipes will shake things up and elevate your entertaining game with best-ever versions of the classics plus inventive new ideas for Jell-O shots and boozy sweets like Banana Pudding Shots and Pina Colada Truffles.
Liquid Dessert : Cocktail Confections From Around the World by Brian Paiement
Professional bartender and mixologist Paiement invites you to join him on a trip around the world to discover cocktails inspired by the best desserts on the planet. Traditional desserts, though delicious, can be heavy and overwhelming after a big meal. Or you may be wavering on whether or not to have another beverage or dessert-now it doesn’t have to be one or the other! From cocktails-inspired favorites like Bananas Foster or Cannoli, whether you’re a fan of rich, decadent chocolate or you have more of a citrusy-tart palette, the simple-to-follow recipes here have you covered, no matter your craving.
Mocktail Lounge : Creative Alcohol-Free Cocktails to Elevate Your Sipping Hour by Dylan Swift
An alluring collection of alcohol-free mixed drinks that are stylish and sexy–and they’re healthier than traditional cocktails, too! With more than 50 bold recipes for your wind-down hour and your festive hour, you’ll find the best ways to use effervescent mixers, restorative juices, calming adaptogens, and even alternative spirits and wines.
Mocktails : A Collection of No-Proof Cocktails
This collection of 75+ irresistible mocktails are carefully hand crafted to bring amazing flavor to every sip. Whether you want to make the kids feel grown up, don’t drink alcohol, or are just not in the mood for booze, these mocktails offer something for everyone. Not only are they much more interesting to drink than soda, but they also offer the wide range of flavor profiles that makes the world of cocktails so dynamic.
Pretty Simple Cocktails : Margaritas, Mocktails, Spritzes, and More for Every Mood and Occasion by Julianna McIntosh
Perfect for anyone who wants a well-balanced cocktail that’s as chic as it is easy to shake, Julianna breaks down the basics of cocktail making from bar equipment to mixing syrups. In addition to recipes divided by occasion and seasonality, she offers plenty of smart tips for building and maintaining a home bar including her list of must-have equipment (with substitution options), a cocktail glass primer, a how-to on picture-perfect garnishes (dehydrated citrus! brûléed fruit!), and a specialty liqueur index so every bottle you buy gets used again and again.
Signature Cocktails by Amanda Schuster
A signature cocktail is a bespoke drink that expresses the nature of the time, person, or place for which it was created. In this book, the author curates a collection of the most celebrated cocktails – from well-known classics such as the Bellini, to the up-to-the-minute Twin Cities from New York’s ultra-hip Dead Rabbit bar. Each unique drink in this collection is accompanied by the name of the creator, place and date of invention, alongside a specially commissioned image, easy-to-follow recipe, and a fascinating insight into its unique story.
—Archana, Adult Services & Acquisitions Librarian