Unlike most books on entertaining, the chapters are organized by the time of day in which a party is scheduled. The recipes are easy enough for the novice cook, and timelines are included to make sure that all of the food will be ready at the appropriate time. Each step is listed by the exact time of day at which it should be done, even when to run the dishwasher.
The chapters all contain three or four party themes, each with recipes, serving piece suggestions, detailed timelines, and grocery lists. Some recipes even list lighter ingredients that can be substituted for high-fat ones without compromising taste. Each menu also includes wine suggestions to lessen the stress of choosing wine, even suggesting which glass to use and what to do if the host doesn¹t have enough wine glasses. Because so many young adults lead busy lives, the menus also include shortcuts in case there isn't enough time to make the entire menu from scratch.
One of the most helpful features of Rebecca Lang¹s Southern Entertaining for a New Generation is that the book provides serving suggestions for younger cooks who don't yet own all the serving pieces they need. "There is no reason not to host a party because you don¹t have enough china," she insists. "You can still have a great time by using some of the fun, creative suggestions in this book."
