R.S.V.P.: Menus for Entertaining from People Who Really Know How (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Quentin Bacon (Photographer) "If I believed in reincarnation, I would want to come back as Catie and Don Marron's children..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Nan Kempner knows her parties. As part of the Park Avenue haut monde, she has entertained, and been entertained, by a heady mixture of the social and talented (and those who are both). In R.S.V.P. she introduces readers to more than two dozen of her favorite hosts, who provide menus and entertaining strategies for a range of choice events. These run the gamut from dockside breakfasts to candlelit dinners deluxe. The 120 or so recipes included produce elegant yet uncomplicated fare that should delight anyone's guests without taxing the cook. Glimpses into the homes (or in one case, the yacht) of the likes of Oscar and Annette de la Renta, designer Valentino Garavani, and artist Ross Bleckner, via words and pictures, entice the voyeur in us all, while graceful notes provide an idea of who the party givers are.

Divided into sections that feature lunches, informal dinners, buffets, and galas, the book offers, for example, the Corn and Feta Soufflé of Princess Marie Chantal of Greece, served at a light lunch, and the savory Mushroom Tart of vineyard patrons Carole and François Rochas, prepared for a "perfect" fall repast. Desserts aren't neglected and include the likes of Orange Floating Island and Fig Sorbet with "Queen of Sheba" Chocolate Cookies. A final section, "Me and More Friends," brings Kempner herself onstage with her recipe for beignet-like Pet de Nonnes, as well as offering formulas for Bill Blass's Sour Cream Soufflé and Nancy Reagan's Currant Cookies, among others. With 300 color photos, the large-format book reveals a world that readers can enjoy visiting, and includes dishes for their own R.S.V.P. occasions. --Arthur Boehm

Product Description

What defines a truly great host? Is it the quality of her surroundings, her china and linens, the savory surprises at her table, the diversity of the people she gathers around her, or simply her ability to put guests at ease? As Nan Kempner shows in R.S.V.P., it is all this and much more.

New York hostess extraordinaire and inveterate guest of some of the world's most accomplished, Nan Kempner offers a tantalizing glimpse into the homes -- and entertaining philosophies -- of more than two dozen of her favorite hosts and hostesses. With twenty complete menus, R.S.V.P. divulges tried-and-true strategies for a large range of events, from a dockside breakfast to a gala sit-down dinner. Here is a casual city luncheon hosted by Crown Princess Pavlos of Greece; cocktails on the Grand Canal in Venice with Larry Lovett; Anne Bass's fall-inspired country menu; the raucous Texas-sized cookout served by Lynn Wyatt; and a full-scale boar hunt on the Loire Valley estate of Count Hubert and Countess Isabelle d'Ornano.

For each event, Nan recollects the mood at the table and the individual elements that made each gathering so exceptional. She has also convinced her friends to share their most closely guarded recipes, most of them simple to replicate and all certain to please even the most discerning partygoer. R.S.V.P. also gives an enticing tour of some of the world's most brilliant houses, with an insider's view of Oscar and Annette de la Renta's Santo Domingo villa; Ross Bleckner's art-filled New York City loft; and designer Valentino's sumptuously appointed yacht. Stunning color photographs showcase each house and vividly re-create these events.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; 1 edition (November 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609604309
• ISBN-13: 978-0609604304
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #556,151 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Resourceful but disappointing, November 23, 2000

By A Customer

I had been avidly awaiting the release of this book. But I came away from it uninterested and unmoved.

I had expected, based on the description, something that was part "Lifestyle's of the Rich and Famous"and part mealplanner with recipes. The latter was as promised in every sense. The former consisted of an enormous display of what I can only describe as a painfully awkward attempt to portray a glamour and beauty that had faded and an importance by association rather than accomplishment. I would think that such a reknowned hostess could have supplied a far more impressive narration.

To buy or not to buy? Buy. The meals look scrumptious and the recipes are items that look gourmet and taste gourmet but can be replicated with skills of an amateur. (Like me.)

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, March 6, 2001

By A Customer

If you are looking for glamorous photos and chic descriptions of the 'swells' of society, this is it. It's a fun and voyeuristic way to see how New York society entertains each other. The recipes are not too difficult and several I have tried were delicious.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nan Rocks, May 17, 2005

By	DanR (Boise ID) - See all my reviews

Ya gotta love the pictures, try some of the recipes, and laugh a bunch. Its a nice cook book if you are into cookbooks, but mostly get it for the fun of it.