Well, you know me – cookbook addict 🙂
In my defense… this isn’t really a cookbook… there are no recipes… Instead it’s a guide to understanding ingredients – how they work together, what works with what… and if you haven’t got a particular ingredient – how to substitute something that will still work in your recipe… how to make subtle changes to a basic recipe that will turn it into something magical…
I figured I’d get a lot of use out of it, especially now that our food is so simple… (that’s my excuse – and I’m sticking to it :-)) – though I suspect I will always be able to come up with some excuse for a new cookbook…
I’ve also decided that, for entertaining, I’d like to find 5 or 6 recipes that I can practice, perfect and rotate with each dinner party. I hope, that way I can relax and be a gracious hostess – rather than a frazzled wreck who just wants her guests to GO HOME 😦
Do you have any suggestions as to what those recipes should be?
What is your go-to favorite, never-let-you-down menu for a dinner party?
ninehundredandseventytwelverecipes 
Oh wow. Depends on the crowd. If my company is traditional and culinarily non-adventurous (amazing how genuinely great people can be food duds), I do a brisket with an oniony, dark gravy, rich buttery mashed potatoes and string beans with toasted almonds…if the crowd is a little wilder, I’ll do an assortment of home-made pizzas–a favorite being BBQ chicken with onion, smoked gouda and cilantro.
I am always a frazzled wreck, however–no matter how many times I’ve done the recipe. The new book looks intriguing.
Ooh that brisket sounds delicious… and I must practice the recipe I have for a cheese-based pizza crust 🙂
Coq au Vin is one of my absolute favourites for flavour and ease and leaves plenty of time to be with guests. All the work is done up front and the flavours are amazing. Let me know if you want me to email you the recipe. You just have to make a nice mash to go with it and possibly a vegetable.
Oh yes please! That would be wonderful! Thank you 🙂
Love the look of the book.
Janet – I have had great success with the Flavor Bible. Lots of inspiring ideas! For dinner guests, I also rotate the main dishes too, Stuffed Pork Roast, Herb Roasted Chicken, Roast Beef and Yorkshire. I have to say, Coq au Vin is a great idea too!
I’m so glad you rotate the mains – I don’t know WHY I thought I had to make something different each time!! 🙂 Roasts are great aren’t they, though I made roast lamb last time – and overcooked it a bit (still good, but I was disappointed…)
I am a complete dud with entertaining but recently found two recipes which are easy to prepare in advance and delicious!! They are on the recipe section of my blog – Paprika chicken and Sun dried tomato chicken. The paprika one can easily be made in advance up to the oven stage then cooked prior to serving. I am anxious to find more stuff too!!
Those chicken dishes look great – and the Oopsie Pies??!!! (chocolate and whipped cream Oopsies especially!) 🙂
I’ve been eyeing off that book for a while now! I have the Flavour Thesauraus which is just awesome, and matches flavours and tastes together amazingly.
I tend to use dinner parties to try out new ideas, but if I’m lacking inspiration a good old Roast Dinner can’t go wrong and is so easy to make gluten/lactose/carb/grain free and paleo friendly and most of the work can be done ages ahead so you’re free to spend time with your guests.
I love doing a roast – and they’re great because most of the people who eat here don’t do roasts anymore. HOWEVER, I could tell you some stories of roast dinners gone wrong… like the time I set fire to the pork roast, ruined the bbq and burned the paint off the side of the house… (all the same roast!) 🙂
Janet, I’d have to say my favorite appetizer or first course to make is an Alsatian Onion Tart, and for dessert, I have a fail-proof Dutch Apple pie recipe, that I switch fruit based on seasonal availability.
Your pies always look AMAZING Tom, my personal favorite so far, is the Shaker Lemon Pie. 🙂