Celebrations 101 (Hardcover)

by Rick Rodgers (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The most challenging aspect of entertaining is often the timing: will various elements of dinner for 12 be hot all at once? Is it all right to make and freeze some dishes ahead of time? And how long does garlic butter keep, anyway? Fans of Rodgers's 101 series know what to do: follow the timetables after each menu, and time-management will be a, well, piece of cake (probably Angel Food with Lemon Mousse Frosting). Rodgers's series (it includes Thanksgiving 101, Christmas 101 and Barbecues 101) boasts a unique layout with a soothing rhythm. This addition has four season-centric sections with several menus in each, ranging from Mardi Gras to Passover, Father's Day to Christmas. A shopping list, recipes, tips and an agenda provide strategies for each soiree, and Rodgers adds personal commentary and historical insight: "A Mardi Gras Celebration" notes the "holy quintet" of seasonings used in Cajun and Creole recipes, and "Halloween Party"-ers may want to remember guests will be in costume, "so don't make food that is too difficult to eat or serve." Clever tidbits ("all food looks good on white ceramic") and succulent close-up photos are enticing, and a list of essential kitchen tools will have readers on the fast track to achieving Rodgers's goal: a memorable celebration and a calm chef.
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Review

Praise for THE CAREFREE COOK

"Homey, imaginative, and very do-able even for inexperienced cooks… an outstanding choice."
--New York Daily News

“I love this book… what can I say when I make six recipes from a cookbook and each one turns out better than the one before?”
--Epicurious.com

"Rick Rodgers caters to the cook who feels overwhelmed by long and time-consuming recipes, but he does it without out dumbing down traditional dishes."
--San Francisco Chronicle

"Rick Rodgers makes cooking fun and puts you at ease in the kitchen… this is a homespun book for today's modern cook."
--Portland Oregonian

“Straightforward good eating… the kind of coaching that tentative cooks, and some of the rest of us, appreciate.”
--The Chicago Tribune

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Broadway (October 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767914643
• ISBN-13: 978-0767914642
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,030,780 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There is an index!, September 6, 2005

By	R. Rodgers "Rick Rodgers" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There is a complete index in Celebrations 101. In fact, it runs 11 pages. And there also is a complete menu at the start of each chapter. I should know. I am the author of the book. Enough said...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful recipes, March 1, 2006

By	Karen Summers (Fairview, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I love this book! I'm a big fan of Rick Rogers books, and have several of them. I was excited when this one came out and bought it before I could read any reviews on it. I wasn't disappointed. I have tried about 10 of the recipes so far, and all have been just wonderful. My favorites are the Hickory-smoked Baby Back Ribs with Vidalia Onion Sauce (worth the price of the book alone!), the Cedar-Smoked Salmon, which I have made several times, the Angel Food Cake with Lemon Mousse Frosting (woa nellie, that's good), and the Hot Artichoke dip with Baguette Crisps. I make those Baguette crisps all the time. I love the suggested menues, which make planning so easy, and I also really appreciate the large yeild of each recipes, and how EASY they are to prepare! THe author makes it very easy to plan everything out and do things ahead of time so you're not rushing around at the last minute when you have guests. I love the book. I highly recommend it!

0 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Easy to follow recipes, September 5, 2005

By	V523 (NYC) - See all my reviews

The recipes are very good, easy to follow and acessible for someone who isn't an experienced cook like me. The only complaint I have is that there isn't an index of recipes, or even a meaningful table of contents which details the menu of each meal. This is why I am only giving this book 2 stars.