Occasions
Author: Kate Spad
Every occasion calls out for something extra, whether it's flowers you set on the table, foods to honor a special gathering, or the selection of music. For both hostess and guest, consideration of those around you is among the most important qualities for any enjoyable occasion. A smile and sense of humor are also essential, and before the canapés and night lighting a good hostess is ultimately defined by a welcoming and gracious demeanor.
In Occasions, designer Kate Spade invites you into her world of easy, festive entertaining, where the emphasis is not on "the perfect meal" but on having "the perfect time." It's a world where laughter and conversation at dinner parties are encouraged and where spilled red wine on the couch is no reason to stop the music. As Kate says, "Making your guests feel at home is truly an art and it's one worth cultivating."
Any occasion begins with preparation, and at the outset Kate describes such basic components as lighting (votive candles are a must); table linens, flatware, and glassware; flowers (trimmed short and tightly massed); even bedding for overnight or weekend guests. Party shopping lists, hors d'oeuvres and cocktail favorites, and dinner party menus are all included. An "Alphabet of Special Events," from baby showers to tailgate picnics, is both anecdotal and useful for would-be hostesses everywhere.
Whether you entertain a lot or a little, and whether your style is casual or formal, Occasions, with more than 230 charming watercolor illustrations, is a handy and fresh approach to the subject, a book to be treasured today and over the years. Above all, at any gathering "hospitality makes for infectious fun."
Publishers Weekly
Fashion designer Spade has become a sort of style icon of the new millennium. First it was her ubiquitous handbags, then it was shoes, next came stationery and now she's telling us how to pen a thank-you note, what to pack for a beach bonfire and why a summer rainstorm calls for capri pants and flip-flops. This trio of "small books" is targeted squarely at the put-together woman (or the woman who wishes she were put-together). Each book mixes chatty but straight-ahead prose with cute line drawings. Spade's presence is evident throughout, between her personal anecdotes (in Occasions, she lets on, "One of my favorite things to do is shop flea markets, wherever I am") and the charming sketches of women sporting sparkly but demure shoes. While united in theme i.e., the modern woman embracing tradition, grace and old-fashioned beauty the books each have their own niche. Style mainly addresses what-to-wear issues and reads like an abridged version of the recently published style guides from Lucky and InStyle magazines. Occasions focuses on entertaining from cocktail parties to holiday dinners. And Manners covers such subjects as artful conversation and re-gifting. Style is probably the strongest of the three, as it's the subject on which Spade has the greatest authority. But Occasions and Manners are solid, too, if not exactly groundbreaking (they brim with grandmotherly advice, with a bit of Letitia Baldrige's modern etiquette thrown in). Taken together, the books should please hostesses and would-be Marthas of all ages. (Apr.) Forecast: This collection should take off, thanks to Spade's name, planned author appearances at her retail stores, a direct mail campaign to the company's 100,000-plus name mailing list, TV radio and print publicity and a tie-in to the launch of Spade's new "at home" collection. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Table of Contents:
| Have You Ever Wondered ...? | 4 | |
| Introduction | 10 | |
| Section 1 | The Mise-en-Scene | 13 |
| Decorating the Room | ||
| Shopping for Antiques | ||
| Flowers | ||
| Lighting | ||
| Linens | ||
| The Well-Stocked Cupboard | ||
| Party Shopping Lists | ||
| Music | ||
| Seating | ||
| When the Out-of-Doors Beckons | ||
| Invitations | ||
| Dressing the Part | ||
| The Good Hostess | ||
| The Good Guest | ||
| Surprises and Disasters | ||
| Section 2 | Tried 'n True Party Standards | 59 |
| Cocktail Parties | ||
| Pre-Party Preparations | ||
| Mixed Drinks | ||
| Shake, Stir, Pour, and Serve | ||
| The Perfect Martini | ||
| Champagne and Cognac | ||
| Wine is Divine | ||
| Beer is a Beverage Too | ||
| Hors d'Oeuvres | ||
| A la Carte, A Table, and Catering | ||
| Dinner Parties | ||
| Dinner Party Checklist | ||
| Special Dinner Parties | ||
| The Art of the Toast | ||
| Dinner Party Trivia | ||
| Weekend Parties | ||
| For the Ideal Guest Room | ||
| Weekend Activities in the Country | ||
| Section 3 | An Alphabet of Special Events | 91 |
| Anniversary Gifts | ||
| The After-Party Party | ||
| Barbecues | ||
| Birthdays | ||
| Brunches (and Lunches) | ||
| Farewell Dinners | ||
| Holidays | ||
| New Home | ||
| Pienies | ||
| Showers | ||
| Tailgate | ||
| Tea | ||
| Theme Parties | ||
| The Un-Occasion | ||
| Weddings | ||
| Thank You | 108 | |
| Select Bibliography | 110 |
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Recipes from Central Market
Author: Phyllis Pellman Good
From the Inside Flap
This new collection of recipes from the standholders of Lancaster, Pennsylvania's beloved Central Market is as lush and full of bounty as the farmers market itself.
Set in the center of lively, historic Lancaster, the market offers richly varied produce, breads, and homemade dishes to its loyal shoppers.
Here, now, are recipes from these same gardeners, farmers, cooks, and bakers. Ever ready to share their plenty, they have brought together their favorite recipes, using fresh ingredients and tried-and-true techniques.
This collection mirrors the market-its traditional foods, rooted deeply in Pennsylvania Dutch soil, and its burgeoning multi-cultural flavor. (A Middle Eastern baker shares an aisle with an Amish vegetable-grower!)
Recipes from Central Market has brisk salads and vegetarian main dishes. On neighboring pages are the comforts of favorite pies and jams and stews. All from the oldest, continually operating farmers market in the United States.
Phyllis Pellman Good is a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. As a teenager she worked on Central Market and today, as a resident of Lancaster City, shops there. She edits books related to the Amish and Mennonites and is the author of a variety of cookbooks, including the top-selling The Best of Amish Cooking. She is the co-author of The Central Market Cookbook, The Best of Mennonite Fellowship Meals, From Amish and Mennonite Kitchens, and 20 Most Asked Questions About the Amish and Mennonites.
Phyllis and her husband, Merle, are the parents of two daughters.
Louise Stoltzfus is also a native ofLancaster County, Pennsylvania, and lives in downtown Lancaster. She, too, has authored several books about Amish and Mennonite life, and cooking: Amish Women: Lives and Stories and Favorite Recipes from Quilters. She is the co-author of two cookbooks with Phyllis Pellman Good-The Central Market Cookbook and The Best of Mennonite Fellowship Meals. She also co-authored the Lancaster County Cookbook.
Publishers Weekly
The authors of The Central Market Cookbook return with another collection of recipes representing the regional cuisine around Lancaster, Penn.-widely known as Amish country. The contributions of those who own and staff the 70 stands reflects the local German heritage. There are recipes for Fladelsppe, pancakes in soup and German cucumber salad. Many of the contributors' favorites seem neither original nor inspired, such as those for potato and chicken salads, chicken noodle soup and tuna noodle casserole. Of greater interest are several recipes for desserts, including Black-Bottom Banana Bars, Glazed Apple Cookies and such Amish specialties as Montgomery and Quakertown pies. A history of the market and descriptions of some of the region's specialties, such as scrapple, are highlighted. (Dec.)
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