Dinner for Eight - 40 Great Dinner Party Menus for Friends and Family

Longtime recipe tester Denise Landis - who has tested Nigella Lawson's books and more than a decade's worth of recipes at The New York Times - is an accomplished and experienced home entertainer. Landis knows what makes a good dinner party and how to compose a menu that will impress guests while leaving the cook free to enjoy her own party. Featuring forty complete menus - appetizer, first course, main course, accompaniment and dessert - Dinner for Eight is organized by season, encourages mixing and matching, and guides any cook through a dinner party timeline of advance preparation and last-minute finishes. A sample of the menus: For Fall: Hummus with Toasted Pita Triangles, Eggplant with Chopped Tomato Vinaigrette and Spiced Chevre, Bourbon-Marinated Roast Pork, Savoury Mashed Potatoes, Florida Apple Pie. For Winter: Parmesan Cheese Crisps, Salmon Tartare, Roasted Rabbit with Polenta, Wild Mushroom Saute, Pears in Red Wine. For Spring: Walnut Spread, Moules Mariniere, Lamp Chops with Mint Butter, Salt-Crusted New Potatoes, Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote. For Summer: Devilled Eggs with Avocado, Gazpacho, Seafood and Chicken and Sausage Paella, Rouille, Peppermint Ice Cream...